«Elvira Muratore is a composer
of emotional experience,
of sensory experience.»
(review by Marie Humbert, 7 August 2020 – www.composher.com)
Elvira Muratore’s music stems from the idea of music as an experience: not a message to be communicated, but an experience to be lived. Her writing is characterised by a particular attention to gesture, detail and perception, through a music made of small, precise, minimalist gestures, to be observed and listened to with ever greater depth.
At the heart of her research is also her relationship with the concepts of Zero and Void, which she began to explore during the two years she spent studying Mathematics at the University of Florence. Her interest in the different conceptions of the void — sometimes perceived as a dangerous idea, at other times as the very essence of reality — has gradually become one of the underlying matrices of her artistic research.
For Muratore, composing is akin to a research process: the projects she undertakes are therefore not simply opportunities for writing, but each constitute a way of questioning and exploring a specific aspect of the art of composition. It is from this perspective that some of her most elaborate works have emerged, often developed through dialogue with musicians, other artistic forms, historical repertoires or specific contexts.
Among these, ALIAS: Amor, conceived jointly with viola d’amore player Valerio Losito, led in 2020 to the homonymous recording released by Da Vinci Classics, attracting critical attention for its originality and intensity.
«…extraordinary intensity and depth, leaving, in the end, the certainty of having listened to a CD of great value.»
(Remy Franck, Pizzicato, August 2020)
Among her most recent collaborations is that with harmonica player Stefano Olivato (a bassist widely known to the public for his long-standing collaboration with Angelo Branduardi), which gave rise to Anastasia, a project devoted to the creation of an original repertoire for chromatic harmonica. The first work, Oyaji, for solo chromatic harmonica and string orchestra, was premiered in September 2025 in Tirana by the Albanian Radio Television Symphony Orchestra (RTSH).
During the 2025/26 season, she was composer-in-residence of Gioventù Musicale d’Italia – Modena section, for which she wrote the chamber opera Una matita e un pezzo di carta. The work, based on an idea by artistic director Luca Benatti, introduces a multiple-choice structure in which the audience, through a voting system, determines the fate of the characters while retracing the history of Italy from its first referendum.
Among the other projects that have marked her activity, in 2022 Muratore received two joint commissions from the Sanremo Symphony Orchestra and the Fondazione Biella Città dell’Arte as part of the project La formula della creazione, conceived to coincide with the publication of the autobiography of renowned artist Michelangelo Pistoletto. The two original works, inspired by two chapters of the book, were performed during the 2023 season of the Sanremo Symphony Orchestra and at the Museo del Novecento in Milan in the presence of Pistoletto himself.
Other projects explore the relationship between contemporary composition and materials originating from different periods or cultures. Restauri, for viola d’amore, strings and continuo, commissioned by the Sicilian Baroque Orchestra as part of the project that won the 2020 Vivere all’Italiana in musica grant promoted by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, draws on the music of Baroque composer Runcher and two of his concertos for viola d’amore that have survived without their solo parts. Spaces of Absence, on the other hand, is a cycle of works developed during her residency with the Dédalo Ensemble in the 2016/17 season, while Nomen, a series of compositions for different ensembles, explores the concept of the mask in relation to traditional Japanese theatre.
Choral music also features in her output. In 2016, she was composer-in-residence of the Tuscan Youth Choir, contributing Sul Cielo to a concert held at the Basilica of Santa Maria Novella in Florence, with more than twenty choirs from across Italy.
Her compositions and arrangements have been performed by orchestras and ensembles in Italy and abroad, including the Orchestra del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, the MÁV Symphony Orchestra of Budapest, the Orchestra da Camera del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, the Polish Baltic Frédéric Chopin Philharmonic, the Orchestra Sinfonica Abruzzese, the Sinfonietta Prometeo of Mexico City, the Danubia Orchestra, the Sicilian Baroque Orchestra, the Hacettepe University Symphony Orchestra of Ankara, the Albanian Radio Television Symphony Orchestra (RTSH), the Thessaloniki Symphony Orchestra, the Sanremo Symphony Orchestra, Boston New Music Initiatives, the Dédalo Ensemble, and the Ensemble Forma Libera.
