Ferdinando DeSena is a Miami composer born in Brooklyn NY. DeSena taught composition and electronic music at the New World School of the Arts from 2008 – 2020. He served on the faculty of the University of Miami from 1992 – 2009 and was Director of the Electronic Music Studio. His music has been performed throughout the continental United States and in Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Argentina, Italy, Ireland, and Scotland. De Sena earned a B.A in Computer Music at Ithaca College, a Masters in Electronic Music, and a D.M.A. in Composition at the University of Miami. His principal teachers were Dennis Kam, Peter Rothbart, and Don Wilson. Ferdinando DeSena is a PARMA recording artist with several releases currently available.

News

January 3, 2023

The Inside Story: Ferdinando DeSena and SPARKS: EYE OF LONDON

Albums

Orígenes

Release Date: November 3, 2023
Catalog Number: NV6570
21st Century
Solo Instrumental
Guitar
Composer-performer Giovanni Piacentini’s ORÍGENES is an exploration of the spirit of the Americas through the guitar. Spanish colonizers introduced string instruments like guitars and vihuelas when they arrived in America, which in turn gave rise to a series of indigenous instruments across the continent such as the Colombian tiple, the Mexican jarana, and the Panamanian mejoranera, to name a few. This blending of American and European cultures is at the heart of ORÍGENES. Drawing on the contributions of legendary guitar composers like Manuel M. Ponce, Heitor Villa-Lobos, and Astor Piazzolla, Piacentini’s ORÍGENES contributes a fresh perspective to this musical legacy.

Sparks: Eye of London

Release Date: October 28, 2022
Catalog Number: NV6454
21st Century
Orchestral
Orchestra
Navona Records presents SPARKS: THE EYE OF LONDON, an assembly of original fanfares performed by the London Symphony Orchestra. Drawing from the compositional strengths of today’s composers, the orchestra navigates chaos and order, isolation, and ascension towards triumph through passionate orchestral writing reminiscent of the fire that burns within us. A collection spanning thought-provoking narratives, scenic synesthesia, soothing passages, and the whimsically abstract, the London Symphony Orchestra explores a vast musical landscape of emotions, tackling each with precision and verve.

Currents in Time

Release Date: July 8, 2022
Catalog Number: NV6443
21st Century
Solo Instrumental
Vocal Music
Piano
Viola
Voice
There are great singers, and then there are great singers who break the mold, pushing both the musical and organizational boundaries of their craft. American mezzo-soprano Megan Ihnen impressively demonstrates her affiliation with the latter group on CURRENTS IN TIME, once more employing her formidable talents as both a 21st-century vocalist and impresaria to shine a light on a varied array of contemporary composers.

Toccata Miami

Release Date: June 10, 2022
Catalog Number: NV6433
21st Century
Chamber
Solo Instrumental
Guitar
Piano
Violin
Composer Ferdinando DeSena is no stranger to variation; from his previous electro-acoustic concoctions to this dynamic blend of chamber orchestrations in TOCCATA MIAMI, a world of enticing conversation between tonal opposites begs to be uncovered in these expressive compositions. Oboe and piano dance in an ominous sonata soundscape, harps and flutes seek to sooth in Three Attitudes, and solo piano works shine with a latin flair in the album’s titular track.

Windswept Vol. II

Release Date: June 24, 2022
Catalog Number: NV6415
21st Century
Chamber
Clarinet
Flute
Oboe
Rigorous repertoire is at the ready on WINDSWEPT VOL. II from Navona Records, a sweeping sonic force of contemporary chamber works for woodwind quintet. Performed by the New London Chamber Ensemble, the works of seven composers soar with modern flair, making use of various instrumental textures and irregular meters with jazz-driven influences sprouting from classical roots. Dynamic displays of dexterity and lucious interplay between performers burst with refined energy in this recording, uplifting listeners into a satisfying and equally enticing atmosphere.

Windswept

Release Date: August 9, 2019
Catalog Number: NV6245
21st Century
Chamber
Wind Ensemble
Throughout Navona Records’ WINDSWEPT, the wind quintet makes up the characters of collective stories written by five unique composers. In each piece, the Boston-based Arcadian Winds project a storytelling experience that is joyful, moving, and meaningful to hear.

Quadrants Vol. 2

Release Date: September 14, 2018
Catalog Number: NV6184
21st Century
Chamber
String Quartet
With QUADRANTS, Navona Records presents six of today’s best modern string quartets that meld the old with the new, combining traditional forms with contemporary influences to present expressive, emotional works that both make and break the mold. QUADRANTS VOLUME 2 seeks to bring the emotive works of six contemporary composers together, with each work communicating both deeply personal and universal messages. These messages are made all the more potent when expressed through the multifaceted voice and intimate setting of the string quartet -- in this case, the acclaimed Boston group, the Pedroia String Quartet.

Secrets For Free

Release Date: August 10, 2018
Catalog Number: NV6178
21st Century
Chamber
Orchestral
Flute
Orchestra
String Quartet
It should be no secret that Miami-based composer Ferdinando De Sena is a tour de force amongst electroacoustic composers. Just listening to SECRETS FOR FREE is all the proof you need. The EP boasts adventurous yet accessible compositions that balance real instruments with computer-generated sound. SECRETS FOR FREE is a testament to fans of either subgenre that the two approaches to classical music do not have to be mutually exclusive.

Reason & Reverence

Release Date: June 8, 2018
Catalog Number: NV6166
21st Century
Orchestral
Orchestra
REASON AND REVERENCE represents an aural exploration of our world’s complexities. By comparing and contrasting present triumphs with past regrets, the composers on this album develop a compelling, philosophical reflection of the world we live in. Conducted by Petr Vronský, the Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra delivers a master class in cohesiveness while tackling a wildly diverse, yet wholly complete set of compositions.

Spalding’s Bounce

Release Date: August 12, 2016
Catalog Number: NV6052
21st Century
Chamber
Electronic
Guitar
Piano Trio
Composer Ferdinando DeSena presents a selection of chamber works offering a mixture of musical elements. DeSena’s distinct musical style draws on all his diverse musical influences including jazz, popular, and classical avant garde. The popular and jazz fingerprints on his music are subtle, but can be found in his instrumentation and instrumental writing; on this album his combinations include the flute, guitar, sax and even harp and electronics to express unique sounds.

Onyx

Release Date: January 8, 2016
Catalog Number: NV6020
21st Century
Chamber
Flute
Navona Records presents ONYX, the 29th edition of the acclaimed Society of Composers, Inc. CD Series and the fifth SCI release on the label. Founded in 1965, SCI celebrates their 50 year anniversary with the release of this album, marking their continued dedication to the promotion, performance, understanding, and dissemination of new and contemporary music.