Music Semester in Italy Permanent Faculty of the Music Department

Music Semester in Italy

                     Permanent Faculty of the Music Department

* Please note that additional visiting faculty are often brought in to teach classes or subjects by
special request

MONICA BENVENUTI - Department Chair, Professor of Vocal Technique

Born in Florence, after having earned her degree in Letters and Philosophy from the university,
she decided to study singing, concentrating on the lyrical and chamber repertories. She has sung
at the Teatro San Carlo in Naples, at the Festival della Valle in Itria, at the Estate Fiesolana, at
the Sagra Malatestiana in Rimini, at the Accademia Chigiana in Siena, at the Bologna Festival, at
Teatro Metastasio in Prato - and has collaborated with the Piccolo Teatro in Milano and the
Orchestra della Toscana - under directors such as Daniel Oren, Marcello Panni, Franz Brüggen,
Giampiero Taverna. In 1993 she starred in the Incoronazione di Poppea di Monteverdi (Poppea)
(at Teatro Verdi in Pisa and at Teatro Sociale in Mantova), and in Zanetto by Mascagni (Silvia)
at the Puccini festival at Torre del Lago. Since then, she has starred in the following operas: Dido
and Aeneas by Purcell, La serva padrona and Livietta e tracollo by Pergolesi, Orfeo and Il ritorno
di Ulisse in patria by Blow, Tamerlano by Händel, Bastiano e Bastiana by Mozart, Giannina e
Bernardone by Cimarosa, L'eroismo ridicolo by Spuntini, Hänsel and Gretel by Humperdonk, Il
segreto di Susanna by Wolf-Ferrari. Monica is also versed in contemporary music, participating
frequently in first executions of works, such as: Il paradiso degli esuli by Bruno de Franceschi,
La sposa venuta da Plutone by Gian Carlo Menotti, Il teatrino delle meraviglie by Paolo Furlani,
Dammi la luna by Pier Luigi Zangelmi, Un tram chiamato Arlecchino by Aldo Tarabella. In
recent years, after much experience as singer and actress, she has dedicated herself as well to
musicals (La voix humaine by Poulenc, Mahagonny Songspiel by Weill, La tragedie de Carmen
from Bizet), along with other works to which she is personally involved. She has made
recordings for the R.A.I. as well as the Rodolphe, Nuova Era, "Materiali sonori" (CGD) labels
and, for the "Arts" label, she recorded Euridice by Jacopo Peri, in the roles of Venere and Ninfa.
Recently she also recorded Incoronazione di Poppea by Monteverdi at the Teatro Antico in
Sabbioneta for RAI 2.

LUCA SUMMER - Professor of History of Music

In 1987 Prof. Summer received his diploma in Piano from the Cherubini Conservatory in
Florence. In 1992 he graduated from the University of Florence in Letters majoring in the
History of Modern and Contemporary Music, with a dissertation entitled “The Instrumental work
of Antonio Scontrino”. Since 1993, he has been employed as an assistant to Prof. Marcello de
Angelis of the department of Music History at the University of Florence, and has taught and
lectured on Music History for numerous schools and associations in and around Florence. As a
Musicologist, his specialization is in 19th and 20th century composers. His publications
include: - Antonio Scontrino: An Exponent of the Italian Instrumental Re-birth in the late 19th
cent. in “Ottocento e Oltre”, F. Izzo & J. Streicher eds., Roma, Pantheon, 1993. - The renewal of
Italian Music: Alfredo Casella and Gian Francesco Malipiero, in 51st Settimana Musicale
Chigiana, Siena, Accademia Musicale Chiagiana, 1994. - The Instrumental Aspect of the work of
Riccardo Zandonai, in “Atti della Giornata di Studio Riccardo Zandonai nel 50° della morte”,
Rovereto, Accademia rovertana degli Agiati, 1995. - Theater programs for the 1996 & 1997
lyrical seasons for the Teatro del Giglio in Lucca. - The Instrumental works of Antonio Scontrino
in “Antonio Scontrino, Musicology and catalogue of works”, Trapani, Ente Luglio Musicale
Trapanese, 1999.

