“Rhythm is within us, we just need to find and feel it!”
Adriano Adewale Itaúna
Brazilian percussionist, composer and educator Adriano Adewale Itaúna is known for an unconventional, exploratory approach to music, creating rich sound-worlds from the simplest of materials and everyday objects.
As a composer, Adriano writes for stage, orchestra and community projects. His work includes the score for Undivided Lovers (choreographer Kate Flatt, Phoenix Dance Company), inspired by Shakespeare’s sonnets; orchestral pieces such as Suite Dialogues (2017) and a Percussion Concerto (2019); and Hatch, commissioned by the Royal Opera House and Polka Theatre. He also regularly creates music for young performers through commissions from organisations including Sparks, Serious and the Bath Festival.
As a performer, he tours internationally and collaborates widely across genres and cultures. Recent partnerships include Joanna MacGregor, Antonio Forcione, Emilia Mårtensson, Britten Sinfonia, Netsayi Chigwendere, Kritiina Ilmonen, Seckou Keita, Carolina Paulino, Nathan Riki Thomson, Kate Flatt, Marcelo Andrade and Kadialy Kouyate, placing him at the centre of vibrant intercultural musical exchange.
A prolific recording artist, Adriano has released several solo albums and appears on more than 30 recordings. He sees the studio as a creative laboratory, a place for experimentation, discovery and musical conversation.
Adriano is currently pursuing a doctorate at the Sibelius Academy, where he also lectures. His research explores how artists communicate depth and emotion through minimal means, alongside questions of identity, global artistic practice and the influence of Western art music traditions in contemporary education.
He is also the founder of Caboclos Art Production, which develops community arts projects for young people and adults. Through curating festivals and serving as an artistic director, he continues to spark creativity and connection wherever he works.
