Bio
Gabriele di Franco, born in Italy and naturalized Belgian, is a multi-award-winning composer, writer, and guitarist, fascinated by storytelling, multidisciplinary collaborations, and the exploration of new narratives. His compositional style is rooted in a universe where jazz meets the works of great classical composers and orchestrations. He is also interested in modern pop grooves and draws upon the melodic strength of folk music in his work.
He graduated in 2014 with a degree in Jazz Guitar from the Nino Rota Conservatory (IT) and completed an additional year of studies at the renowned Musik und Kunst Privatuniversität der Stadt Wien. In 2018, he earned a Master’s degree in Composition and Arrangement at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels, where he studied under composers such as Kris Defoort, Lode Mertens, and Peter Swinnen. He also regularly takes private lessons with composers including Michel Bisceglia (BE), Ed Partyka (USA), and John Hollenbeck (USA).
He is currently pursuing a postmaster’s degree at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels under Michel Bisceglia, dedicated to researching how music can guide, transform, or emphasize scenes in cinematic and animated storytelling. As a final project, he is composing a new score for “The Adventures of Prince Achmed” (1926) by Lotte Reiniger — the world’s oldest surviving animated feature. This reimagining offers a space to merge historical film with contemporary musical insight.
Gabriele has developed an extensive discography and regularly composes for both large and small ensembles, which has earned him several awards and recognitions, including:
- 3rd Prize – “Spheres of a Genius” Composition Competition by the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra & JamMusicLab Vienna – “5-08-15 for Carla” for Symphony Orchestra (Austria, 2023)
- Special Prize – Ise-Shima International Popular Music Composition Competition – “Nguè” (Japan, 2023)
- 1st Prize – Scrivere in Jazz International Composition & Arrangement Competition for Jazz Orchestra – “Betsabea” (Italy, 2022)
- Special Prize & Mention – Ise-Shima International Popular Music Composition Competition – “Berlin” (Japan, 2022)
- Special Prize – Ise-Shima International Popular Music Composition Competition – “Acqua” (Japan, 2022)
- Winner Composer – European Composers (Sound of a Generation), SJO/CGN (Germany, 2021)
- 3rd Prize – Helsinki International Big Band Composing Contest – “Berlin” (Finland, 2021)
- Winner – Elevator Jazz Pitch, injazz.nl, Berthold Records – LULELA (Netherlands, 2019)
Gabriele is also active in the opera and music-theatre field, in fact, in 2021 premiered LULELA – Lui, Lei, L’Altro (LOD muziektheater): a layered jazz concert with narration, where the fate of the protagonist—and the direction of the entire performance—was determined by the audience. In LULELA, Gabriele explored reading as a theatrical experience, transforming the audience into active participants who influenced the development of the story, chapter by chapter. This was achieved through the use of animated projections of text, providing a vivid and imaginative reading experience that fostered a strong connection between the audience, the narrator, and the performers.
For LULELA, Gabriele was the composer, writer, performer, and director.
In January 2021, LULELA was published in book form by Albatros il Filo, and received multiple awards and recognitions:
- High Mention for Cultural Merit – Mr. Hyde Awards 2021
- 2nd Prize – International Award “Europa in Versi”, Como 2021
- Critic’s Award – Nero su Bianco, Mino De Blasio Literary Prize (10th edition), 2022
- 2nd Prize (Published Books Category) – Literary Award “Canti…di versi” (2nd edition), 2022
Gabriele is also passionate about teaching. He has experience in both public and private sectors as a guitar teacher and as an instructor in jazz arrangement, composition, and theory. He currently teaches Composition, Guitar, and Theory at the Wilrijk Academy Antwerpen (Belgium).
Upcoming Projects
- The Value of Choices – An album for which he is composer and orchestra conductor, to be released by Challenge Records in March 2026.
• Short Stories for Grown-Up Children – A narrative music theatre piece for choir and percussion (#ConcertTales), premiering at HA Concerts Ghent on February 6, 2026, produced by MuziekTheater Transparant, followed by a tour throughout 2026.
DISCOGRAPHY
CANTABILE Gabriele di Franco // Francesco Negro – (Da Vinci Jazz – JP 2024)
WAITING FOR A SUMMER STORM Ramon van Merkenstein trio – (Challenge Records – NL 2024)
DEEP Gabriele di Franco, Jasper Iturrospe – (Etcetera Records – BE/NL 2023)
BUBUSETTETE Bija Trio – (Indipendemo Records – IT 2022)
CONSOULIN’ Q-some Big Band – (Caramel Records – BE 2022)
SYNOLON Gabriele di Franco // Francesco Negro – (Workin’ Label – IT 2022)
QUIET DRAMS Ramon van Merkenstein trio – (homerecords – BE 2021)
DREAMIN’ Q-some Big Band – (Caramel Records – BE 2020)
EP Tesseract trio – (auto production – BE 2020)
DEDALO Bud Powell Jazz Orchestra – (Ass. Cult. Jazz Bud Powell – IT 2018)
SO FAR Gottfried di Franco – (Sena Production – NL 2018)
INTRO Mynah – (Emme Record Label – IT 2015)
BIJA Bija – (Slam production – UK 2014)
BOOKS
• Lulela – il Libro (Albatros il Filo – IT 2021)
awarded at: High Mention Cultural Merit – Mr. Hyde Awards
2nd prize at International Award “Europa in versi e in prosa” 2021
Critics’ award – Nero su Bianco – Mino De Blasio Literary Prize (X edition)
AWARDS
“3rd prize” – Spheres of a Genius Honoring Carla Bley Composition Competition for Symphony Orchestra (by ORF Vienna & Jammusiclab) –”05.08.23 for Carla” (2023)
“Special prize” – Ise-Shima International Popular Music Composition Competition – “‘Nguè” (2023)
“1st prize” (cat A) – Scrivere in Jazz International Composition & Arrangement Competition for Jazz Orchestra –”Betsabea” (2022)
“Special prize & mention” – Ise-Shima International Popular Music Composition Competition – “Berlin” (2022)
“Special prize” – Ise-Shima International Popular Music Composition Competition – “Acqua” (2022)
“winner composer” – European Composers (Sound of a generation) SJO/CGN (2021)
“3rd prize” – Helsinki International Big Band Composing Contest – “Berlin” (2021)
“Elevator Jazz Pitch” – injazz.nl – berthold rec – LULELA (2019)
“Second best Composer” – Jazz Comp Graz composition competition – “Aspetta” (2017)
“SIAE” scholarship for authors and composers under 35 (2017)
“Audience Award” – Sibiu Jazz Contest – Bija (2017)
“Black Music Contest” – Multiculturita – Bija (2017)
“Band Revelation Of The Year” – Jazzup – Bija (2012)
“Soundslice” – Bija (2012)