ABOUT
The Opus
that changed my life.
IT START WITH
An Endless Passion for Music
For Discovery, for life and for people
Roberto Palermo born in Belvedere Marittimo (Cosenza) on March 15, 1976, Roberto Palermo is an accordionist, composer, and performer whose artistic journey combines strong classical roots, contemporary research, and a deep sensitivity for jazz. He has lived in Oslo since 2014, where he continues to develop his international musical career.
His encounter with music began at an early age: at eleven, he started studying accordion at the Italian Music Training Center of San Vincenzo La Costa (Cosenza), under the guidance of Maestro Lucio Cortese. From the very beginning, he took part in numerous national and international competitions, earning important awards and consistently ranking among the top positions.
Alongside his classical training, he soon developed a strong attraction to jazz, which took shape through his first collaborations with the “Imperfect Jazz Quartet,” together with drummer Manolito Cortese. In 2002, he began a new course of study at the “Voglia D’Arte” Institute in Roseto degli Abruzzi, under the direction of Maestro Renzo Ruggieri. During this period, he deepened his knowledge of jazz language and began an expressive exploration of the accordion as an art instrument, capable of going beyond traditional boundaries.
Also fundamental to his artistic growth were masterclasses with internationally renowned musicians such as Richard Galliano, Frédéric Deschamps, and once again Renzo Ruggieri—experiences that enriched both his musical vision and interpretative technique.
The result is a personal and eclectic style in which classical music, jazz, world music, rock, and experimentation coexist. The accordion thus becomes a modern and universal voice, capable of crossing genres, cultures, and different musical languages.
Alongside his concert activity, Roberto Palermo has developed an intense career in theatre and cinema, composing original works and performing in numerous productions. His theatrical credits include performances staged in major Italian cultural venues such as Teatro Valle, Teatro dell’Orologio, Teatro Argot, Teatro Cometa Off, Teatro della Versiliana, as well as national tours. Among these productions are Nudo ad occhi chiusi, Salomè, Animalaria, Intermittenze, Fiori nel cielo, Colette, ma chérie, Quello che prende gli schiaffi, and the international production Hakkebakkeskogen (2015–2019).
In cinema, he composed and performed the piece Magara for the short film Cenere eri (2006), selected for several festivals and awarded in Italy. He later recorded soundtracks for the films Tentativi d’amore (2007) and Piede di Dio (2008). He also appeared as a performer in the TOD’S Italia commercial directed by Dennis Hopper, featuring Gwyneth Paltrow.
Among the most representative projects of his artistic maturity is the album Mediterranima, a work that encapsulates the essence of his musical identity: a sonic journey through the Mediterranean, memory, jazz, tradition, and creative freedom. An intense and authentic project, capable of telling deep-rooted stories through a contemporary and international perspective.
Today, Roberto Palermo continues his path through live performances, composition, and new collaborations, pursuing an open, intense, and borderless musical vision.
It never ends
Passion never die. It grows
Stay Hungry and Funny
Music, for me, is a universal language, capable of reaching where words often stop. It is emotion, listening, freedom, and truth. It is the most authentic way I know to communicate what I feel, transforming experiences, memories, and states of mind into sound.
Music is a continuous search, a meeting point between different cultures, a dialogue between tradition and innovation. It is a space without boundaries where I can fully express myself, improvise, tell stories, and share.
Through the accordion, I found a voice that deeply represents me: an instrument capable of being intimate and powerful, popular and refined, ancient and contemporary at the same time.
For me, music is not only art: it is necessity, identity, and life.
