Interview with Leonardo Barilaro and Tina Guo • Moon Seeds

My friendship in music with Dr. Leonardo Barilaro dates back to 2018. While perusing Instagram each night before bedtime, I scroll the latest posts by artists and musicians I follow. One night, I happened to notice the names of persons who also follow the same favorite musician of mine. I decided to click on their names to learn about them. One of them happened to be a gentleman by the name of Dr. Leonardo Barilaro.

Dr. Leonardo Barilaro

Upon reviewing his Instagram page, I was astounded to learn Dr. Barilaro is a pianist, composer and an aerospace engineer who practices martial arts and in his “free time” enjoys free-diving and photography. A true renaissance man! I had to privilege of conducting a blog interview with him for my art and piano school, Pastimes for a Lifetime, Inc. From there we have enjoyed corresponding between his Malta home and my Valley Village perch.

In May this year, Dr. Barilaro reached out to me asking if The Athena Foundation for the Arts would be willing to collaborate with him on his upcoming Music from Space project, arranging the reservations and sharing the fee for filming the performance of his composition at the beautiful state-of-the-art community auditorium at the Church of Scientology of the Valley, where we present our spectacular community concerts. Meyer sound system, superb projection capabilities and knowledgeable stage engineer were ideal for the project. The video would be sent via SpaceX Falcon 9 as part of mission SpaceX CRS-31 to the International Space Station. Now we await it to be beamed back to earth from the International Space Station at a specific time and location in Malta and then Los Angeles. I understand the audio will be streamed from the ISS. The video will be premiered on YT shortly after. How exciting to be invited to participate in this project! I signed us on immediately.

Through sheer magic, I was able to secure a window of time for the filming despite the community auditorium being fully booked that weekend. The performance by Leonardo with acclaimed cellist Tina Guo paired with stunning imagery was recorded by master videographer Joel Moody, and now we await it to be beamed back to earth from the International Space Station.

Tina Guo, Linda Wehrli, Leonardo Barilaro and videographer Joel Moody

This story is too good not to be shared. Therefore, it is my pleasure to reveal my conversation with Leonardo Barilaro and Tina Guo and hope you enjoy it as much as I did interviewing them.
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LRW: Dr. Barilaro, it was an honor for The Athena Foundation for the Arts to collaborate with you on your video, Moon Seeds, which will be sent to the International Space Station. May I ask what was the inspiration behind your project? Why this composition? Why now?

LB: Dear Linda, thank you so much for The Athena Foundation for the Art’s support of the project and for this interview! It was truly a heartwarming experience meeting you in Los Angeles and seeing in person the incredible work your foundation does.

LRW: It was wonderful finally meeting you in person at my art and music studio, Pastimes for a Lifetime, Inc., as well. After all the years we’ve been corresponding, it was a privilege to visit with you in person. Please go on with your story.

LB: Yes, the inspiration behind Moon Seeds stems from my lifelong passion for space and music, a blend I have been exploring since childhood.

LRW: Fascinating. My curiosity about the meaning of Moon Seeds has been piqued.

LB: Specifically, Moon Seeds draws inspiration from the fascinating story of the Apollo ‘Moon Trees’. In 1971, during the Apollo 14 mission, astronaut Stuart Roosa, a former US Forest Service smokejumper, carried hundreds of tree seeds with him while orbiting the Moon. After returning to Earth, these seeds were planted across the US and around the world as a symbol of exploration and growth. Today, seeds from these Moon Trees, known as second-generation seeds, will travel back to the Moon aboard the Artemis missions, and I find this story very poetic and meaningful.

Astronaut Stuart Roosa

LRW: Wow, I hadn’t heard of Moon Trees before. What a wonderful symbol of exploration and growth. I wonder if any of these fantastic Moon Trees were planted in Los Angeles. I’ll have to research this further. Please continue.

LB: The composition, Moon Seeds is part of the ASTROBEAT project. This multi-faceted initiative pushes the boundaries of both aerospace engineering and artistic expression. Let me give you a quick overview of this intricate framework I am working on.

LRW: Ah, so ASTROBEAT is the project and Moon Seeds is the composition. Please go on.

LB: From the point of view of scientific innovation, ASTROBEAT investigates a novel technique called “cold-welding adhesion” for repairing spacecraft hulls damaged by space debris. This experiment could revolutionize spacecraft maintenance. An experimental test rig will be tested and qualified in space, reaching the International Space Station with a SpaceX launch.

LRW: How does this relate to the music?

LB: I am also coordinating the “Space Art” project that will send new music compositions to the International Space Station. This collaborative effort between Universities – MCAST, SETU, NYUAD – scientists, musicians and students – exemplifies the future of science and music. We’re not just sending music to Space, we are creating a powerful experience that transcends disciplines and inspires a global audience.

LRW: I can see that. Science + Music to enrich our human experience.

LB:
To answer the question, Why now? Because we are at a pivotal moment in history, where space missions are becoming more frequent and the concept of space as humanity’s next frontier is more real than ever. Moon Seeds captures this moment, embodying the wonder of space with a message of hope and new beginnings, much like seeds that will one day grow on another world.

LRW: That gives me goosebumps. It’s an honor to be part of this cultural exchange that extends beyond earth. Can you please describe the imagery curated for your video? Who is the artist or artists? How did you discover them? What story or message does the imagery reveal?

LB: The imagery for Moon Seeds was designed to evoke both the mystery of space and the concepts of growth and evolution. It features a blend of cosmic visuals, abstract representations of planets and seeds taking root, symbolizing the potential for life beyond Earth. The video was created in collaboration with Chiara Rovoletto and Mauro Baldissera of Skyup Academy (Italy), exceptional visual artists whose work bridges art and space exploration.

