Classical/Review Leonardo Barilaro - Listen
Dr. Leonardo Barilaro is a pianist, composer, and aerospace engineer. And he will play the first piano concert on Mars. His compositions can be described as Contemporary Space Music, where he merges piano solo, prepared piano, synths, and embedded a wide range of experiments. Born in Venice, Italy, Leonardo Barilaro discovers the piano at the age of 6 and astronomy at 9.
Leonardo Barilaro, also known as The Space Pianist, keeps pushing the boundaries of the intersection of music, science, and awe with his track “Listen.” More than just a composition, the work is an immersive experience that represents the festival's philosophy of bringing art and science together. It was premiered live on August 29th as the official music for Polymath Festival 2.0.
Barilaro reaffirms his aim of using sound to portray cosmic stories after the success of “Moon Seeds,” his collaboration with Grammy-nominated cellist Tina Guo, which was streamed straight from the International Space Station. “Listen” starts off in a unique way by incorporating uncut audio from NASA's Parker Solar Probe, which records the solar wind. A musical journey that surpasses earthly bounds is set in motion by this fundamental hum.
Barilaro's hallmark instrument, the grand piano, blends in perfectly with layered electronic textures as the song progresses. Rich in minute details, these soundscapes are simultaneously huge and delicate, rippling and spreading like magnetic fields. The expedition comes to a close with the stunning Aurora Borealis resonance captured from Earth's orbit. The Earth's shimmering shield and the Sun's breath, two real space noises, come together to create the track's emotional center, signifying a continuous thread of connection throughout the universe.
“Listen” stands out for its capacity to be both emotionally stirring and profoundly cerebral. Its genuineness appeals to the scientific mind, and its exquisite beauty opens the heart. Music becomes a medium for cosmic communication under Barilaro's direction.
“Listen” is an invitation to tune into the cosmos itself, not just a music.