Raffaele Marcellino

“Give me idiosyncrasy over ideology any day.” – Raffaele Marcellino 

Raffaele Marcellino grew up in Sydney, Australia, starting his musical experience as a chorister in primary school and then playing in bands throughout high school as a trumpeter, trombonist, and tubist. In high school, he began arranging and composing music for his peers and ensembles. He studied at the NSW State Conservatorium of Music (now part of the University of Sydney), graduating with a B.Mus. with merit. His teachers at the Conservatorium included Richard Vella, Bozidar Kos, Richard Toop, Martin Wesley-Smith, Gillian Whitehead, and Graeme Hair. He also studied postgraduate education at the Sydney Institute of Education (University of Sydney) and Macquarie University. He was awarded his Doctorate in Music from the University of Tasmania. 

Marcellino’s sound embraces Western art music tradition with eclectic influences from other musical traditions such as jazz and non-western music and folk traditions. Since graduation, Marcellino has built an international profile as a composer in various genres of chamber music, orchestral music, opera, musical theater, and radio works. He has been awarded various prizes and commissions, including an Australia Council Fellowship and the Lowin Prize for his work Canticle for Brisbane Cathedrals Festival. 

He has written music for leading Australian and international artists and ensembles, including lan Munro, The Seymour Group, the Song Company, Pipeline, Australia Ensemble, Halcyon, Sydney Philharmonia Choir, and the Brandenburg Orchestra. Career highlights include a UNESCO-sponsored residency in Montreal with Nouvel Ensemble Moderne; music for the Sydney Front’s Don Juan; the Melbourne Festival premiere of his opera Midnite; 10 Days on the Island premiere of The Flight of Les Darcy; Heart of Fire, music for the 2000 broadcast for the Sydney Paralympics; the Art of Resonance concerto for tuba performed by Steve Rosse and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra conducted Marin Alsop; the 2000 ISCM performance of Maze by Ensemble Modern in Luxembourg conducted by Dominique My; and the choral cycle O Antiphons commissioned, performed, and recorded by the Song Company conducted by Roland Peelman. 

L’arte di volare was commissioned by the Italian Cultural Foundation supported by a grant from the Australian Council for the Arts and premiered by the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra Chamber Players conducted by Christian Wojtowicz. Marcellino’s music is available from the Australian Music Centre and through Universal Music.