Ludovico Maria Enrico Einaudi was born in Turin in 1955 to a family deeply rooted in Italian intellectual life. The pianist and composer, who maintains Italian citizenship, built a career that bridges traditional classical forms with contemporary minimalism. His extensive body of work includes solo recordings and scores for numerous international film and television productions.
Formative Training
Einaudi began his musical education at the Conservatorio Verdi in Milan. He completed his diploma in composition in 1982. During this period, he attended an orchestration class taught by Luciano Berio, which proved fundamental to his development. Berio provided Einaudi with a broad perspective on musical structure and the potential for incorporating diverse influences, such as African vocal traditions, into formal compositions.
Twenty questions, eight minutes on the clock, and a percentile measured against everyone who has taken it. No sign-up.
Take the IQ test →Early Career and Collaboration
Before achieving prominence as a recording artist, Einaudi composed various chamber and orchestral works, securing performances at venues including the Teatro alla Scala and Lincoln Center. In the 1980s and 1990s, he branched into multimedia, dance, and theatre, producing works such as Sul filo d'Orfeo in 1984, Time Out in 1988, and the dance-theatre piece The Wild Man in 1990. He further expanded his stylistic range by collaborating with global musicians, notably Djivan Gasparyan of Armenia and Ballaké Sissoko of Mali.
Film and Television Scoring
Einaudi gained international recognition for his soundtrack work in the mid-1990s. His score for the 1996 film Acquario earned him a Grolla d'oro. Subsequent projects included the TV series Doctor Zhivago and films such as This Is England and The Intouchables. His compositions have also appeared in major productions like The Father and Nomadland. In 2004, he received the best film music prize at the Avignon Film Festival for Sotto falso nome.
Recording Discography
His solo career includes several notable piano albums, such as 1996's Le Onde, which drew inspiration from the literature of Virginia Woolf. The 2001 album I Giorni gained widespread attention after the title track appeared on the UK Singles Chart in 2011. Later releases include the 2009 album Nightbook, 2013's In a Time Lapse, and the 2019 seven-part project titled Seven Days Walking. He is currently signed to Decca Records.
Fast facts
- Born: 1955, Turin
- Education: Milan Conservatory
- Key Awards: Officer of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (2005)
- Key Awards: Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres (2013)
- Notable Film Score: The Intouchables
- Notable Album: I Giorni (2001)
- Citizenship: Italy
Questions readers ask
What is Ludovico Einaudi's primary instrument?
He is a pianist and recording artist who frequently composes for the piano.
Which major film soundtracks did he compose?
His work has been featured in films such as The Intouchables, This Is England, The Father, and Nomadland.
Achievements
- Officer of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic — 2005
- Instruments: piano
- Genres: minimalist music, neoclassical new-age music and 20th-century classical music
.jpg)