Manolis Kalomiris was born in Smyrna in 1883 and hails from Samos. He began his musical studies in Smyrna and continued in Athens and Constantinople. He studied at the Vienna Conservatory (1901-1906) where he learned piano, harmony, counterpoint, and composition.

He taught at the music school of the OmboLenski Lyceum in Kharkiv (1906-1910) and came into contact with the Russian national music school. In 1910, he settled in Athens, following his first concert in 1908. From 1911 to 1919, he taught at the Athens Conservatory, founding the Hellenic Conservatory in 1919, which he directed until 1926.

His works include:

• Five operas: "The Master Builder" (1915), "The Mother's Ring" (1917), "Anatoli" (1945), "The Rural Waters" (1950), "Constantine Palaiologos" (1961)
• Three symphonies: "The Symphony of Valor" (1920), "Of the Ignorant and Good People" (1931), "Palamik" (1955)
• Symphonic poems: "Mina the Rebel" (1950), "The Death of the Brave" (1943), "Symphonic Concerto" for piano and orchestra (1935), "Concertino" for violin (1955)