26 March 2026
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The Italian pianist Antonino Lopes talks about his life at the piano, and how his goal is to reach a wider audience by playing the greatest hits on a very special piano.
When did you start playing the piano?
It all began when I was 12 years old, with a small Casio keyboard bought through great sacrifice. But the real turning point came a year later when I went with my mother to choose my first real piano. It was an inexpensive Chinese model, but to me, it was the most precious and valuable thing I had ever owned.
I remember that as soon as I brought it home, it immediately ceased to be just an object. When I opened the lid and looked at the strings and hammers, I had the distinct perception that the piano was breathing. It felt alive, as if it wanted to speak to me. At the time, I was a young boy who struggled to express himself; perhaps out of shyness or a difficult childhood, I felt unable to speak. But looking at that piano, I felt a voice inside me offering comfort: ‘Don’t worry, I will speak for you.’ From that moment on, the piano became my voice.
How were you taught?
I have a classical background. I attended several music high schools and academies, as well as The Brass Group European School of Jazz in Sicily, Italy. I read music in all clefs and I can write and transcribe scores. I also teach the piano.
What is your ‘Piano Space Live Concert’ project?
It is an impeccable audio-visual experience that celebrates the music of legends like Michael Jackson, Queen, Toto and Coldplay – artists whose timeless hits still thrill audiences of today. By combining advanced technology and a loop station with the elegant sound of a grand piano, the show recreates original sounds with stunning accuracy. Everything is played live to give you the incredible feeling of having the world’s greatest starts performing right in front of you.
Antonino Lopes plays Queen
And you have a specially-voiced 1997 Yamaha C3?
This piano has been a great success. I personally handled the adjustments to achieve a warmer, more European tone compared to the classic C2, as well as sorter, more fluid action. I wanted the instrument to reflect my inner musical vision. Having found the perfect synergy between the piano and my touch, I wouldn’t replace it with any other instrument.
How do you feel when you sit at the piano?
Despite the years that have passed, when I sit at the keyboard, I still feel that same comfort. To me, a piano is alive, it breathes, and what it has to say to me, I read in the vibration of its strings. Today, I am an adult and a professional musician, but that bond has never changed. Over the years, I have owned different instruments, searching for them—sometimes for a long time—because I needed to find pianos that ‘spoke’ to me just like the first one did.
Lopes live on stage
Does the Yamaha go touring with you?
Yes
How many concerts do you give a year?
Three or four shows a year.
Does making arrangements of famous pieces come naturally to you?
Yes. I listen to a lot of music – vocal, instrumental and orchestral – and my mind translates what I hear as it it were a spoken language, allowing me to perform it solely on the piano.
How about recordings?
I make recordings and I have my own recording studio.
Finally, what are your future ambitions?
My goal is to reach a wider audience, grow my YouTube channel and webiste, and to share my music with the world!
You can watch many performances by Antonino Lopes on his YouTube channel.