Leonardo Barilaro shares new single “Listen”

Leonardo Barilaro is an artist for whom the line between science and art simply doesn’t exist, it instead dissolves into a vision that reaches for the stars. A Senior Lecturer in Aerospace Engineering at MCAST in Malta, he’s devoted much of his life to exploring the mysteries of space though his work is not confined to laboratories or lecture halls. He’s also a pianist and composer whose artistic practice is inseparable from his fascination with the cosmos.

His dream, audacious and poetic in equal measure, is to one day perform the first piano concert on Mars and until that day comes, he’s already managed to send his music to space, with his compositions transmitted from orbit by astronauts, linking Earthbound audiences with celestial ones in a way that’s as symbolic as it is literal. In 2022, he released a new piece of piano music every single day, an achievement that speaks to both his creative stamina and his steadfast mission for blending art with science. His projects often push the boundaries of both fields, with his current ASTROBEAT space mission aboard the International Space Station serving as a prime example.

The initiative explores how music and space exploration can intertwine and it’s already produced extraordinary results. Among them was “Moon Seeds,” a collaboration with Grammy-nominated cellist Tina Guo that was streamed directly from the ISS as part of the mission. His vision extends beyond sound alone, with his book Music from Space documenting his artistic journey and the profound ways in which music and the cosmos intersect.

Now, Leonardo unveils his latest creation with his new single titled “Listen” which premiered live on August 29th as the official soundtrack of the Polymath Festival 2.0. Conceptually profound and sonically expansive, the track embodies the spirit of the festival by bringing art and science into a dazzling musical journey. The production of “Listen” was itself a collaborative feat involving creatives from various disciplines; recorded at Steinway Dubai with the support of House of Pianos CEO Shavkat Mamadjonov, the piece was engineered with Gazelien Records at NYU Abu Dhabi.

It begins with the sound of solar wind, captured by NASA’s Parker Solar Probe, placing the listener in the elemental forces of our universe before Leonardo’s bright piano notes enter. With flickering runs and elegant melodic flourishes, his performance glides with stunning cinematic flair while delicate atmospheric touches add sweeping textures to form a transportive listening experience.

The climax arrives with the ethereal sound of the Aurora Borealis, recorded from Earth’s orbit, creating a dialogue between two authentic space recordings. This is music as exploration, where Leonardo asks, “What if a piano becomes a spaceship?” and the search for the answer results in a spectacular piece of experimental piano music.

Listen to Listen below

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