Marco Mandurrino

Composer and Scientist

Italy

Author

About

Music is really THE universal language, over any space and time.

Born in 1984, Marco Mandurrino has always carried out his greatest passions: make Music and devote himself to Science. He attended the Conservatory "G. Verdi"​ in Turin in the Composition class by M° Gianni Possio and, since 2005, his professional career is still active as Composer, Pianist and Conductor, collaborating with famous musicians and instumental groups. Among his major acitivities and productions are worth noting: - the 2-acts-opera Il Frutto Rapito, ("curious and intriguing"​, La Stampa, Turin) written at the age of 22 and put on stage for the first time in 2010; - the set-up of a ballet both as conductor and co-author of original musics performed in collaboration with the National Dance Academy of Rome; - the participation as composer to the opening concert for the "XX Fiera Internazionale del Libro"​ in Turin; - several performances with prestigious artists as - an example among all - in the recent charity event for the Williams Syndrome organized in 2013 and repeated in 2014 in which he conducted the pianist Eliana Grasso and the Magister Harmoniae Orchestra in the "Jeunehomme"​ Mozart's piano concert; - first performance of "Anime", by the Fanfare of the Brigata Alpina Taurinense (Jan 2016). In 2009 he graduated in Physics at University of Turin (in the field of physical modeling applied to diagnostics), then he continued his education towards a scientific-technological curriculum in the ICT framework at the Politecnico of the same city, which leaded him to a MSc degree in Physical Engineering in 2013 (109/110) with a thesis about physical computation of quantum-mechanical processes in semiconductor IR detectors. His research activity has been mainly devoted to the study and modeling of quantum tunneling in semiconductor nanostructures and its correlation with crystal defects while actually, as Postdoctoral Researcher at INFN in Turin, he is focused on development and optimization of particle detectors designed for CERN accelerator.

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Interview

What does music mean to you personally?

Music for me is a language. The most powerful and universal language. Nobody invented Music, since its capability to translate emotions into sounds is connoted with human essence, so for me Music is the best way through which I can express my feelings and my point of view about life. To the audience, but especially to myself. I learned so much about myself thanks to the Music.

Do you agree that music is all about fantasy?

Not at all. This is rather true if we refer to its evocative sphere, but Music can eventually be real and tangible, when it celebrates people or facts. I think it is just a matter of art tools you are using to transmit your message through the Music. This makes the difference between fantasy and real life, like it usually occurs in a spoken language. The specific touch of a performer, or the effects required by an author reproduce the efforts to make appearing the idea standing behind a simple page of music.

If you were not a professional musician, would would you have been?

Probably a novelist. I’m fascinated by all kinds of metamorphosis between mind and Art. In my opinion Music, being a temporary art, is more intriguing (as a composer, you may play with time…) but also a good book can dilate or contract your time perception. And this is an extremely powerful advantage, if you have a message to convey.

What do you envision the role of classical music to be in the 21 century? Do you see that there is a transformation of this role?

For sure our time is "rhythm-ed" by travel, work and facilities that would like to ameliorate our lives and that were absent when ‘classical music’ - strictly speaking - was conceived. This makes evident that today's composers and performers must adapt themselves to their environment. This is a challenge. But the intrinsic meaning of classical music and, thus, its role in the present and future centuries should be the same as 200 years ago: create emotions by means of art and educate people to have patience, respect and cooperation.

When I say that classical music is searching for new ways or that the classical music is getting a new face, what would come to your mind?

I think that, along the challenge just mentioned before, one important aspect is the appearance of Music in the present era. What I’m thinking now is the way to catch the attention of a specific (or, in other cases, of a wide) audience. Probably one of the most difficult activities to account for before perform a concert or, as in my case, before conceiving a piece, a theme, or simply choosing which instruments I’ll be writing for. The important fact, in my personal view, is to not denaturing the true essence of Music with artifacts or deviant messages that prelude to something different from what classical music actually is. How can we recognize the good intentions of an artist? If he/she sincerely enjoys his/her work.

Tell us about your creative process. Do you have your favourite piece (written by you) How did you start working on it?

I don’t have a favourite piece. All of them are different by intention and realization and each one has its own characteristic that makes it somehow unique. In general the creative idea starts from a given theme, if under commission, or from my personal inspiration. In the first period I tend to be isolated from the environment and other music in order to avoid any contamination. In this way I find my real intentions as artist and then the ideas usually come in a quite straightforward process. When the production begins to be rather copious then I use my scientific method to catalog and organize all the ideas and it is in this phase that I start to shape the general structure of a piece. Then the rest of the work is only a matter of handicraft while, at the very end, I start the last two or more reviews. I’m highly demanding with myself.

We, Moving Classics TV, love the combination of classical music with different disciplines: music and painting, music and cinematography, music and digital art, music and poetry. What do you think about these combinations?

This is one of the best ways to make clear and effective the message transmitted by classical music, in my opinion. I had some proficient experiences with art mixing (theater, opera, dance, music and reading, …) and each time I found my work really stimulating and exciting.

Can you give some advice for young people who want to discover classical music for themselves?

Simply do not hesitate to listen to music you never listened to before!

Do you have expectations what regards your listeners, your audience?

My (possible) audience is always part of my creation process. According to it I choose certain instruments or particular effects. I could say that it constitutes an essential part. Also important for me is the reaction of performers. A piece is finished only after the first performance since I usually take care of the instrumentalists’ opinion.

What projects are coming up? Do you experiment in your projects?

Now I’m thinking to two big orchestral works. One of them should be for piano soloist. There’s no commission behind them. It is just an old project that I would like to finalize once I realized I’ve reached a sufficient degree of maturity… I like, for once, to have the opportunity of composing leisurely