Francesco Berrafato is an accordionist engaged in research into traditional music and the exploration of points of contact with other musical genres such as classical and electronic music.
In addition to his work as a musician, arranger, and teacher, he has also ventured into the world of theater, working on the creation and staging of two original shows as a performer and participating in various artistic projects as a stage musician.
From 2009 to 2016, he studied accordion with Maestro Alessandro Parente at the Scuola Popolare di Musica di Testaccio.
He obtained his Diploma in Solfeggio and Theory at the A. Casella Conservatory in L'Aquila, prepared by Maestro Massimo Munari.
He also studied with Claudia Bombardella, composer and multi-instrumentalist; attended a masterclass with accordionist Kepa Junkera; and studied the Orff-Schulwerk method at the MusicaNova school in Rome.
He holds a Master's Degree in Philosophy from La Sapienza University in Rome.
Since 2011, he has been an active member of the Il Giardino della Pietra Fiorita orchestra, founded and conducted by Maestro Alessandro Parente.
He is co-founder of the Duo Duoende, together with pianist Giulia Grassi, and of the Musaica ensemble.
In 2021, he joined the BandaJorona group, founded by Bianca Giovannini.
He has performed with various ensembles and orchestras in Italy and abroad in venues such as the Auditorium Parco della Musica in Rome, SOAS University in London, the Italian Cultural Institute in Oslo, Norway, and the Theatre du Temps in Paris.
Throughout his career, he has had the good fortune to collaborate with artists such as Giovanna Marini, Ambrogio Sparagna, Lucilla Galeazzi, Antonello Salis, Moni Ovadia, Ellade Bandini, Claudia Bombardella, Gabriella Aiello, Ersilia Prosperi, Filippo Gambetta, Giuliana De Donno, Nando Citarella, Francesco Salvadore, Piero Ricci, Antonello Iannotta, Roberto Michelangelo Giordi, Alessandro Sensale, and Emiliano Valente.
He has participated in several recordings as a performer, arranger, and composer:
- Rosa&Dmitri, released by RadiciMusic Records in Arezzo
- Musaica, released by RadiciMusic Records in Arezzo
- Drops, released by RadiciMusic Records in Arezzo.
As a performer, he took part in Alessandro Parente's audiobook Storia di un antico suonatore di organetto (Story of an Old Accordion Player), published by Emons Audiolibri.
He also teaches accordion at the Scuola Popolare di Musica di Testaccio in Rome and is dedicated to teaching music theory in various preschools.