Her works have been presented at festivals and concert seasons including Ravenna Festival, Serate Musicali in Milan, 42 FIMNME – Foro Internacional de Música Nueva in Mexico City, the Composers’ Voice Concert Series in New York, Teatro Lírico Nacional de la Zarzuela in Madrid, Società dei Concerti Barattelli, Megaron Theatre in Thessaloniki, Festival FilArmonia in Florence, Festival Exitime in Bologna, Sulle Ali Del Novecento and Festa dell’Opera in Brescia, and the Italian Cultural Institutes in Istanbul, Budapest and Bratislava.
In 2014, she was the only Italian composer selected for the Atelier Para Jovens Compositores, promoted by the Orquestra Clàssica do Sul in Portugal, and was a finalist in the Second International Composition Competition of the International Federation for Choral Music. In 2011, she received Second Prize at the Assisi Suono Sacro Composition Competition, and in 2008 she was a finalist in the Second International Composition Competition of ISME (International Society for Music Education) in Belgium.
She earned an academic diploma in Composition, graduating with 10/10 and Magna Cum Laude, from the Conservatory of Cesena under the guidance of M° Claudio Boncompagni. She subsequently furthered her studies with composer Ivan Fedele and attended, among others, courses led by Klaus Huber, Younghi Pagh-Paan, Andrea Portera, Nadir Vassena and Alessio Elia.
Her music is featured on three recordings: ALIAS: Amor (Da Vinci Classics, 2020), a monographic album dedicated to solo viola d’amore; Oblivion: Homage to Piazzolla (Da Vinci Classics, 2021), by guitarist Luigi Attademo, featuring Waiting for the Lake to Sing; and Playlist 2030 (Movimento Classical, 2025), by the Ensemble Forma Libera, featuring La via dell’acqua.
ORIGINAL WORKS
| FOR ORCHESTRA | |
|---|---|
| Di giardini non euclidei (2024) | – for orchestra. – commissioned by Sanremo Symphony Orchestra for season 2023/’24 |
| La dimensione del tempo (2022) | – for orchestra. – commissioned by Sanremo Symphony Orchestra for season 2022/’23 |
| Il caso (2022) | – for orchestra. – commissioned by Sanremo Symphony Orchestra for season 2022/’23 |
| Zephir (2019) | – for orchestra. – commissioned by Sanremo Symphony Orchestra for season 2019/’20 |
| La clairvoyance (2019) | – piano solo and string orchestra. – première: Florence (Italy), July 2019, Chiesa di Santo Stefano a Ponte. Other performances: Ankara (Turkey), Hacettepe Üniversitesi, January 2020 |
| Listening to empty spaces (2019) | – solo flute and string orchestra. – première: Prato (Florence, Italy), Convitto Nazionale Cicognini, December 2019 |
| ALIAS: Narcissus (2017) | – viola d’amore, clarinet and string orchestra. – première: Thessaloniki (Greece), Megaron Theatre, November 2017 |
| Nomen (2017) | – harp and string orchestra. – commisioned by La Primavera Women Ensemble. Première: Montecatini (Italy), Terme Excelsior, July 2017 |
| Nomen (2015) | – chamber orchestra. – première: Prato (Florence, Italy), Conservatorio San Niccolò, December 2015 |
| Nomen (2015) | – string orchestra – première: Prato (Florence, Italy), December 2015 |
| Impegno (2015) | – accordion and symphony orchestra. – commissioned by «2 Agosto» International Composition Competition. Première: Bologna (Italy), Piazza 2 Agosto, August 2015 |
| Roji – garden of emptiness (2014) | – for orchestra. – work selected by Orquestra Clàssica do Sul for Atelier para jovens compositores 2014 (only Italian composer); Faro (Portugal), Algarve University, March 2014 |
| Calma di tremiti (2012) | – for string orchestra. – première: Prato (Florence, Italy), Chiesa dello Spirito Santo, September 2012 |
| FROM 2 TO 8 PERFORMERS | |
|---|---|
| Phynai (2024) | – string quartett |
| La via dell’acqua (2023) | – string quartet |
