Born in the village Pitelli near La Spezia, Scelsi studied music first in Rome, and later in Vienna with a disciple of Arnold Schönberg, and became the first adept of dodecaphony in Italy, although he discontinued the use this composition system.
Born in the village Pitelli near La Spezia, Scelsi spent most of his time in his mother's old castle where he received education from a private tutor who taught him Latin, chess and fencing. In Vienna, as a disciple of Arnold Schönberg, he became the first adept of dodecaphony in Italy, although he discontinued the use this composition system.