Biography
Biography/English
Composer, trumpeter and eclectic artist, Johnny Lapio represents one of the most interesting artists of the current national avant-garde scene.
Born and raised in the suburbs of Turin Aurora, his work is marked by an interest in human temperaments and perversions and their relationship with the cosmos. The compositions take on the connotation of an inner journey steeped in pictorial sound stratifications, study of silences and visual sound saturation.
He is the only Italian artist to have signed three works (and to have performed them in World Premiere) with the world-famous Maestro Sylvano Bussotti (both as composer / musician and visual artist), to have been officially invited by Tricentric Foundation and by the Little Globe for a tour in New Mexico after A. Braxton’s Sonic Genome (in which he took part) and to have played in Michelangelo Pistoletto’s Terzo Paradiso. Numerous awards won, reviews obtained from leading specialist magazines, many Premiere of historical relevance and commissions obtained from prestigious national and international cultural institutions.
During his career he was invited for important tributes and anniversaries such as those dedicated to Giorgio Gaslini, Sylvano Bussotti, Bruno Maderna and Cornelius Cardew, by the Museo del 900 in Milan. There are also many invitations from international institutions such as Japan Foundation, Tricentric foundation, Suika Music, Tgv snc and Little Globe for tours in Japan, the USA and Europe. He also inaugurated important works such as the Pala Fuksas and the roof garden of the Turin skyscraper designed by Renzo Piano. In October 2019 he was invited as a composer at the Chamber of Deputies for composing the soundtrack of the documentary Waiting produced by Silvia Innocenzi, Mimmo Calopresti, Giovanni Saulini, directed by Stefano Di Polito. He was called as a guest to participate in Rai programs such as L’Idealista, Farenheit, Tg2 Costume e società, Battiti, Rai 5 cultura, Sky music and art. There are also many publications in which it has been included as art catalogs and books by the Promoter of fine arts, art pages and those by writers such as Marco Basso and Mario Parodi on the talents of the jazz in Turin.
Over the years he has collaborated, mainly as a leader, with some of the main international artists, writers, directors and musicians both in the jazz and contemporary euroculture fields. Active as a composer, artist, trumpeter, pianist, performer, bandleader, contemporary music ensemble director, Johnny Lapio is also present on the scene as the creator of performances and research that may involve the use of electronics. His music and performances have been reproduced, played and performed in the USA, China, Japan, Taiwan, Europe, Africa and Russia. He has also recorded as a pianist and keyboard player various pieces used as soundtracks for documentaries, short films, environments and works of art.
As a painter he is the creator of the life-line concept and focuses his research on the space-sign relationships by translating the graphic language, also introduced in musical scores, into innovative performing art. His artistic work has become the subject of research or doctoral theses by students of Italian and foreign university faculties.
Parallel to his musical and artistic activity, he combines the fields of music therapy, art therapy, education and academic teaching. At just 18 years old he is among the founding members of the first Italian multicultural hub and (not even thirty years old) coordinates, in addition to teaching, the first Italian academic masters in Art therapy, extra-European contemporary cultures and non-verbal languages at the contemporary and therapeutic arts Atelier in Turin and at the Academy of Fine Arts in Brescia. He also holds several masterclasses in experimental composition, contemporary ensemble conducting, new languages of performance, music therapy, art therapy, non-verbal languages, improvisation and group conduction. He is also convinced of the importance of pedagogical art and the prevention of youth discomfort. Many years spent in the educational field that has never been quitted.
In 2009 he began working on his greatest work of social art by founding Arcote, with the help of historical educators and artists from Aurora; the first Italian atelier of contemporary and therapeutic arts located in Aurora in Turin. Precisely as artistic director he followed and planned important interventions on the suburbs using the musical-artistic mediator. This allowed the name of Arcote to be known in Italy and abroad both for its artistic and educational caliber. Arcote has also become a trademarked methodology that includes innovative elements such as the music sound biography, the visual sound composition and the creative direction of the ensemble; this methodology based on the Lapio theoretical reference model is applicable not only to the musical artistic field but also to preventive, rehabilitative and therapeutic – art therapic contexts.
Johnny Lapio is graduated and specialized with full marks and with honors in Jazz Composition, Jazz Trumpet, Music Therapy, Psychodynamic Music Therapy (piano instrument), Art therapy painting, Educational Sciences, Musical Iconography, Criminology, Acting and voice characterization / dubbing respectively at the conservatory Giuseppe Verdi of Turin, conservatory Ghedini of Cuneo, Siena Jazz, conservatory of L’Aquila, Apim Confiam, Academy of Fine Arts Laba Brescia, University of Turin, Salesian Pontifical University Rebaudengo, Teatro Ods and D. Center. He also attended masterclasses with important Italian and international professors.
Alongside the intense musical and artistic activity, he combines educational and training activities. Currently he also holds the role of President and Artistic Director of the Arcote association and of the coop. Arcote Atelier as well as coordinator and teacher of the Master and the three-year course in emotional relational art therapy.