Francesco Menini

Bio:

Francesco Menini is an Italian freelance composer, orchestrator, arranger, and multi-instrumentalist from Verona. He began studying piano and percussion at the age of eight and later added clarinet at eleven. After graduating from the Scientific Experimental High School, Menini earned an M.A. in Symphonic Percussion under Saverio Tasca at the E.F. Dall'Abaco Conservatorio in Verona, where he also achieved the Piano Performance Diploma (8th Degree). He continued his studies in Composition and Orchestration for Symphonic Band with Roberto Di Marino. Alongside his conservatory training, he pursued studies in History and Criticism of Cinema at the University of Padova, with a focus on soundtracks. His international education includes orchestration with Christo Pavlov in Bulgaria, soundtrack scoring with Christopher Young and Derek Gleeson, and mixing with Debbie Smith. In 2009, he obtained an M.A. in Music Teaching. Menini also explored jazz harmony and improvisation in masterclasses with Dave Samuels and David Friedman, while gaining practical experience as pianist and keyboardist in a folk band for seven years, and studying drums with Lele Veronesi. As a classical performer, Menini has appeared as Vibraphone Soloist with the Orchestra of the Arena di Verona (2003) and has performed as percussionist with the Orchestra of the Teatro Olimpico di Vicenza and the Orchestra of the Alps of Rovereto. He was also vibraphonist/marimbist in Frank Zappa Project – Tribute to Frank Zappa by Glauco Venier. Over his career, he has performed with artists including Pietro Tonolo, Eric Vloeimans, Martin France, Chris Laurence, Rossano Emili, Luca Spagnoletti, Dario Cecchini, Glauco Venier, Klaus Gesing, Dave Samuels, Riccardo Chiarion, Francesco Sotgiu, and Diana Torto. His compositions have been featured in theater, television, and film projects, as well as at the Venice Biennale and the Venice Guggenheim Foundation. In 2016, he was a finalist in the Maurice Ravel International Composing Competition. Since 2017, Menini has served as Faculty Instructor and Orchestrator for the GEMS Programs led by Nigel Lees, collaborating with Hollywood composers Christopher Young, Pete Anthony, Garry Schyman, and Spanish composer Juanjo Molina in Madrid. In 2019, he deepened his studies in composition under Paolo Ugoletti at the L. Marenzio Conservatorio in Brescia. In 2021, together with the Gomalan Brass Quintet, Menini recorded Tex in Brass, a concert work dedicated to Tex, the longest-running Italian comic series published by Sergio Bonelli Editore (first issued in 1948). The album, released by EMA Vinci, was submitted for consideration in the 2023 Grammy Awards in the categories of Best Contemporary Classical Composition, Best Chamber Performance, and Best Engineered Album – Classical. Most recently, in 2023, Menini joined the soundtrack team for the major motion picture Verona’s Romeo & Juliet, directed by Timothy Scott Bogart.

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