About the Author
Vincenzo La Spesa is a composer and guitarist working in contemporary art music. His work explores how sound is shaped through the interaction between bodies, instruments, technologies, notation, and listening. His compositional practice is concerned with timbre, mediated sound, and the distribution of musical agency across human and technological elements.
He completed a PhD in Music Composition at Brunel University London, where his doctoral research received the Vice-Chancellor’s Prize for Doctoral Research in recognition of outstanding research excellence. The project was initially supervised by Professor Christopher Fox and later by Dr Kate Lewis and Dr Colin Riley. His doctoral work developed the concept of the electric guitar as a modular compositional system, integrating performance, amplification, and signal processing as interconnected elements within the compositional process.
His musical background combines formal training in composition and classical guitar. He holds diplomas in both subjects from Italian conservatoires, and completed a Master’s degree in Music Performance at the University of Leeds. He also undertook advanced composition study in Darmstadt and further specialist study in music for screen in Dublin with Andy Hill. This background supports a composer-centred practice concerned with notation, sound production, technological mediation, and practical playability.
His work places particular emphasis on the role of the instrument within notated and experimental practices, exploring its potential as a compositional medium in contemporary art music.
Alongside this focus, his compositional work includes pieces for different ensembles and contexts, reflecting a broader engagement with contemporary compositional practices.
The website Electric Guitar Writing for Composers presents part of this work through practical resources, analytical texts, and audiovisual examples intended to support composers interested in writing for the instrument.
Research interests
-Electric guitar in contemporary art music
-Extended techniques and notation
-Amplification and pedals as compositional tools
-Performer–technology interaction
Other compositions
A selection of works can be accessed through the following official profiles:
External links: