Matteo Marchisano-Adamo

As a child Matteo Marchisano-Adamo studied piano privately with the Brazilian pianist Ciao Pagano. Upon graduating from High School he left the US to study music at the Liszt Ferenc Zenemuvészeti Egyetem in Budapest, Hungary with Szokolay Balazs and Rados Ferenc. In Budapest he discovered atonal, electronic and serial composition. He has been influenced by the music of Kurtag Gyorgy, Ligeti Gyorgy, Karlheinz Stockhausen as well as the La Monte Young, Terry Riley, Steve Reich and John Cage. Hi...

As a child Matteo Marchisano-Adamo studied piano privately with the Brazilian pianist Ciao Pagano. Upon graduating from High School he left the US to study music at the Liszt Ferenc Zenemuvészeti Egyetem in Budapest, Hungary with Szokolay Balazs and Rados Ferenc. In Budapest he discovered atonal, electronic and serial composition. He has been influenced by the music of Kurtag Gyorgy, Ligeti Gyorgy, Karlheinz Stockhausen as well as the La Monte Young, Terry Riley, Steve Reich and John Cage. His compositions represent a collision of musical ideas, from classical to post-minimalist to atonal to jazz. At once his music is progressive yet accessible. He is not only influenced by music; he enjoys being inspired by cinema, poetry, literature, as well as visual art and dance. Matteo was born in Flint, MI in 1973. Leaving Michigan at the age of 6, he grew up in many parts of the US, including Truth or Consequences, NM, Frankenmuth MI, Douglas and Phoenix, AZ, among others places. He began his musical education as a dancer, performing in festivals. Eventually he was granted a scholarship to study ballet in New York City, which was never pursued. His first musical instrument was the violin, however he was disenchanted with the instrument when he did not know of a rock star who played classical violin. Soon he began playing the piano. He felt comfortable on the piano and had an inclination to improvise. In 1991, at the age of 18, he left for Budapest, Hungary to study music. He was there for 4 years. After a brief argument with a young professor at the music academy, he was expelled. Returning to the US, he no longer felt the desire to continue in music. He followed other creative expressions; creative writing and filmmaking were the two most prominent. He was mentored by Sekou Sundiata in poetry in New York City at the New School University. Spending much of his time at the Anthology Film Archives he was introduced to the work of Maya Deren and other experimental filmmakers. He was heavily into Dada art and surrealism – especially the work of Man Ray, Marcel Duchamp, and Bunuel. It was through the early works of Bunuel that he was stirred to make his own 16mm films. He is an alumnus of The American Film Institute in Los Angeles, CA where he received his degree in film editing. He sees his editing work in film as an extension of his music. He was awarded Best Editing for the film Sundust at the European Independent Film Festival in Paris, France, and the Ashley Amulis Award from The American Film Institute for his editing work. Married to his Muse Elena-Cristina Marchisano, a Romanian actress, they live in Los Angeles, CA.