Emilio De Virgilio
FOH Engineer and Music Producer (International Touring & Orchestral Mixing)
Bio
SAE London Audio Production alumnus Emilio De Virgilio has built an extraordinary career in live sound, international touring, and audio production, now working across major global stages, orchestral recordings, and film soundtracks.
Since graduating in 2014, Emilio has gone from mixing in grassroots venues to engineering in some of the world’s most iconic performance spaces. His journey started while he was still at SAE, balancing full-time bar shifts in a Mayfair club with early-morning classes. During breaks he would slip backstage to speak with the sound engineers — curiosity that soon turned into weekly shadowing sessions and the foundation of his live-sound career.
After completing his degree, Emilio made a decisive move: he left his job, printed a stack of CVs, and spent a month visiting venues across London. His first opportunity came at Camden’s Green Note, where he mixed on a small Allen & Heath desk bolted to the wall. It was there that he learned how to communicate with artists, troubleshoot under pressure, and build the confidence needed to work professionally in live sound.
From that point, his career expanded steadily. He later joined the technical team at the club where he once worked, forming strong professional relationships with renowned FOH engineers Dave McDonald (Portishead, AIR, Michael Kiwanuka) and Jonathan Lewis (Freya Ridings, Clairo, Travis). In 2016, McDonald invited him to support AIR’s international tour — a career-defining experience that took him across Europe, Asia, Australia, and the United States.
Since then, Emilio has mixed for artists including Rufus Wainwright, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, and Freya Ridings, performing at major venues and festivals such as Glastonbury’s Pyramid Stage, the Sydney Opera House, and the Royal Albert Hall.
Alongside touring, Emilio has built a strong portfolio in music production and film soundtracks. He has recorded and mixed scores for several films and a television series, working with orchestras such as the Prague Metropolitan Orchestra. His projects have been featured at internationally recognised festivals including the Berlinale and the Venice Biennale.
Career highlights include:
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Mixing FOH for Rufus Wainwright & the BBC Orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall for the BBC Proms
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Touring globally with AIR across Europe, Asia, Australia, and the U.S.
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Mixing FOH for artists including Unknown Mortal Orchestra and Freya Ridings
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Producing and mixing film soundtracks performed by internationally renowned orchestras
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Contributing to projects showcased at the Berlinale and the Venice Biennale
Emilio credits SAE London with giving him the technical foundation and professional confidence needed to enter the industry. He arrived with limited experience and graduated with the clarity and skills to pursue a field he previously knew little about.
“I remember seeing a DI box for the first time in the Haggerston studios and thinking, ‘What on earth is that?’ But by the time I graduated, I felt equipped and ready to knock on doors,” he recalls. “SAE gave me exactly what I needed: tools, clarity, and direction.”
His advice for future SAE students:
“Never be afraid to ask questions, even the simplest ones. No one starts out as an expert. Push yourself out of your comfort zone, because it almost always pays off. You’ll sweat through a lot of shirts, but the rewards do come. And be kind to yourself. Failure is just as possible as achievement, and sometimes the two feel surprisingly similar.”
Study Audio production at SAE
At SAE, our Audio Production Degree can help students learn the latest production skills and techniques to further their careers.
Our course encourages students to adopt a future-facing mindset where they are keen to understand more about how innovation and technology will shape the industry and their work.
