Francesca Verunelli studied composition with Rosario Mirigliano and piano with Stefano Fiuzzi at the Luigi Cherubini Conservatory in Florence, graduating summa cum laude. She undertook further studies with Azio Corghi at the Santa Cecilia Academy in Rome. In 2008, she participated in the IRCAM Cursus (IRCAM’s composition and computer music course), and the same year, was awarded a Silver Lion at the Venice Biennale.

During a research residency at IRCAM in 2011-2012, she was commissioned to compose Unfolding for string quartet and electronics. The piece was premiered by the Arditti Quartet at the Lyon Musiques en Scene Biennale in March 2012, and subsequently performed at the ManiFeste Festival the same year.

She has received commissions from IRCAM, NeueVocalsolisten Stuttgart, Venice Biennale, Radio France Philharmonic Orchestra, Milano Musica, Accentus Chamber Choir, Lucerne Symphony Orchestra, Court-Circuit, Aix-en-Provence Festival, GMEM (Marseille), CIRM (Nice), French Ministry for Culture, FACE Foundation, Wittener Tage für Neue Kammermusik, International Contemporary Ensemble, Donaueschinger MusikTage, ECLAT, Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra, Klangforum Wien, and Musica Viva (Munich).

She has been composer-in-residence at GMEM in Marseille, Casa de Velasquez, and the Villa Medici. In the summer of 2021, she was composer-in-residence at the Luberon Quartet Festival, where the Zaïde Quartet premiered her piece, Unfolding II. She was awarded the 41st “Premio Abbiati della critica” in May 2022.

The 2024 Wittener Tage für neue Kammermusik is centered on her music.