Key Musical Achievements

• In 1984, founded the Choir of the Diocese of Rome. The choir was created with young people who attended prayer meetings at the Pontifical Roman Major Seminary, with an aim to animate major diocesan liturgies, many of which are presided over by the Holy Father. Since its inception, more than 1,000 nonprofessional young people and adult singers have been a part of this organization, motivated by the desire to make a journey together that is both cultural and spiritual, and to love and praise God through music and song. The group, which currently has more than 300 members, gives concerts and participates in liturgical celebrations in the diocese of Rome, throughout Italy and globally in Germany, Austria, France, Malta, Poland, Czech Republic, Israel and, most recently, the United States

• Composed more than 30 sacred oratorios inspired by biblical figures and lives of great saints

• Collaborated on the international RAI “Bible Series” project as consultant biblical scholar and music composer (Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Samson and Delilah and The Apocalyse)

• Composed scores for many historical and religious-themed films, including Don Bosco, Paul VI, Papa John, John Paul II, Peter, Callas and Onassis, Pompei, Puccini and I Prefer Paradise

• Composed more than 500 liturgical and sacred songs many of which are published in over 25 collections that are known and  appreciated in Italy and abroad

• Has a discography that includes many collaborative projects with Italian and international artists, including the Chieftains’ Paddy Moloney, Andrea Bocelli and Mina

• Musical director of several important Catholic events

o 2000 World Youth Day (composed the widely acclaimed “Jesus Christ, You are my Life”)

o The Bible Day and Night (the longest direct broadcast in television history)

o Liturgies for the Beatification of Pope John Paul II (2011)—composed the hymn “Open the Doors to Christ”

• Composed theater works, including 

  • The opera The Divine Comedy (2007), the 1st musical production of Dante's masterpiece.   Acclaimed by both public and critics as breathtaking, it has been seen by nearly 800,000 people. In 2018, a newly envisioned and enhanced production was presented across 4 cities in Italy

  • The Miracle of Marcellino (2009)

  • The opera In Hoc Signo (With this Sign) (2013), grand opera on the life of Emperor Constantine in honor of the 1700th anniversary of the Edict of Milan, performed by the Belgrade, Serbia National Theatre of Music on October 8, 2013

  • Catalina (2016) – a theatrical work written on the occasion of the reopening of the Orione Theater in Rome

• June 2011 – Completed 1st USA tour with the choir, performing two different programs in a series of six concerts in the New York metropolitan area

• February 2014 – Premiere performances of his oratorio Venne un Uomo Mandato di Dio (There was a man from God), a work inspired by the life and writings of Saint John XXIII, in the Pope's home town of Bergamo, Italy

• April 27, 2014 – Led the Choir of the Diocese of Rome in liturgies held in St. Peter's Square for the historic canonizations of Saint John Paul II and Saint John XXIII

• September 2014 – Promoter and coordinator of the First Italian Choral Conference held in Rome with the gathering of choirs from around Italy and as far away as Brazil, Spain and Turkey to experience faith and musical encounters with over 1,500 participants

• May 2015 – An historic concert held at the Vatican in honor of the Pope's charitable works –a Concert of and for the Poor – featuring the music of Marco Frisina as performed by the Choir of the Diocese of Rome and the Giuseppe Verdi Philharmonic Orchestra of Salerno under the direction of Israeli-borne conductor Daniel Oren. Over 3,000 of the cities poor, homeless, elderly, disabled, and incarcerated were the invited guests

• July 2016 – Led a week of formation and meeting with choirs from all over Spain, under the aegis of the Diocese of Malaga, which concluded with a great concert In the cathedral with over 400 adult and youth choristers, soloists and orchestra

• October 2016 – Led the Choral Jubilee attended by > 8,000 singers from all around the world

• February 2017 – Led the Jubilate Deo Choir and the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra in the world premiere of his oratorio Fino ai Confini della Terra (To the Ends of the Earth) in Malta, inspired by the narrative of the shipwreck of St Paul in Malta