Born in Oneglia (Italy) in 1925, he studied with Giulio Paribeni and Giorgio Ghedini at the Verdi Conservatory in Milan. In 1953, together with Bruno Maderna, he founded the Studio di Fonologia Musicale della RAI in Milan and was its head until 1961. In 1956 he set up the Incontri Musicali magazine and until 1960 was in charge of concerts under the same name. He taught composition in the United States and Europe and taught many courses: Tanglewood (1960, 1982), Dartington Summer School of Music (1961, 1962), at Mills College (1962), in Darmstadt, Cologne, at Harvard University, and from 1965 to 1962 at the Juilliard School of Music in New York. He founded the Juilliard Ensemble. In 1980 the City University of London gave him the title of doctor honoris causa. In 1974-79 he collaborated with ircam. He has also conducted the best known symphony orchestras in the United States and Europe. In 1989 he received the Ernst von Siemens Award.

Selected works (since 1980): Entrata for orchestra (1980), Corale for violin, strings and two horns (1981), Accordo per quattro grupi di bande (1981), Duo, theatre of imagination for baritone, two violins, mixed choir and orchestra (1982), Requies for orchestra (1983-84), Voci for viola and two instrumental groups (1984), Brahms/Berio: Opus 120 Nr. 1 for clarinet or viola and orchestra (1984-86), Naturale, ballet (1985-86), Ricorrenze for wind quintet (1985-87), String Quartet (1986-90), Formazioni for orchestra (1986), Sequenze I-XI for various instruments and solo voice (1958-88), Concerto II (cEchoing Curves') for piano and two instrumental groups (1988), Ofanim for two instrumental groups, two children's choirs, female voice and real time computer music system (1988), Canticum Novissimi Testamenti (Ballata) for a cappella mixed choir (1988; 2nd section for four solo voices, four clarinets and saxophone quartet - 1989), Continuo for orchestra (1989-91), Schubert/Berio: Rendering for orchestra (1989), psy for double-bass (1989), Verdi/Berio: 8 Romanze for tenor and orchestra (1990), Leaf for piano (1990), Brin for piano (1990), Notturno (Quartetto III) for string quartet (1993; version for string orchestra - 1995), Compass, ballet (1995), Sequenza XII for bassoon (1995), Sequenza XIII for bassoon (1995), kol-od (Chemins VI) for trumpet and chamber orchestra (1996), Outis, opera (1996), Rècit (Chemins VII) for alto sax and orchestra (1996), Ekphrasis (Continuo II) for orchestra (1997), Alternatim, double concerto for clarinet, viola and orchestra (1997), Glosse for string quartet (1997), Kor-t for eight cellos (1998), Cronaca del Luogo, music campaign (1998-1999), Solo for trombone and orchestra (1999).

Sequenza V is filled with my memories of Grock, the last great clown. He was my neighbour in Oneglia. He lived in an odd country house on the hill, surrounded by an Oriental-style garden, with little pagodas, lakes, bridges, streams and weeping willows. With my school friends I used to climb over his garden's gates to steal oranges and tangerines. During my childhood the closeness and excessive familiarity with his name and adults' indifference to him prevented me from comprehending his genius. I realized how great he was somewhat later, when as a boy of eleven I saw him on stage at the Teatro Cavour in Porto Mauricio. During the performance, he suddenly stopped and, staring at the audience, asked: Warum? (Why?). I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. I wanted to do both. After this experience I never stole any more oranges from his garden.
Sequenza V is a tribute to this warum'.
Luciano Berio