Nick Ariondo Performs Music in New Disney Movie “Luca”

July 1st 2021
Rita Davidson Barnea, Editor Accordion USA News
Nick Ariondo

Video: Movie Trailer – you can hear the accordion music by Nick Ariondo.

A new Disney movie entitled “Luca” features music by accordionist Nick Ariondo. It was recorded at the 20th Century Fox Studios.

The movie is set “in a beautiful seaside town on the Italian Riviera. Disney and Pixar’s original feature film “Luca” is a coming-of-age story about one young boy experiencing an unforgettable summer filled with gelato, pasta and endless scooter rides. Luca shares these adventures with his newfound best friend, but all the fun is threatened by a deeply-held secret: they are sea monsters from another world just below the water’s surface”.

Nicholas S. Ariondo (Nick Ariondo), accordionist/composer/arranger/pianist received his BA and MA Degrees in Music Performance & Composition at California State Univ., Los Angeles, CA.

Nick Ariondo’s musical accomplishments include:
25 ASCAP Awards
Onstage performances with opera legend Placid Domingo
Studio session work at Capitol Records with Paul McCartney
Double Grammy Award winner with the Los Angeles Opera Orchestra
Performed on the Oscar-winning film ‘Life of Pi’, music by Michael Danna
Featured soloist with Oscar-winning conductor/composer Alexandre Desplat ‘The Shape of Water’ with the L.A. Philharmonic Orchestra at Disney Hall
Cameo on-screen performance in ‘Bridesmaids’ award-winning film, music by Mike Andrews First American to receive Italy’s Ancona/Castelfidardo Prize for his chamber music
Inclusion in the International Who’s Who in Music (14th Edition) Cambridge, England
1990 Artists Fellowship Grant recipient: California Arts Council
Composer/arranger of numerous works cataloged with ACCO-Music Publishing/ASCAP and is a Publisher member of BMI.

Nick’s diverse musical background includes classical to modern contemporary, jazz, gypsy and multi-ethnic world styles. As a session musician, his accordion is heard on many a soundtrack for film and television (composers John Powell, Randy Newman, Mychael & Jeff Danna, Danny Elfman, Joseph Trapanese, Chris Young, Howard Shore, Alan Silvestri, Joel McNeely, Lyle Workman, etc.) .

As a composer/arranger, Ariondo’s arrangements of Russian folk songs were featured in Warren Beatty’s film “Love Affair”, music by Ennio Morricone (1994, Warner Bros.) As a concert artist, Nick performs his original compositions/arrangements with orchestras, chamber music ensembles, vocalists and in solo recitals throughout Southern California and abroad.

Nick Ariondo has worked on stage and on movie soundtracks with many well-known people in show business such as Placido Domingo, Bette Midler, Randy Newman, Nicola Benedetti, and Michael Buble. He has been described by critics as “the Yehudi Menuhin of the accordion”.

“Luca” is the 33rd movie that Nick has been credited with musically.

The movie was released on June 18th, 2021.

For further information email: accomusic@nickariondo.com