Wartime Monk is an electronic solo performance played entirely through self-built controllers which, through the movements of the hands and fingers, control and perform sounds of different natures and origins, “filtering” them through the possibilities of the body and its gestures.

The idea behind the project emerged after years of exploration, both musical—combining wind instruments with electronics—and technical, through the creation of controllers and pedalboards designed to bring the immediacy and naturalness of acoustic instruments into the electronic domain. Through these two wireless controllers, physical playability converges with the ability to simultaneously manage highly complex sounds and layered sonic structures.

The figure of the “wartime monk” reflects on how much of the ethics, practices, and ways of living born in times of peace can endure in times of war, or whether, like the lives of its victims, our philosophies too may be swept away by violence.

Francesco Pellegrino is a musician, composer, and sound artist whose work explores the relationship between sound, time, and consciousness. His musical practice focuses on electroacoustic composition and  improvisation with saxophone, clarinet, and self-built electronic controllers, performing both solo and with various ensembles.

He has presented his work at several festivals across Italy and Europe. As a sound artist, he investigates listening as a temporal practice and reflects on the idea of a “posture in time” — the quality of how we inhabit and move through this dimension. His installations, often site-specific, have been exhibited in Italy, Sweden, Mexico, and China.

He is the founder and artistic director of PArS – Percorsi d’Arte Sonora, a cultural association dedicated to promoting sound culture.

Credits
Francesco Pellegrino (electronics, composition)
Published by Elektramusic Berlin – Paul Clouvel
All rights reserved 2026 © Francesco Pellegrino
2026 ℗ Elektramusic Berlin – Paul Clouvel