Franco Albertini
Queens, USA
The Outlaw Ocean for Piano
Behind the Music
Franco AlbertiniAfter 15 years of approaching my piano music in a very methodical way, I’ve dedicated the last two years of my musical career to be pure improvisation — sitting down and playing whatever I’m feeling in that moment, letting my creative spontaneity guide itself. I’ve found composing music this way results in a more raw and expressive outcome, which was especially relevant when it came to my work with The Outlaw Ocean Music Project. After reading all of Ian’s stories, I found myself inspired during my sessions by the different moments, characters and places in the world of the book, and tried to capture their essence in pieces that could speak for themselves.
This project was an incredible opportunity for me in numerous ways. It made me delve deeper into this unknown world. I continuously found myself shocked by the scope and variety of tales all around the globe that illustrate the landscape of The Outlaw Ocean. Creating music around this existing body of work was a first-time experience for me, and getting the chance to be part of a group of artists that are collaborating with this effort to help tell a powerful story was a big reason I wanted to get involved. I hope listeners will use my music as a channel for introspection — a personal connection with the different parts in The Outlaw Ocean and an opportunity to build part of their own feelings through the music.
About Franco Albertini
Franco Albertini was born in Santiago, Chile and is currently based in Queens, New York. Starting at the age of 18, Franco has played the piano for 15 years, approaching various musical styles that have ranged from classical to more modern and jazz influences.
His most notorious works include (i) “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” piano album, where he arranged and interpreted 17 pieces for solo piano; (ii) a set of 15 piano improvisation albums he recorded during the course of 18 months, with more than 200 songs published; and (iii) interpretations of a wide range of video game piano arrangements from franchises like “Final Fantasy” and “Kingdom Hearts.”
Within the video game world, Franco composed and recorded the original soundtrack for “The Keeper,” a game he created and developed himself. He also created an album of solo piano arrangements based on his original soundtrack. Franco has also interpreted music of composers and musicians, including Nikolai Kapustin, Tigran Hamasyan and Masashi Hamauzu. Franco has performed live as a solo pianist in several private events in New York, Brazil and Chile.
Franco is also a house music DJ, having performed live in several private events in New York, as well as for the Winterlude Festival in Ottawa, Canada. His approach to house music includes a blend of live elements, where he combines his piano influences with electronic music to create a unique sound.