It begins with listening
Listening to the happiness behind the cheers, the despair in a wail of sorrow. Listening to an opposing view and gaining a new perspective, or feeling lifted by a friend’s kindness. Listening to the fear evoked by a crack of thunder, or the trance-like calm after its rumble fades.
When we listen with care and attention, we begin a journey toward understanding, compassion, acceptance, and connection.
I’ve traveled far, and I’ve learned that everyone has a strong need to be heard. Nothing meets that need like storytelling—even when we’re the audience, because we see ourselves in every story. And when your storytelling happens through music—original music for film and beyond, as mine does—you speak in a language that goes beyond words. You paint images by suggesting colors in space and time. You invite emotional connection through vibrations in the air.
Thank you for visiting and taking the time to hear some of my stories. I’m glad you’re listening.
The story so far
Rolando Gori is a New York City-based composer, songwriter, pianist and music producer with over 30 years of experience. His work is rooted in thematic storytelling, with a particular strength in orchestral and hybrid scoring, combining expressive melody and detailed orchestration with a contemporary production sensibility. His music ranges from intimate, character-driven themes to expansive cinematic soundscapes. Rolando's scores have received four festival honors, including the Jury Award for Best Original Score at the Female Voices Rock Film Festival for Ro & the Stardust, and the Gold Award for Best Original Score at the Independent Shorts Awards for Ruth.
His science-fiction work includes Ro & the Stardust (2022), directed by Eunice Levis, which won Best Narrative Short at the Oscar-qualifying Reel Sisters of the Diaspora Film Festival and Best Sci-Fi Short at the Downtown Los Angeles Film Festival. His score also earned an Honorable Mention for Best Score at the Philadelphia Film Festival. His science-fiction work also includes Drifters (2025), for which he composed an intimate, original score for a 19-piece orchestra. His narrative credits extend across drama (Ruth, Anjali, Spice King), comedy (The Realtor, The Parker) and psychological drama (Mr. Sam, featuring countertenor Nicholas Tamagna). He also wrote music featured in Woody Allen's Rifkin's Festival. His documentary work includes History in the Making, chronicling New York's marriage-equality movement, and collaborations with Roy T. Anderson exploring Jamaican history, including African Redemption: The Life and Legacy of Marcus Garvey, narrated by Keith David. He has also created music for United Nations projects addressing important humanitarian issues, including Flight for Life: A Climate Migrant Story, sung by Heidi Siegell. His production music appears in hundreds of film and television productions worldwide.
Rolando studied piano at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto and composition at Concordia University in Montreal before earning an honors degree in Music Theory and Composition from Goldsmiths, University of London. His concert works have been commissioned and performed in North America and Europe, and his creative work also encompasses songwriting and music production.