Pian Perduto was filmed in Casteluccio di Norcia, a small village on top of the only hill on the Sibillini mountains plateau and which is face to face with Monte Vettore, the highest in our mountains. A village completely devastated by the 2016 earthquake and of which only the ruins remain surrounded by nature of breathtaking beauty. In June the entire plateau is colored by the flowering of all the fields, giving life to one of the most astonishing natural spectacles, la Fioritura.

The title Pian Perduto takes its name from one of the three plateaus that surround it and “perduto” means “lost”, referencing the fact that Castelluccio, devastated by the 2016 earthquake, is irretrievably damaged. I composed it using the Tristis mode from the Octoechoes of the modal system by Guido D’Arezzo: as to further underline the feeling of emptiness and loss that we perceive when wandering among the ruins but still find hope and comfort in the beauty that surrounds them, reminding me that beauty is a tangible thing but in It we see the ideal that has been embodied within and taken physical form.

Amber Maze was shot inside Le Grotte del Cantinone in Osimo,  a series of 88 caves, tunnels, and wells filled with fascinating figures and symbols. The mystery surrounding the origins of these caves is probably due to their secrecy.   

They are also called "labyrinth" due to the profound initiatory and esoteric meaning as it represents the initiate's path towards the centre, the revelation.

My Toccata form piano song represents the restlessness and fear felt within these places both real and spiritual, when we are trying to reach higher levels of understanding.

Respiro (breath) has always been a natural synonym of life and an absolute symbol of existence. In ancient Greek philosophy, the word pneuma had the double meaning of "breath" understood as the act of letting air in and out of the lungs, and of "vital breath" in a spiritual sense. In and out, up and down. It is the rhythm of the breath that enters and exits. A rhythm, light and silent, that accompanies the day, time, life over time. Breath is the first connection to life, and since our coming into the world it has never left us. It would perhaps be more accurate to say that breath is life, essential for survival. Breathing encloses vital energy in it. Breath mastery tames all passions, conquers serenity, prepares the mind for meditation and awakens spiritual energy.

Respiro 1 is a simple melody, a calm stream, the strophes of a poem… the memories of a great love of my youth emerge in this song: the Schubert cycle “Die schöne Müllerin”, where the protagonist walks beside a stream , symbol of the eternity of time, singing of its worries and its aspirations.

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Hi there! Here it’s Olivia and I thank you for taking the time to visit my little room on the web. I love writing piano songs to share with you inspiring stories and to talk to you through them: music is a two-way street between the listener and the artist. Here you can find all about the path I have been taking and something about where I am heading. Join my newsletter to be the first to know the latest news.