Bio
Alberto Acquilino is a Western Postdoctoral Fellow in Music Education at the Don Wright Faculty of Music of Western University, Canada. His career reflects an uncommon blend of artistry and science, uniting his training as a musician with his expertise in engineering and technology. After earning a degree in music performance from the Paganini Conservatory of Music in Italy, he established himself as a performer, conductor and music educator. At the same time, he pursued his interest in engineering, completing two master’s degrees in mechanical engineering in Italy and France and conducting research at ETH Zurich in Switzerland.
Alberto pursued a PhD in Music Technology at McGill University in the Computational Acoustic Modeling Laboratory. His doctoral research explored how digital technologies can enrich instrumental pedagogy, leading to the creation of open-source frameworks for real-time feedback and adaptive learning in music education. His current research examines how algorithmic and AI-assisted composition and disability-led design can enhance access in music learning.
In addition to his research, Alberto has been active as a teacher and mentor. He served as a Lecturer in Music Technology at McGill University, where he also gave guest lectures in music education classes on brass pedagogy, advanced wind techniques and educational applications of technology. He is currently a member of the Academic Board of the Global Leaders Institute MBA, teaching courses on emerging technologies for innovation and contributing to the conference series The Musician as Innovator.
Alberto’s work extends well beyond the university setting. As a Lead Mentor with the Neuroinformatics Coordinating Facility for the Google Summer of Code program, he guides international open-source initiatives dedicated to developing adaptive and inclusive music-learning tools. Across his teaching, research and community engagement, he is committed to bringing together artistic practice, technological innovation and social impact to foster accessible and equitable music education.
See the full list of publications on Google Scholar.
Education
McGill University — Montreal, Canada
PhD in Music Research, Music Technology Area (2020-2025)
Global Leaders Institute — Washington, DC, United States
Executive Graduate Certificate in Arts and Innovation, Honours with Distinction (2021-2022)
Université Savoie Mont Blanc — Chambéry, France
MSc in Energy and Sustainable Buildings Engineering, Honours with Distinction (2017-2018)
University of Genoa — Genoa, Italy
MSc in Energy and Nuclear Engineering, Honours with Distinction (2016-2019)
BSc in Mechanical Engineering, Honours (2010-2016)
Conservatory of Music “N. Paganini” — Genoa, Italy
MMus in Music Performance, Honours (2005-2011)
Contacts
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McGill University, Music Technology
555 Rue Sherbrooke O
Montréal, QC
H3A 1E3
Canada
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- linkedin.com/in/acquilino-alberto