SUSANNA RIGACCI - Professor of Vocal Technique

Born in Stockholm, Sweden, Susanna finished her musical training at the Luigi Cherubini
conservatory in Florence and successively completed her specialization with Iris Adami
Corradetti, under whose direction, she was recognized and awarded at the International "Maria
Callas" Competition (Concorso RAI 1983) and "Sängerförderungspreis" at the Mozarteum in
Salzburg 1985. She has performed in Italy's most prestigious theaters: la Scala in Milan, Maggio
Musicale Fiorentino, La Fenice in Venezia, the Opera house in Roma, Filarmonico in Verona,
Massimo in Palermo, Regio in Parma, Bellini in Catania, Comunale in Bologna. She has also
sung at: Carnegie Hall in New York, Opéra Comique and Théatre Châtelet in Paris, Prague
Philharmonic, Queen Elizabeth Hall in London, Opéra de Wallonie in Liège, Sibelius Academy
in Helsinki, Fundaçao Gulbenkian in Lisbon, Wexford Festival, Teatro Municipalein Mallorca
and Staatteater in Bern. Her lyrical Soprano repertoire revolves mostly around the Italian
Baroque (Vivaldi - Scarlatto - Cimarosa - Galoppi - Pergolesi - Boccherini - Stradella - Gasparini
- Sacchini), of which she has made several recordings with the Solisti Veneti directed by Maestro
Claudio Sciamone (Erato) and also for the labels Philips and Bongiovanni. She has completed a
brilliant Rossini and Donizetti repertory (Don Pasquale - recorded for German television -, Elisir
d amore, Figlia del reggimento, Il Signor Bruschino, Barbiere di Siviglia, La cambiale di
matrimonio) and 19th cent. Italian and French Belcanto. Susanna is also versed in the
contemporary repertory, having performed for prestigious societies such as: La Biennale in
Venice, London Sinfonietta, RAI in Rome, Turin and Milan, Orchestra dei Pomeriggi Musicali
in Milan, Orchestra Sinfonica Siciliana, Festival di Ghibellina. She has interpreted Webern,
Berg, Schönberg, Berio, Nono, Sciarrino, and has performed compositions of Togni, Pennisi,
D'Amico for the first time in public. She was also the protagonist of the first Italian performance
of The English Cat by Henze at the Comunale in Bologna. Susanna sings in 6 languages and
alternates her concert activity with that of refined chamber music.

SANTINA TOMMASELLO - Professor of Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque Vocality

