Debut album ‘Transcendence’ - coming soon!
In April 2025, Damiano recorded his debut album with the Metropole Orkest conducted by Jochen Neuffer and co-produced by Miho Hazama, featuring guest soloists Ben Wendel (tenor sax, FX), Aaron Parks (piano, synth) and Anna Serierse (vocals). The album (release date TBA) includes seven original compositions and will be premiered live with the Metropole Orkest upon its release.
“Damiano is one of the most interesting up and coming composers on the scene today... writing from the heart.” Bob Mintzer
“It’s ambitious, it’s bold and it’s modern. And it’s music that needs to be listened to.” Jules Buckley
In this new work, Damiano explores new orchestral possibilities within the contemporary jazz idiom, blending texture-based orchestration, minimalist patterns and atmospheric soundscapes with the harmonic and melodic sophistication of composers such as Vince Mendoza and Maria Schneider. Drawing from his collaborations with the Metropole Orkest and world-renowned artists, he expands the orchestra’s sonic palette while refining his own voice as a composer. The unique musical voices of Ben Wendel and Aaron Parks shape the improvisational side of the music. Damiano draws inspiration from their playing, exploring ways to connect their language with his own compositional approach.
The voice of Anna Serierse is used as an instrumental colour within the orchestra, blending with strings, woodwinds, harp and percussion to create new and surprising textural combinations.
Production-wise, this album presents a hybrid and forward-thinking approach to orchestral recordings, using effects rarely heard in this setting to process acoustic instruments and create a fresh, distinctive sound.
Damiano has been praised for the lyricism of his writing, the ability to tell compelling stories through music and his “contemporary approach to composing and arranging within an idiom rich in tradition” (jury report Rogier van Otterloo Award 2019).
Collaborations
Release 80th anniversary album Metropole Orkest
‘Arakatak’
3/26
Damiano contributed to this album by arranging the composition ‘Into The Dawn of Light’ by Tineke Postma.
Album recording with Metropole Orkest and guest soloists Aaron Parks, Ben Wendel and Anna Serierse
4/25
Damiano recorded seven new compositions for his debut album with the Metropole Orkest, conducted by Jochen Neuffer and co-produced by Miho Hazama, featuring guest soloists Aaron Parks, Ben Wendel, and Anna Serierse. More news about the album release and live concerts will follow soon.
Many thanks to Metropole Orkest, Fonds Podium Kunsten, Sena, and Amarte Fonds for making this possible.
New commission for Metropole Orkest feat. Ben Wendel and Anna Serierse
12/24
Thanks to the support of Fonds Podium Kunsten, Damiano has been commissioned five new compositions for the Metropole Orkest that will feature a.o. guest soloists Ben Wendel (tenor saxophone) and Anna Serierse (vocals).
ISJAC’s SONIC Award
5/24
Damiano has received the SONIC Award from ISJAC (International Society of Jazz Arrangers and Composers) during their bi-annual Symposium in Nashville, TN. His arrangement of ‘Ornette’s Clockwork’ was selected as best submission in the ‘Arrangement’ category.
Release Reunion
‘Reunion’ is now available on all digital platforms! This piece was commissioned as part of the Rogier van Otterloo Award 2019. It features the Jong Metropole (conducted by Jochen Neuffer) and Kika Sprangers on alto and soprano sax.
Quincy Jones’ 90th-Birthday Tribute: A Musical Celebration
7/23
On July 28 and 29, the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra conducted by Jules Buckley will perform some of the best songs written or produced by Quincy Jones together with a stellar team of guest artists. Damiano provided one arrangement for the performance of Samara Joy.
‘Ornette’s Clockwork’ - Metropole Orkest and Jeroen van Vliet
7/23
Damiano arranged for the Metropole Orkest Jeroen van Vliet’s composition ‘Ornette’s Clockwork’. The live recording - featuring solos by Jeroen van Vliet on piano and Rik Mol on trumpet - has been published as single.
ADE 2022: Suzanne Ciani & Metropole Orkest
10/22
The legendary synthesizer pioneer Suzanne Ciani and the Metropole Orkest conducted by Simon Dobson opened the 2022 Amsterdam Dance Event at the Melkweg. For this occasion Damiano co-composed with Suzanne a 12 minutes piece for orchestra and synthesizer entitled ‘Contrapuntal’.
Arakatak - New music for the Metropole Orkest
9/2022
On September 16 the Metropole Orkest led by Miho Hazama performed at the Bridging Europe Festival in Budapest, presenting a program featuring new compositions written for the Metropole Orkest. Damiano’s composition ‘Reunion’ was played alongside new works by Vince Mendoza, Donny McCaslin, Mark Guiliana and Cory Wong.
Release new record Jonathan Jeremiah
9/2022
Damiano co-wrote the title track of Jonathan’s latest record and provided the string arrangements for the whole album. The orchestrations were recorded by Amsterdam Sinfonietta.
BBC Proms 2022: Aretha Franklin - Queen Of Soul
8/2022
Damiano contributed a new orchestral arrangement of ‘Skylark’ to a program in which Jules Buckley and his newly formed orchestra are honouring legendary singer Aretha Franklin, joined by American singer and Quincy Jones protégée Sheléa.
Presenting at the 2022 Symposium of ISJAC ‘International Society of Jazz Arrangers and Composers’
12/2021
Damiano was invited to present one of his most recent compositions at the Symposium of the ISJAC ‘International Society of Jazz Arrangers and Composers’, to be held in Austin, Texas on 12-14 May 2022. Guest/presenting artists of the Symposium will be John Clayton, Jim McNeely, Miho Hazama, Miguel Zenon and Terri Lyne Carrington among many others.
Arrangements for ‘An Orchestrated Songbook’ by Paul Weller with Jules Buckley and the BBC Symphony Orchestra
12/2021
Damiano wrote orchestral arrangements for a special collaboration between the legendary British singer songwriter Paul Weller and the BBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Jules Buckley. The project (originally a live show which now turned into a live album) presents new and old work by Weller reimagined for a symphonic setting and also features James Morrison, Boy George and Celeste.
Orchestrations for tour Louis Cole with Metropole Orkest
11/2021
Orchestrations of new work by Los Angeles based drummer/composer Louis Cole for his tour with the Metropole Orkest throughout the Netherlands.
Premiere ‘Reunion’ during tour Jong Metropole with guest soloist Kika Sprangers
7/2021
Premiere of ‘Reunion’, a new composition commissioned by Jong Metropole as part of the Rogier van Otterloo Award 2019. The piece features Kika Sprangers as soloist on alto and soprano saxophone and will be premiered on August 6th 2021 in the Theater Orpheus in Apeldoorn.
Photo: Pieter Kunnen
Cory Wong & Metropole Orkest: release of ‘Live In Amsterdam’
04/2020
Cory Wong and the Metropole Orkest led by Vince Mendoza joined forces for some funky nights in November 2019 and the result has now been released as a live album: ‘Live in Amsterdam’. Damiano provided some of the orchestral arrangements for this unique project.
Rogier van Otterloo Award 2019!
08/2019
Damiano has been awarded the Rogier van Otterloo Award 2019! This prize is assigned yearly by the Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds and the artistic committee of Jong Metropole to the most promising young composer/arranger/conductor based in the Netherlands. The jury praised the lyricism of Damiano Pascarelli’s writing and his “contemporary approach to composing and arranging within an idiom rich of tradition.”
Photo: Pieter Kunnen