Dimitris Gkoulimaris

Dimitris Gkoulimaris is a Ph.D. candidate in ethnomusicology at The University of Texas at Austin, where he currently serves as an Assistant Instructor (2024-2025 academic year). He holds a Bachelor of Music from Northwestern University (summa cum laude) and a classical percussion degree from the municipal conservatory of Thermi, Greece. His research focuses on the musical practices of Greece, Turkey, the Balkans, the Middle East, and Latin America, with interdisciplinary interests in nationalism, musical economies, affect theory, and tourism studies.

Teaching highlights include three years as a Teaching Assistant and current instruction for courses like History of Rock Music and Popular Music & Moral Deviance. As a multi-instrumentalist, he performs globally influenced genres with ensembles such as Bereket (Middle Eastern), Hispanic Caribbean Ensemble, and Shams Band, specializing in oud, buzuq, and folk guitar.

His professional career spans two decades as a performer, sound engineer, and composer across rock, blues, and traditional Mediterranean music. Research presentations include conferences in the U.S. and Mexico, reflecting his commitment to bridging academic and artistic dimensions of music studies.