| Clouds’ shadows on the sea (2023) | – sax ensemble (variable number) |
| Flow (2020) | – violin and viola – commissioned by Virginia Ceri, 1st violin of ORT – Tuscany Regional Orchestra |
| Sei ora… (2019) | – soprano and piano – commissioned by Cianti-Orselli Foundation; première: Florence (Italy), Dicember 2019 |
| Haiku prelude (2018) | – soprano, harp and cello – commisioned by Teatro Grande Foundation of Brescia. Première: Brescia (Italy), Festa dell’Opera, September 2018. |
| Spaces of absence: outside (2016) | – violin and cello – commissioned by Dédalo Ensemble as composer in residence for season 2016/’17; première: Brescia (Italy), Sancarlino Theater, November 2016 |
| Spaces of absence: almost forget (2016) | – flute, clarinet, piano, violin and cello – commissioned by Dédalo Ensemble as composer in residence for season 2016/’17; première: Brescia (Italy), Sancarlino Theater, January 2017 |
| Lacrime calde (2016) | – voice, violin, tenor mandola and trombone – première: Florence (Italy), Pieve di San Bavello, May 2016 |
| Giocando all’ombra della nuvola (2014) | – flute, clarinet, harp, piano, 2 violins, viola and cello – première: Florence (Italy), Apri 2014 |
| Listening to scent of violet Lan (2014) | – flute, clarinet, violin, 2 cellos and synth – première: Arezzo (Italy), Pietro Aretino Theater, December 2014 |
| Haiku Quartet (2014) | – string quartet – première: Florence (Italy), Palazzo Medici Riccardi, September 2014 |
| …chacun dans la voie… (2014) | …chacun dans la voie… (2014) 2 flutes and piano Première: Genoa (Italy), Palazzo Tursi, March 2014 |
| La tête (2011) | – female voice, violin, cello and percussions – première: Cesena (Italy), Metamorfosi del Contemporaneo Festival, May 2011 |
| Punto IV (2011) | – guitar, flute and clarinet |
| Punto acerbo (2011) | – flute, cello and piano – Second Prize to the Assisi Suono Sacro Composition Competition 2011 |
| Rimbalzi di vuoto (2010) | – G flute, cello and piano |
| Echi d’altrove (2010) | – guitar, flute and clarinet |
| SOLO INSTRUMENT | |
|---|---|
| Apeiron (2022) | – 8 strings guitar |
| Theorema (2021) | – guitar |
| Waiting for the lake to sing (2021) | – guitar |
| Void’s equation (2019) | – piano – première: Lussembourg, Foyer Européen, March 2019 |
| ALIAS: Sacred love (2018) | – viola d’amore – in the CD “Alias: Amor”, released by Da Vinci Classics in 2020 |
| ALIAS: Narcissus (2017) | – viola d’amore – in the CD “Alias: Amor”, released by Da Vinci Classics in 2020 |
| ALIAS: Haiku (2017) | – viola d’amore – in the CD “Alias: Amor”, released by Da Vinci Classics in 2020 |
| ALIAS: Love after death (2017) | – viola d’amore – in the CD “Alias: Amor”, released by Da Vinci Classics in 2020 |
| ALIAS: Vivamus… (2016) | – viola d’amore – in the CD “Alias: Amor”, released by Da Vinci Classics in 2020 |
| Spaces of absence: inside (2016) | – flute – commissioned by Dédalo Ensemble as composer in residence for season 2016/’17. Première: Brescia (Italy), Sancarlino Theater, November 2016 |
| Running emptiness (2012) | – viola – selected for performance in Composer’s Voice Serie; première: New York, Jan Hus Chirch, February 2013 |
| 30” falls (2011) | – flute |
| 60” breath (2011) | – clarinet |
| 20” thoughts (2011) | – cello |
| Hommage à Magritte (2011) | – cello – première: Prato (Italy), December 2011 |
| CHORAL MUSIC | |
|---|---|
| 33 giri (corale) della letteratura italiana – II parte | – a cappella mixed choir |
| Sul Cielo (2016) | – a cappella mixed choir – commissioned by FENIARCO – Italian Federation for Choral Music as composer in residence of Tuscany Youth Choir. Première: Florence (Italy), Chiesa di Santa Maria Novella, March 2017 |
| Panis Angelicus (2016) | – mixed choir |
