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Photo: Gianluca Pompili

Claudio Pompili was born in 1949, at Gorizia (Italy). He is a freelance composer and sound designer. His early career was as a telecommunications technician with the Postmaster-General's Department (PMG) 1966-79. In 2009, he was awarded a PhD in Music Composition and Analysis at the University of Queensland. He was interim Executive Director of Nexus Multicultural Arts Centre, Adelaide 2004, after being Director of the Wollongong Conservatorium of Music (WCM) 1998-2000. From 1987 to 1997, he was a member of the University of New England (UNE) Department of Music's academic staff; as Senior Lecturer (1992-97); and Head of Department (1995-97).

His compositions span solo, chamber, electroacoustic/computer, and music-theatre/multimedia genres. The last category includes: Lontano Blu (2005-06), Argentina and Adelaide; Touch Wood (2003; 2005), Adelaide and Hobart; and The Last Child (2000), Adelaide and Sydney. Chamber music includes Ridendo vado sul fiume… (1997), El viento lucha a obscuras con tu sueño (1991), and Ah, amore che se n'andò nell'aria! (1991). Solo works include Songs for Ophelia (1989) (concert version), Fra l'urlo e il tacere (1993-4), and Scherzo alla Francescana (1990). His works appear on compact discs including Anthology of Australian Music on Disc (Canberra School of Music) 1989; Strange Companions: New Music for Baroque Flute and Percussion (ARTIFACT, Toronto) 1991; The Last Child… flight of the swallows: Live Preview (doppio parallelo) 2000.

His musical background ranges from playing popular music to formal studies in classical guitar, electronic and computer music, and composition. From 1965-79, he had a successful early career as lead guitarist with various leading Adelaide bands including Coloured Rain, Brass Buckle and Gamble and released three singles on SUNSHINE and PEPPER labels.

At the University of Adelaide's Elder Conservatorium of Music, from 1980 to 1984, he studied classical guitar with John Della Torre, and composition with Richard Meale, Bozidar Kos and Tristram Cary. He was awarded an Italian Government Scholarship and studied with foremost composers Franco Donatoni and Salvatore Sciarrino in Italy (1984-87).

In 1990 he was honoured with a prestigious New Music Series' Composer Portrait Concert held in Toronto (Canada), at which his works for baroque flute and percussion, Lo spazio stellato si riflette in suoni…, and Lo specchio del fiore were premiered.

His compositions have been performed internationally to critical acclaim. In 1990, he was awarded the prestigious Adolf Spivakovsky Scholarship for the Composition of Music.

Claudio Pompili — current to April 2023