Francesco Menici

I’m a film and media composer, pianist, and arranger whose work sits at the intersection of orchestral writing, electronic textures, and sound design, with influences from jazz and contemporary music. My approach explores the relationship between music and storytelling, combining traditional composition craft with contemporary sonic experimentation.

My training is rooted in both the classical and jazz worlds. I hold a Master's Degree in Classical Piano, a Bachelor's Degree in Jazz Piano (with honours), and a Master's Degree in Jazz Composition and Arrangement (with honours and an honorary mention). I later specialised in film-music orchestration under the guidance of Conrad Pope, renowned for his collaborations with composers including John Williams, James Horner, Danny Elfman, and Alexandre Desplat. I have also studied arranging with Grammy-winning composer and arranger Nan Schwartz.

My professional experience spans film and media composition, jazz, pop, and musical theatre. I worked as a demonstrator for Roland Corporation, specialising in digital pianos. I have over 25 years of experience teaching modern piano, jazz, arranging, composition, and contemporary harmony. I am also the founder of Pianonline, an educational platform dedicated to piano and music learning.

Selected Composition Projects:

• Composer of an original score for Robert J. Flaherty's silent documentary Nanook of the North (1922), presented with a live musical performance at the Montescudaio Film Fest (Italy, 2026).

• Composer of Young Detective, written for the Krotala sample library by Rare Sound Essence.

• Composer of Signals from the Void, written for the Ancient Roman Pneumatic Organ sample library by Rare Sound Essence.

• Composer of Echoes of an Ancient Warrior, written for the Chelys Lyre sample library by Rare Sound Essence.

• Composer for the podcast Trame Strane by Davide Zagnoli.

• Composer for the podcast Il Cinema Colpisce Ancora by Michela Gorini.

• Composer for the trailer Witch Night, based on a manga by artist Luigi Benvenuti.

Other Artistic Projects & Collaborations:

• Creator of the podcast CineScore – Le Musiche nel Cinema.

• Creator of three video tutorials showcasing virtual instruments developed by Rare Sound Essence.

• Creator, arranger, and performer of Moviescapes, a solo piano exploration of film music.

• Pianist for a live screening of Charlie Chaplin's “Modern Times” (1936).

• Pianist in Andata Caduta e Ritorno, a theatrical show by Giovanni and Francesco Nuti.

• Pianist and keyboardist in I Sing Ammore, a theatrical show by Lindsay Kemp.

• Pianist and keyboardist in Rent – No Day But Today, a musical production by Paolo Ruffini.