Olivia Belli Releases Piano Concerto DAIMON on Sony Classical

Italian pianist and composer Olivia Belli has released her first piano concerto, DAIMON, on Sony Classical. Inspired by Homer’s Odyssey, the album explores themes of journey, identity and return, drawing on both Greek mythology and Belli’s personal story. The new single, “Laertes,” featuring cellist Raphaela Gromes, is available now.

Whether influenced by Johann Sebastian Bach, Frédéric Chopin, Philip Glass or Arvo Pärt, Belli’s work blends classical tradition with the introspective sound world associated with the contemporary neoclassical movement. For DAIMON, she turned to the figure of Odysseus and the idea of life as a journey toward one’s true purpose. “It was Odysseus’ fate to return to his homeland Ithaca,” Belli says. “That’s where his wife and son were – everything that defined him.”

The concerto, recorded with string orchestra and inspired by Italian Baroque music, unfolds in three movements: The Departure, The Journey, and The Return. The central movement reflects both Odysseus’ trials and Belli’s own path toward artistic clarity, tracing emotional extremes through expansive yet restrained textures.

Belli’s biography informs the work. As the daughter of a bank manager, she moved frequently during childhood. At 14, an accident left her bedridden for months, a period she describes as pivotal. With few distractions, she recognized music and nature as essential to her identity — what the Greek term daimon describes as a guiding inner calling.

She studied piano and composition with Alexander Lonquich, Jörg Demus, Franco Scala and Piero Rattalino, and has performed internationally at venues and festivals including Piano Nights in Amsterdam, the Montreal Jazz Festival and Steinway & Sons’ Piano Series at the Royal Albert Hall’s Elgar Room. Her compositions have been performed by artists such as Mari Samuelsen, Gautier Capuçon and Anna Lapwood.

Following the concerto, the album continues with the Ithaca Suite, portraying figures Odysseus encounters upon his return, including Laertes and Telemachus. Guest artists include Raphaela Gromes, violinist Eldbjørg Hemsing and saxophonist Jess Gillam. The album concludes with Sonatina for Nausicaa, inspired by the Phaeacian princess who aids Odysseus.

DAIMON: Piano Concerto, Ithaca Suite & Sonatina for Nausicaa

Release Date: February 20, 2026

The album includes the Piano Concerto in three movements (The Departure, The Journey, The Return), the seven-movement Ithaca Suite (Proci, Telemachus, Eumaeus, Penelopeia, Eurycleia, Laertes, Pax Athenae), and the three-movement Sonatina for Nausicaa (Semplice, Andantino, Allegretto).