Santina earned her diplomas in piano and singing at the A.Corelli conservatory in Messina and in
Harpsichord at the Luigi Cherubini Conservatory in Florence. She also received a degree in
Modern letters from the University of Florence. She completed her specialization with Sergio
Catoni, Slavka Taskova, Susanna Rigacci and Gianfranco Boretti in lyric and chamber repertory
(concentrating on early 20th cent. French composers) and she participated in a specialization
course on the Renaissance and Baroque technique and repertory, held by experts in the field such
as, Claudine Ansermet, Jill Feldmann, Alan Curtis, Gabriel Garrido, Howard Arman, Andrew
Lawrence-King and Andrew Parrot. In 1992 Santina debuted in the role of Seconda Donna in
Dido and Eneas by Purcell at Teatro Niccolini in Florence. She was a soloist in the Petite Messe
Solemnelle by Rossini directed by F. Lombardo at the Festival di Pieve e Castelli, in the
Johannes Passion e Mattheus Passion by Bach directed by N. Schaap, in the Stabat Mater and in
the Missa in tempore belli by Haydn directed by R. Donati and in the Vespro by Monteverdi
directed by A. Lawrence King. In 1996 she played Euridice Monteverdi's Orfeo at the Festival di
La Chaise-Dieu, under the direction of Sergio Vartolo, and Aurora in Aurora ingannata by G.
Giacobbi directed by G. L. Lastraioli. In 1997 she was Libia in La púrpura de la rosa by J.
Torrejon directed by A. Lawrence-King at the Festival di Musica Antica in Utrecht. Santina was
a soloist in the Weihnachts-Oratorium by J.S. Bach directed by F. Lombardo for the Scuola di
Musica di Fiesole. In 1998 in Florence, she interpreted the principle role in Rappresentazione di
Anima e Corpo by E. de' Cavalieri directed by A. Lawrence-King (with subsequent tour in 4
Italian cities in 2000) and she sang Mozart's Requiem directed by R. Donati in the Cathedral of
Pisa. She was also Sirena and Oreste in La Liberazione di Ruggero dall'isola di Alcina by F.
Caccini, directed by Alan Curtis at Teatro Metastasio in Prato. In September 2000 she
impersonated Amore in Erminia sul Giordano by Michelangelo Rossi at Teatro Manzoni in
Pistoia under the direction of Andrea Perugi. Active as well in the contemporary repertory, she
starred in two unique acts Averroé by Marco Betta and Sogni Siciliani by Albino Taggeo,
presented for the very first time at Teatro Vittorio Emanuele in Messina for the 1998-99
season. Santina has worked with several of the most qualified groups in the Renaissance and
Baroque repertories, such as: The Harp Consort, il Complesso Barocco, il Collegium vocale
Nova Ars Cantandi, l'Homme Armé, Modo Antiquo, and has participated in tours in Germany,
Brazil and Israel. She complete two internships on Medieval music held by A. Lawrence-King,
and participated in concerts on lyrics by Landini and Machaut organized by Homme Armé. She
has made recordings for the following record labels Tactus, Dynamic, Virgin Veritas, BMG
Classics e Florentia Musicae. As a harpsichordist she has attended specialization courses held by
David Collyer, Andrea Perugi anf A. Lawrence-King, and she performs in a duo with lute player,
Gian Luca Lastraioli, alternating the double role of singers and harpsichordist. Santina is also the
head of the department of Musical Theory, Solmization and Dictation at the "Nicolini"
Conservatory in Piacenza.

EVA TONIETTI - Professor of Diction

Eva Tonietti holds a degree in Art History from the University of Florence. She received
diplomas in Singing with Renata Ongaro and in Chamber Singing with Lilliana Poli at the Luigi
Cherubini Conservatory in Florence. She completed a specialization at the Adria lyrical
laboratory at the Scuola di musica in Fiesole with Ettore Campogalliani and another in operatic
and chamber repertory in Paris with Noemi Perugina. She then studied lieder with Paul
Schillawsky, and attended for several years courses on contemporary music (GAMO) with
Lilliana Poli, (Genazzano) with Silvano Bussotti. She is part of the musical ensemble "L'Homme
Armé" with which she has participated in several Renaissance and Baroque music festivals,
deepening her understanding on Baroque vocality with James Griffith, of the Pro Cantione
Antiqua, and with Jill Feldmann. Winner of several competitions, among which she was awarded
first prize at the 6th National Vocal Chamber Music Competition "Città di Conegliano" and at
the 5th Nation-wide Lyrical Competition "A. Lazzari" in Genoa. Eva performs concerts, chamber
and contemporary repertories, as a soloist, throughout Italy and abroad. She has also taken part in
recordings for the RAI and recorded 2 CDs "L'Homme Armé" ensemble.

