Petros Kourtis was born on the island of Lefkas in 1969. He has been engaged in the art of percussion since he was twelve years old. His studies have been in connection with ethnic percussion and especially with percussion instruments originating from Greece, Cuba, Brazil and Arabic countries.

His educational journey started in 1990 with first stop the Brazil, where he studied and performed alongside some of Brazil΄s virtuoso musicians. He continued his studies at Berklee College of Music studying "Ethnic Percussion" under such virtuoso musicians in their fields as Tricy Sankaran, Jamey Haddad, Glen Velez and Giovanni Hidalgo.

He has collaborated with most of Greece΄s foremost composers and musicians and toured internationally with them playing in various forums and festivals.

International world music artists he has collaborated with include Loreena Mc Kenit, Omar Faruk Tekbilek, Arto Tuncboyaciyan and Ara Dinkjan.

Since 1994 he is music professor at the Phillipos Nakas Conservatory. He has written two instructional books on Percussion, published by Philipos Nakas.

In 1995, along with Costas Baltazanis and Yiotis Kiourtsoglou he formed the band Iasis. In 1997, he joined forces with fellow virtuoso percussion soloists, Vangelis Karipis and Andreas Papas to form the internationally acclaimed ensemble Krotala.