I am a versatile musician, improviser, and researcher with a diverse academic background. Currently, I am an international Ph.D. student at Universitat de Barcelona (Societat i Cultura: Història, Antropologia, Art i Patrimoni). I serve as a researcher at CESEM – Centre for the Study of the Sociology and Aesthetics of Music at FCSH, Universidade Nova de Lisboa. I also hold a second-level degree in Jazz Piano with honors from the Conservatorio di Piacenza, a Master’s degree in Musicology from Esmuc in Barcelona, and a Master’s degree in Biotechnology from the University of Pavia.
My primary focus lies in the preservation of musical heritage, achieved through in-depth studies and research, as well as the creative reinterpretation in a modern context. I explore non-destructive techniques in musical composition, employing both ancient and modern compositional methodologies to forge a synergistic connection between the past and present. This approach reflects my dedication to explore, understand, and reinterpret musical heritage with a conservative sensibility, coupled with a vivid artistic expression in harmony with contemporary sensibilities.
As a musician, my commitment extends beyond the realm of recorded albums and projects. In addition to the listed releases, I serve as the co-editor for the Schola Cantorum Cantus Fugiens in Barcelona and hold the position of director for the vocal group Ensemble Aromata. This ensemble is dedicated to performing and recording previously unreleased material derived from my musicological research in the field of Gregorian chant.
I have released nine albums as a leader, consistently emphasizing a dedication to musical exploration. Notable works include Vox Organalis and OS, presented as a duo with electronics and in a trio format, respectively. Furthermore, I have authored two volumes titled “Graduale Novum,” showcasing the rendition of Gregorian chants for Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany masses on the piano. These volumes employ modern semiological notation, drawing inspiration from sangallese and metense notations.
I have won numerous international awards, including the prestigious Giorgio Gaslini International Award, and am considered his musical heir.
As a dedicated musicologist, my current focus revolves around extensive research endeavors. From a scientific standpoint, I have several publications, including one on the 12th-century Franco-Roman manuscript featuring Catalan-Narbonese notation; this research project delves into the intricacies of the manuscript, involving meticulous study of various fragments and specimens employing Catalan notation. Currently, I am deeply engaged in academic research on the liturgical-musical panorama of the Iberian Peninsula, with a specific emphasis on the Braga rite during the 11th-century transition.
I am seeking opportunities that will allow me to continue to develop my skills and contribute to the world of music through high-quality research and performance.
- QUOTES
«The first time I listened to his music, I realized that Francesco could create something really big.»
«Fin dalla prima volta che l’ho sentito ho capito che Francesco avrebbe potuto creare qualcosa di veramente importante.»
Franco D’Andrea
«Francesco Orio’s music is a tangible demonstration of how musical language can be renewed, no matter the genre, without being afraid of twisting it, of distorting it, or running the risk of making it a simulacrum of itself, because his music is absolute and, as such, without any distinction of time or space.»
«La musica di Francesco Orio è la dimostrazione tangibile di come si possa rinnovare il linguaggio musicale (non importa a qual genere esso appartenga) senza timore di violentarlo, di snaturarlo, di correre il rischio di renderlo il simulacro di sé stesso, perché essa è musica assoluta e, come tale, libera da ogni qualsivoglia demarcazione di tempo e di spazio.»
Giovanni Acciai