Music Without Gravity: Reviewing Leonardo Barilaro’s “Zero Gravity, Note One”

With “Zero Gravity, Note One,” Dr. Leonardo Barilaro—internationally known as The Space Pianist—pushes the boundaries of what music can be and where it can be created. A visionary aerospace engineer and artist, Barilaro transforms a parabolic flight into a groundbreaking musical laboratory, performing the world’s first EP recorded under real microgravity. Released on November 14, 2025, the project marks a bold step toward his ultimate dream: the first-ever piano concert in space. More than a collection of tracks, Zero Gravity, Note One serves as a milestone in the merging of scientific exploration and artistic expression, revealing how creativity responds when gravity, the most fundamental human reference, falls away.

Crafted aboard a modified Cessna 182 in collaboration with G0 Flight, the EP captures performances delivered under shifting G-forces—oscillating between hypergravity and weightlessness. Using a ROLI Piano M secured to a custom-built platform, Barilaro played while his body and senses adapted to the extremes of parabolic motion. The mission doubled as a scientific study, tracking fine motor control, hand–eye coordination, and concentration under conditions few musicians have ever experienced. This fusion of experimentation and artistry animates the EP’s three tracks. Star Wars (zero-g piano) turns a beloved cinematic theme into a soaring homage, shaped by the literal rise and fall of gravity. SCRAT (zero-g) draws inspiration from Barilaro’s early stratospheric experiment, echoing the excitement of his first venture into space-driven creativity. The final piece, Note One, is a raw improvisation that captures the musician’s immediate emotional and physiological reactions to the weightless environment—making it perhaps the closest listeners will ever come to hearing what microgravity feels like.

Zero Gravity, Note One also reflects the powerful teamwork behind the mission. Senior Captain Vittorio Braghiroli piloted the flight, while Ozlem Basman Barilaro and the G0 crew ensured seamless operations. Mixed with the same collaborative spirit that has fueled Barilaro’s previous space-music achievements—including works streamed from the International Space Station—the EP stands as a testament to innovation driven not by massive budgets, but by vision and courage. Released on Barilaro’s 42nd birthday, the project carries a fitting cosmic nod to Douglas Adams and the search for universal meaning. Ambitious, inventive, and beautifully executed, Zero Gravity, Note One redefines the frontier of musical possibility.