Born in Sicily in 1947, Salvatore Sciarrino is primarily a self-taught composer, studying later with Antonio Titone and Turi Belfiore. The first performance of his music was in 1962. He completed his studies in Rome and Milan. Sciarrino has taught in the conservatories of Milan, Perugia and Florence, directed numerous masterclasses and was director of the Teatro Comunale in Bologna from 1987 to 1990. He has received many prizes including the ISCM (1971 et 1974) and the Dallapiccola (1974). Since 1996 he has devoted himself full-time to composition and theoretical writing.