| Luci serene (2012) | – mixed choir – Finalist to the IFCM (International Federation for Choral Music) 2nd Composition Competition in 2013 |
| L’usage de la parole (2011) | – mixed choir |
| Wilt thou forgive (2011) | – mixed choir and organ |
TRANSCRIPTIONS AND ARRANGEMENTS
| Restauro II: concerto per viola d’amore di G. B. Runcher (2024) | – viola d’amore, strings and continuo |
| Restauro I: concerto per viola d’amore di G. B. Runcher (2020) | – viola d’amore, strings and continuo |
| Allegro from piano sonata op.24 n.2 by M. Clementi (2019) | – symphony orchestra |
| Dido’s Lament by H. Purcell (2019) | – symphony orchestra – premiére: Lomza (Poland), Filharmonia Kameralna, January 2019 |
| Widmung by R. Schumann (2017) | – symphony orchestra – premiére: Milan (Italy), Sala Verdi, Serate Musicali, October 2017 |
| Mi haish from a sephardic traditional melody (2015) | – violin, viola or cello and string orchestra – première: Florence (Italy), Cestello Theatre, August 2015. Other performances: Budapest (Hungary), Jewish Art Days, May 2017; Florence (Italy), Maggio Musicale Fiorentino Theater, August 2019 |
| Toccata e fuga in D minor by J. S. Bach (2015) | – chamber orchestra – première: Prato (Florence, Italy), Chiesa di San Domenico, August 2015. Other performances: Danzic (Poland), Polish Baltic Filharmonic, January 2017 |
CURRENT PROJECTS
| RESTAURI | Elvira Muratore and Valerio Losito carry on their idea of music outside the eras and categories, and Restauri is the proof of it: Gian Battista Runcher, successor of Antonio Vivaldi in Venice, wrote his viola d’amore concertos and the soloist parts got lost over the centuries; this precious heritage is embraced by two musicians, willing to build a bridge between the past and the present: Restauri is not a reconstruction, it’s a real rebirth. |
| ALIAS: Amor | A unique contemporary music project designed around what it’s considered one of the most fascinating Baroque instruments: the viola d’amore. It is the notes by composer Elvira Muratore, conveyed to the hands of Valerio Losito, tailored to suit the warm sound of the 1775 Ferdinando Gagliano’s viola d’amore, property of the Elsa Peretti Foundation. In 2020 the label Da Vinci Classics will release the homonymous cd, containing the 5 original works of the project. |
| ALIAS meets BACH | The well known Solo Cello Suites by J. S. Bach, in a special version for viola d’amore, written by Elvira Muratore. As cello suites are a turning point in cello history, this project definitely leads the viola d’amore from his “natural” time (in which we thought it could better express itself) to nowadays: not just arrangements, but the Bach’s sound merged to Elvira’s one, both linked by the viola d’amore, an instrument that deserves to be rediscovered, celebrating all its peculiarities hidden in time by forgotten literature. An instrument with incredible resonances and huge possibilities offered by an incredibly flexible tuning. |
| NOMEN | The project NOMEN was born in 2015 with the two first versions, one for string orchestra and the other for 13 players. The title recalls the Latin word “nomen – nominis”, which means name. But it is also a Japanese word that defines the mask used in the traditional nō theatre. This is a research on identity: the same idea in two different shades, not just a transcription from an ensemble to another, but two pieces written simultaneously. In the nō theatre, the actor wears a mask (preventing him from using facial expressions, but forcing him to find other expressive means); in the project NOMEN, the mask is the musical idea, worn but two different actors, in this case, the two different ensembles. The project is developing, thanks to ensembles and orchestras, that ask for their own peculiar version. |