LRW: Fantastic. How did you meet the artists?

LB: I first encountered Chiara’s work during a space-art collaboration several years ago, and her ability to visually capture complex emotions and scientific ideas made her the perfect fit for this project. The imagery reflects the idea that, like seeds ready to sprout, our efforts in space exploration hold the potential for future growth and expansion, both scientifically and culturally.

LRW: Very cool. As for your musical collaboration, how exciting to collaborate with cello superstar Tina Guo. May I ask how you two became acquainted? There are many superb cellist to choose from. May I ask what inspired you to invite Ms. Guo to collaborate with you?

Dr. Leonardo Barilaro and Ms. Tina Guo

LB: There are many superb cellists and musicians, it’s true, but there’s only one Tina Guo! 🙂 Tina and I first connected through our shared passion for blending classical music with modern experimental styles. I was already familiar with her incredible work, especially her collaborations with Hans Zimmer, whose soundtracks for Interstellar and Dune resonate deeply with me. Tina’s unique style, combining classical training with bold, cinematic expression, made her the perfect collaborator for this project. Her ability to translate the vastness of space into sound is unparalleled, and I knew she could add a profound emotional layer to Moon Seeds.

A few months ago, I reached out to her with the first draft of Moon Seeds and to my surprise, she responded the very next day…and here we are! 
The collaboration felt completely natural because both of us are always exploring new horizons in music. What made the collaboration even more incredible was Tina proposing to co-author the piece with Steve Mazzaro, world-renowned producer, who crafted a mind-blowing orchestration using actual space sounds recorded by NASA.

LRW: This story gets better and better. This question is for Ms. Guo. It is an honor and very exciting to interview you for The Athena Foundation for the Arts blog. For our readers, may I ask what inspired you to collaborate with Dr. Barilaro on his project? Are there plans for future collaborations?

TG: I’ve always loved Space… and Sci-fi!  Dr. Barilaro reached out to me about this project via email, and I said yes!

LRW: Fantastic! Thanks for sharing that with our readers. I understand Joel Moody was the videographer on Moon Seeds. Have you worked with him before? How did you connect?

LB: This was my first time collaborating with Joel. We were connected thanks to Tina Guo. Joel and Tina have been working together for several years. She highly recommended Joel. When I saw his portfolio I was blown away. A few months ago he also did the Dune video for Tina’s single.

LRW: Wow! I just reviewed Joel’s videos on his website and TIna’s Dune video. Mind blown. Perfect videographer for your Moon Seeds project, indeed! Dr. Barilaro, may I ask, what is your connection to the International Space Station? I understand you have collaborated with them before, sending your compositions into space and beaming them back to earth. May I ask where may my readers view those videos?

LB: I’ve had the privilege of sending music to the International Space Station twice before, with my compositions Maleth and ZER0, both of which were streamed back to Earth. These collaborations have been part of my larger aim to bring space and music together. The Maleth program, led by Prof. Joseph Borg of the University of Malta, developed space bioscience experiments sent to the ISS. Your readers can view these videos on my YouTube channel and other streaming platforms like Spotify. They can also visit my website – www.thespacepianist.com – for direct links and updates.

LRW: Thank you so much! I understand the audio of our collaborated project will be streamed from the International Space Station with the video premiered on YouTube shortly after. May I ask how the audio and video get sent to the ISS and how the ISS beam and streaming work? Where and when may my students and readers listen and watch the livestream? Will the video be available for viewing for those that miss the livestream? If so, where may they watch? Sorry for all these questions all at once!

LB: No problem. Your enthusiasm is appreciated. Yes, the audio and video will indeed be streamed from the International Space Station! The ISS hosts the ASTROBEAT experiment, which has its own computer and SD card where the audio files are stored. The stream is then broadcast to Earth via a coordinated downlink system based in Houston. NASA and partners like Nanoracks (now Voyager Space) facilitate this process.

ASTROBEATS

For the livestream, your students and readers will be able to tune in on a designated date, which will be announced closer to the event. The livestream will be accessible via YouTube. For those who miss it, the video will be available for replay on my official website and YouTube channel shortly after.

LRW: Thanks for the intel. Duly noted. In closing, this question is for both Dr. Leonardo Barilaro and Ms. Tina Guo. Do you have a favorite quote by a composer or musician that you’d like to share with our readers?

LB: One of my favorite quotes is from Arvo Pärt.
A need to concentrate on each sound, so that every blade of grass would be as important as a flower ~ composer Arvo Pärt Share on X

TG: One of my favorite quotes is from artist Salvador Dali.
I don't do drugs, I am drugs. ~ artist Salvador Dali 🙂 Share on X

Love the inspiration! Thank you both for your gracious time with this interview. We are excited to be part of this historic project and wish you both success with this and future projects.

To learn more about Dr. Leonardo Barilaro and Ms. Tina Guo, enjoy perusing their respective websites and social media platforms.

Dr. Leonardo Barilaro
Website
Instagram
YouTube

Ms. Tina Guo
Website
Facebook
Instagram
YouTube

I hope you enjoyed this interview as much as I did hosting it. Stay tuned for the streaming of Moon Seeds from the International Space Station soon! Over and out!

The Fine Print: ASTROBEAT (SUP-2023-09) is an MCAST project, led by Dr Leonardo Barilaro, financed by Xjenza Malta through the Space Upstream Programme. The International Space Station payload opportunity is being made available by Nanoracks (Voyager Space), through its Space Act Agreement with NASA’s U.S. National Lab.

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