Biography

Nino Russell, known professionally as ZOLLINO, is a British composer. His music has been performed internationally at the Philharmonie Berlin, Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, CBSO Centre, Leeds Lieder Festival, and the Royal College of Music, and broadcast on RTP, Amazon Prime Video, ITV, and Transmission RoundHouse, among others.

ZOLLINO is currently studying towards a Doctor of Music (DMus) in Composition at the Royal College of Music under the supervision of Alison Kay and Diana Salazar, supported by the Frank Bridge Studentship and the Kit and John Gander Award. His research into generative, modular, and reactive compositional systems are explored within a series of five new works, Constellations, that have been premiered by New Perspectives, Gulbenkian Orchestra, and the Hermes Experiment, among others.

ZOLLINO holds a Master of Composition (MComp) with Distinction from the Royal College of Music, and a Bachelor of Music (BMus) in Composition with First Class Honours from the London College of Music, supported by the Nina Williams Scholarship. He has previously studied with Kaija Saariaho, Gilbert Nuono, Nigel Clayton, Jonathan Cole, David Osbon, Francis Potts, Simon Rigby, and Roger Cawkwell.

ZOLLINO is also an experienced music educator, having taught at leading institutions across the UK, including Brighton College Prep Kensington, Abingdon House, Kent College, and the Royal College of Music, and in the US at French Woods Festival of the Performing Arts.

ZOLLINO was born in Staffordshire in 1994. He adopted his mother’s maiden name, ZOLLINO, to pay homage to his Italian heritage. He now resides in London with his fiancé, Alexander, and their British Shorthair cat, Dorian.