He studied at the Law School of the University of Athens and received his doctorate degree. He then took advanced music theory courses at the Athens Conservatory and taught as a professor of advanced theory at the Athens Conservatory (1919).

A gifted musician, he rapidly climbed the ranks of the pedagogical hierarchy. He was also Director of the Piraeus Conservatory (1924-31). At the same time he played violin and viola and became the 1st viola in the symphony orchestra of the Athens Conservatory. In 1930 he became the director of the Athens Conservatory until 1940. He showed great activity and founded the Athens Choir and became its director, presenting masterpieces of the international classical repertoire to Athenian audiences. He was a teacher and pedagogue of many of our great musicians, such as our great conductor, Dimitris Mitropoulos in Harmony and higher theory. Later on he was a pupil of his during the years of the German occupation. M. Theodorakis , whose first compositions he conducted.

But Economides was not limited to Greece, his great conducting talent was recognized internationally as a conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic, the Vienna Symphony, the New Symphony Orchestra of London, the St. Cicily of Rome, major radio orchestras and cities, Bucharest, Belgrade, etc. The reviews he received were rave, Economides transformed the O.A. into the Athens State Orchestra, (K.O.A.) greatly improving its organizational weaknesses and financial support. In 1954 he became, unpaid, Director of the National Lyric Stage. Finally, we should mention that he orchestrated many folk songs.