Stefano Bonilauri was born in Reggio Emilia (Italy) in March 1964.
In 1991 he studied at the Conservatory of Bologna and Reggio Emilia where he earned degrees in composition, choral music and piano.
He was selected by the ISCM 1998 International jury and in 2002 by the Aleph Ensemble. He was the winner at many International Composition Contests (ICONS, Nuove Sincronie, Kazimierz Serocki, Francisco Escudero, etc).
In 2007 the French Ministry of Culture commissioned him a piece for the Nomos Ensemble. In 2005 he was composer in residence at the CIRM (Nice). He was published by Suvini e Zerboni, Berben, Le PLac, Art, Hauspoz.
His works were performed during the following festivals: GAMO, Nuove Sincronie, Settenbre Musica Torino, Di Nuovo Musica, ISCM Manchester, Musique Action, Manca, Musicanova Sofia, etc. 
His pieces were performed by the Ensembles: Ex Novo, Icarus, Voces, Aleph, Nomos, Résonance Contemporaine, etc.
He has been teaching Harmony at the Conservatory of Reggio Emilia and Castelnovo Monti since 1987.