# Lorenzo Meo > Official website of Lorenzo Meo, Italian concert pianist and composer based in Zürich. - **Website:** https://www.lorenzomeo.com ## Biography An Italian pianist and composer based in Switzerland, Lorenzo Meo moves between the classical tradition and the expressive frontiers of contemporary music. His pianistic language, recognisable for its intensity and clarity, takes shape in a timbral and interpretive exploration that avoids conventional solutions, in a personal synthesis of formal complexity and expressive depth. His repertoire ranges from Baroque and Classical music to new music, with particular dedication to twenty-first-century composers, frequently the dedicatee of their world premieres. He made his debut as soloist with Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No. 2 and Mozart's K. 491. He has performed at Carnegie Hall in New York, the Sala Santa Cecilia of the Auditorium Parco della Musica and the Palazzo del Quirinale in Rome, the Teatro Comunale in Bologna, the Auditorium de la Cité de la musique in Strasbourg, the National Philharmonic in Lviv, and the Mystetskyi Arsenal in Kyiv. His discography includes works by Jaan Rääts, whose Piano Concertos No. 2 and No. 3 he premiered in Italy and the United States, as well as music by Erkki-Sven Tüür, Arnold Schoenberg, Toru Takemitsu, Sergei Rachmaninov, Erik Satie and several living composers. With violinist Anastasiya Petryshak, with whom he has collaborated regularly since 2014, he recently recorded an album of music by Debussy, Ravel and Messiaen, released by Sony Music. As a composer he has developed a neoclassical, minimalist-rooted language. It is a music that rejects ostentatious complexity and seeks a direct relationship with the listener, while carrying the traces of a classical and avant-garde formation. Micropolyphonic textures, modal sensibilities, synaesthetic timbres are woven into suspended pages, built upon subtle nuances and active silences, where the neoclassical framework is crossed by polystylistic incursions, memories of different eras resurfacing in the writing. A stillness that is never inertia: it can break, in passages of disruptive intensity, always out of inner necessity, never in pursuit of effect. Lorenzo Meo trained at the G.B. Martini Conservatory in Bologna, later perfecting his skills as soloist, chamber musician and composer at the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome and the Zürcher Hochschule der Künste (ZHdK), and with masters including Konstantin Bogino, Boris Bekhterev, Paul Badura-Skoda and Paolo Bordoni. ## Career timeline - **2002 — Concerto Debut** (Chioggia Festival Symphony Orchestra): Debut season as soloist, performing Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No. 2 and Mozart's K. 491. - **2005 — Album - "Boundaries"** (Piano works by Jaan Rääts): First recording devoted to Estonian composer Jaan Rääts, a landmark in the international dissemination of Baltic contemporary music. - **2009 — Album - "The E.P.M. Project"** (Piano works by Errki-Sven Tüür and Jaan Rääts): Second recording devoted to Estonian contemporary music, featuring works by Erkki-Sven Tüür and Jaan Rääts. - **2012 — New York premiere** (Jaan Rääts, Piano Concerto No. 2): American premiere with the NYCP Orchestra at Liederkranz Hall. - **2014 — "Femminile Plurale"** (Lviv National Philharmonic): Launch of a concert project dedicated to music by living women composers, addressing their underrepresentation in contemporary music programming well before the conversation entered the mainstream. - **2016 — Based in Zürich** (Switzerland): Relocates to Zürich, establishing a new base at the heart of Europe's cultural geography. - **2023 — "Angel Terrible"** (with Anastasiya Petryshak · Sony Music): Album for violin and piano featuring works by Debussy, Ravel and Messiaen, released by Sony Music. - **2023 — Carnegie Hall - Weill Recital Hall** (New York): Performance as soloist with orchestra at one of the world's most prestigious concert halls. - **2024 — "Three Piano Pieces"** (Release and recording of a new piano cycle): A cycle of short piano pieces marking a departure from the language of earlier works toward a freer, more personal compositional voice. - **2026 — International Tour** (Vienna · Washington DC · New York · Hamburg): Performances at the Bösendorfer Hall (Mozarthaus Vienna), the Italian Embassy in Washington DC, the Italian Cultural Institute in New York, and Hamburg. ## Press > "Despite its dense schedule, the 'Night of Art Arsenal' will be remembered primarily for the virtuoso piano performance of Lorenzo Meo." — Katya Krolevska, Poltavshchyna magazine > "His performance is notable for its energy and loose-limbed athleticism. The sound is clean and vibrant with a good sense of presence." — Stephen Eddins, AllMusic magazine > "Lorenzo Meo has recently recorded Raats' brilliant Sonata along with the cycle of his 24 piano marginalia [...] but solid monographic evenings of other important 20th century figures are on his plate too: only Schoenberg, or only John Adams, or only Takemitsu (please mind that Meo's multipage repertoire starts with Bach!)" — Maria Khrapachova, Capital Magazine > "[Lorenzo Meo]: a deep line across his face, a faint smile that breaks through his professional composure, revealing emotion, virtuosity, passion. Three pieces making up a programme of great interest, varied in style and form." — Giulio Solzi Gaboardi, La Provincia ## Repertoire ### Recital programmes **Tales Without Words** - Robert Schumann — Papillons, Op. 2 - Franz Schubert — Moments Musicaux D780, selection - Fryderyk Chopin — Ballade No. 1 in G minor, Op. 23 / Scherzo No. 2 in B-flat minor, Op. 31 - Franz Liszt — Mephisto Waltz No. 1 **Piano Soundscapes** - Jaan Rääts — 24 Marginalia Op. 65 (1979-1980) selection / Toccata (1968) - Gyorgy Kurtag — Játékok (1972-83), selection - Kaija Saariaho — Prelude (2007) / Ballade (2005) - Tristan Murail — Cailloux dans l’eau (2018) - Galina Ustvolskaya — Sonata VI (1998) **Glass World** - Philip Glass — Opening / Metamorphosis / Etudes: No. 9, 2, 6, 5, 3, 20 **The E.P.M. Project** - Jaan Rääts — Sonata No.9 / 24 Estonian Preludes Op. 80 - Erkki-Sven Tüür — Piano Sonata (1985) ### Concertos **Piano Concerto Repertoire** - Beethoven, Ludwig van — Piano Concerto No. 3 Op. 37 in C Minor - Beethoven, Ludwig van — Piano Concerto No. 5 Op. 73 in E Flat Major "Emperor" - Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus — Piano Concerto No.12 K414 in A Major - Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus — Piano Concerto No.24 K491 in C Minor - Rääts, Jaan — Piano Concerto No. 2 Op. 70 - Rääts, Jaan — Piano Concerto No. 3 Op. 83 - Rachmaninov, Sergej — Piano Concerto No. 2 Op. 18 in C Minor - Schumann, Robert — Piano Concerto Op. 54 in A Minor ### Standard repertoire **Standard Solo Repertoire** - Beethoven, Ludwig van — Piano Sonata No. 4 Op. 7 in E Flat Major - Beethoven, Ludwig van — Piano Sonata No. 5 Op. 10 in C Minor - Beethoven, Ludwig van — Piano Sonata No.21 Op. 53 in C Major "Waldstein-Sonate" - Beethoven, Ludwig van — Piano Sonata No.30 Op.109 in E Major - Brahms, Johannes — Three Intermezzi Op. 117 - Brahms, Johannes — Two Rhapsodies Op. 79 - Brahms, Johannes — Variations on a theme by Paganini Op. 35 First book - Chopin, Frédéric — Ballade No. 1 Op. 23 in G Minor - Chopin, Frédéric — Berceuse Op. 57 in D Flat Major - Chopin, Frédéric — Étude Op. 10 No. 1 in C Major - Chopin, Frédéric — Étude Op. 10 No. 4 in C Sharp Minor - Chopin, Frédéric — Étude Op. 10 No. 5 in G Flat Major - Chopin, Frédéric — Étude Op. 10 No. 8 in F Major - Chopin, Frédéric — Étude Op. 25 No.11 in A Minor - Chopin, Frédéric — Scherzo No. 1 Op. 20 in B Minor - Chopin, Frédéric — Scherzo No. 2 Op. 31 in B Flat Minor - Chopin, Frédéric — Scherzo No. 3 Op. 39 in C Sharp Minor - Chopin, Frédéric — Sonata No. 3 Op. 58 in B Minor - Debussy, Claude-Achille — Children's Corner - Debussy, Claude-Achille — Pour le Piano - Gershwin, George — Rhapsody in Blue - Liszt, Franz — Mephisto Waltz No. 1 - Liszt, Franz — Sonata in B Minor - Mendelssohn Bartholdy, Felix — Variations sérieuses, Op. 54 - Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus — Piano Sonata No.12 K332 in F Major - Poulenc, Francis — 15 Improvisations - Poulenc, Francis — Deux Intermezzi - Poulenc, Francis — Intermezzo in A Flat Major - Poulenc, Francis — L'histoire de Babar, le petit elephant - Poulenc, Francis — Les Soirées de Nazelles - Poulenc, Francis — Napoli-Suite - Prokofiev, Sergej — Piano Sonata No. 7 Op. 83 in B Flat Major "Stalingrad" - Prokofiev, Sergej — Toccata Op. 11 in D Minor - Prokofiev, Sergej — Visions fugitives Op. 22 - Rachmaninov, Sergej — Étude-tableaux Op. 33 No. 5 in E Flat Minor - Rachmaninov, Sergej — Étude-tableaux Op. 33 No. 8 in C Sharp Minor - Rachmaninov, Sergej — Étude-tableaux Op. 39 No. 6 in A Minor - Rachmaninov, Sergej — Étude-tableaux Op. 39 No. 9 in D Major - Rachmaninov, Sergej — Prelude Op. 3 No. 2 in C Sharp Minor - Rachmaninov, Sergej — Prelude Op. 23 No. 5 in G Minor - Rachmaninov, Sergej — Prelude Op. 32 No. 5 in G Major - Rachmaninov, Sergej — Prelude Op. 32 No.10 in B Minor - Rachmaninov, Sergej — Prelude Op. 32 No.12 in G Sharp Minor - Ravel, Maurice — Gaspard de la nuit - Schubert, Franz — 6 Moments musicaux D.780 - Schumann, Robert — Novellette, Op. 21 No. 8 in F Sharp Major - Schumann, Robert — Papillons, Op. 2 - Scriabin, Alexander — Piano Sonata No. 5 Op. 53 in F Sharp Major - Stravinsky, Igor — Trois mouvements de Pétrouchka ### Contemporary & new music **Contemporary & New Music** - Berio, Luciano — 6 Encores - Boulez, Pierre — 12 Notations - Cage, John — Dream - Cage, John — In a landscape - Colasanti, Silvia — Logica in fiamme (2008) - Colasanti, Silvia — Ombre del bianco (2002) - Czernowin, Chaya — FardanceCLOSE (2012) - Deserti, Gianluca — Feuer I (2011/2012) - Deserti, Gianluca — Feuer II (2012) - Deserti, Gianluca — Nocturne (2005 - rev. 2009) - Gubaidulina, Sofia — Chaconne (1963) - Gubaidulina, Sofia — Musical Toys (1969) - Harvey, Jonathan — Le Tombeau de Messiaen - Keats, Donald — Sonata (1971) - Kurtág, György — Játékok (excerpts) - Messiaen, Olivier — Quattre Études de rythme, Ile de feu I - Murail, Tristan — Cailloux dans l'eau (2018) - Nono, Luigi — ...Sofferte onde serene... - Otte, Hans — Das Buch der Klänge - Rääts, Jaan — 24 Estonian Preludes Op. 80 - Rääts, Jaan — 24 Marginalia, Op. 65 (1979) - Rääts, Jaan — 24 Marginalia, Op. 68 (1979) - Rääts, Jaan — Metal, Op. 91 (1993) - Rääts, Jaan — Piano Concerto No. 2 Op. 70 - Rääts, Jaan — Piano Concerto No. 3 Op. 83 - Rääts, Jaan — Sonata for Two Pianos Op. 82 - Rääts, Jaan — Sonata No. 5 Op. 55 - Rääts, Jaan — Sonata No. 9 Op. 109 - Rääts, Jaan — Toccata (1968) - Saariaho, Kaija — Ballade (2005) - Saariaho, Kaija — Prelude (2007) - Schoenberg, Arnold — Drei Klavierstücke Op. 11 - Schoenberg, Arnold — Sechs Kleine Klavierstücke Op. 19 - Stroppa, Marco — Traiettoria... deviata - Takemitsu, Toru — Rain Three Sketch - Takemitsu, Toru — Rain Three Sketch II - Tüür, Erkki-Sven — Sonata (1985) - Ustvolskaya, Galina — Sonata VI (1988) - Ustvolskaya, Galina — Twelve Preludes for piano (1953) ## Compositions - **Gates of Light** (2026) — Piano Solo - **Down the Enchanted Path** (2026) — Piano Solo - **Three Piano Pieces - Restless Stillness** (2024) — Piano Solo - **Three Piano Pieces - Memories from Another Time** (2024) — Piano Solo - **Three Piano Pieces - Toccata** (2024) — Piano Solo - **Dripping (2013 rev. 2019)** (2019) — Tenor Saxophone, Live Electronics - **La Casa Incantata** (2014) — piccolo E-flat clarinet, B-flat clarinet, basset horn, bassoon, drums, piano, electronics - **Sequentia** (2013) — Electronics - **En Suspense** (2012) — Soprano Saxophone, Piano - **Il était une fois - 1. Le Petit Chaperon Rouge** (2012) — Wind Symphonic Orchestra - **Il était une fois - 2. Chat Botté** (2012) — Wind Symphonic Orchestra - **Il était une fois - 3. Le Barbe Bleue** (2012) — Wind Symphonic Orchestra - **Achrome III - Specchi divisi** (2011) — Piano Solo - **Three Life Sketches - 1. The Fugitive** (2011) — E-Flat clarinet, two B-Flat clarinets, bass clarinet, piano - **Three Life Sketches - 2. The Clochard** (2011) — E-Flat clarinet, two B-Flat clarinets, bass clarinet, piano - **Three Life Sketches - 3. The Agent** (2011) — E-Flat clarinet, two B-Flat clarinets, bass clarinet, piano - **Achrome I - Nella notte** (2010) — Piano Solo - **Achrome II** (2010) — Piano Solo - **Ex Tenebris Ad Lucem** (2010) — Soprano Saxophone, Clarinet, Trumpet, Trombone, Piano, Live Electronics - **Floating Left** (2010) — Piano Solo - **Tre melologhi (2010) - 1. I tre consigli** (2010) — Narrator, Wind Symphonic Orchestra - **Tre melologhi (2010) - 2. Pierosara** (2010) — Narrator, Wind Symphonic Orchestra - **Tre melologhi (2010) - 3. L'incubo** (2010) — Narrator, Wind Symphonic Orchestra - **Tre melologhi (2009) - 1. Srebrenica** (2009) — narrator, E-Flat clarinet, two B-Flat clarinets, bass clarinet, vibraphone - **Tre melologhi (2009) - 2. Senza dimora e senza illusioni** (2009) — narrator, E-Flat clarinet, two B-Flat clarinets, bass clarinet, vibraphone - **Tre melologhi (2009) - 3. Un'inchiesta particolare** (2009) — narrator, E-Flat clarinet, two B-Flat clarinets, bass clarinet, vibraphone - **Humoresque** (2008) — String Quartet ## Upcoming concerts - **Sat May 09 2026** — Zurich (Switzterland) · Neue Kirche Albisrieden, Zurich (Switzterland) - **Sun Mar 22 2026** — Rottweil (Germany) · Badhaus Rottweil, Rottweil (Germany) - **Sat Mar 21 2026** — Rüschlikon (Switzerland) · Evang.-ref. Kirchgemeinde, Rüschlikon (Switzerland) - **Mon Feb 23 2026** — New York (USA) · Italian Cultural Institute in New York, New York (USA) - **Fri Feb 20 2026** — Washington DC (USA) · Embassy of Italy in Washington, Washington (USA) - **Sat Jan 31 2026** — Vienna (Austria) · Bösendorfer Hall, Mozarthaus, Vienna (Austria) ## Links - [instagram](https://www.instagram.com/lorenzomeo_pianist) - [facebook](https://www.facebook.com/lorenzomeocomposer) - [soundcloud](https://soundcloud.com/lorenzomeo) - [spotify](https://open.spotify.com/artist/6KTll8hAkxDx79G84GHKkU?si=xqJBychcR124jkojDsCk9w) - [appleMusic](https://music.apple.com/artist/lorenzo-meo/536365253) - [youtube](https://www.youtube.com/@LorenzoMeo)