ANNA AURIGI - Professor of Diction

Having studied under the direction of L. Sarsowska and A. Tomacewska, she earned a degree in
Singing (1992) and another in Vocal Chamber Music (1997) under the direction of Liliana Poli,
from the Luigi Cherubini Conservatory in Florence, followed by a university degree in History
of Music from the Philosophy and Letters Department of the University of Florence. Graduate
courses were completed at the Accademia Chiagiana in Siena under Shirley Verret and Alfredo
Kraus, at the Scuola di Music in Fiesole, under Soussanne Danco, and at the Amici della Musica
in Florence with Irwin Gage and Julia Hamari. She currently performs at concerts, covering the
periods from Baroque to 20th cent., specializing in Chamber music. In 1994 she made her debut
in the opera buffa La Serva Padrona by G. B. Pergolesi. She took part in the Italian polyphonic
quintet directed by Clemente Terni, which, in 1998, performed the Laudario di Cortona for the
Amici della Musica of Florence. In 1999 she performed a concert of contemporary Italian music
at the Palace Theater in London ("The soprano Anna Aurigi acquitted herself admirably in
Berio's Sequenza III, encompassing the whole range of emotional expression and articulation
demanded", Barry Millington: The Times -11.XI.1999). In September 2000, she interpreted the
role of Erminia in Michelangelo Rossi's Erminia sul Giordano (directed by Angelo Savelli,
musical      direction    Andrea      Perugi)      at   Teatro     Manzoni        in    Pistoia.

ELISABETTA SEPE - Professor of Piano, Piano Accompaniament, Lyrical Interpretation

Born in Florence, Elisabetta graduated in piano from the Luigi Cherubini music conservatory in
Florence under the guidance of Lucia Passaglia. She increased her repertory with Riccardo
Risaliti and Pietro Rigacci and attended specialzation courses with Aquiles delle Vigne, Murray
Perahia and Maurizio Pollini, and studied in Paris with Jacqueline Bourgès-Manoury,
collaborator of Jean Fassina and follower of the school of Dinu Lipatti. Along with her studies in
Humanities, she received diplomas in Music Didactics, Choral Music, Choral Direction, and

attended courses in Composition, Vocal and Instrumental Chamber Music, Organ, Harpsichord
and B.c., and Orchestra Direction. Elisabetta has won several national and international
competitions including: Stresa, Albenga, Osimo, F. Liszt in Lucca, etc. She debuted in Florence
in 1987 in the Salone de'Dugento in Palazzo Vecchio. She has participated in many concerts,
sponsored by important music centers and associations, such as: the Sala "E. Varese" in Paris,
the "Borse Festsaal" in Vienna, the Teatro Comunale and the "Musicus Concentus" in Florence,
Amici della Lirica and Teatro Verdi in Pisa, Società dei Concerti in La Spezia and in Ravello,
"Amici della Musica" in Arezzo, Montecatini, Andria, il Ridotto del Teatro Comunale in
Modena, Teatro Comunale in Ferrara, l'Associazione Musicale Etnea in Catania. She has also
performed with the Orchestra da Camera Fiorentina directed by Giuseppe Lanzetta and Narciso
Sofia, with the Stoliarsky Chamber Orchestra and with the Hungarian Chamber Philharmonic
directed by Michel Hurshell. Elisabetta is extremely dedicated to her chamber repertory with
famous singers such as: Eva Mei, Susanna Rigacci, Elena Cecchi Fedi. She collaborates with
well-known professors in the development of their courses (Agnes Giebel, Giuliano Ciannella,
Bruno Rigacci, Marcella Reale) with whom she also performs concerts. She is currently involved
as a substitute pianist in several opera performances and since 1999 she holds the title Maestro
Collaboratore di Sala at the Teatro Comunale di Firenze where she has worked under the
direction of maestros such as Daniel Oren, Bruno Bartoletti, Rico Saccani, Ivor Bolton. Since
1991, she has regularly collaborated with the concert series "Firenze Lirica" and "Foyer" at the
Teatro Comunale di Firenze. Among the more significant performances in which she has
participated are: her role as pianist at the concert held by Rolando Panerai for the 50 year
anniversary of his career and the execution of themes from Verdi, composed by herself, on
occasion of the "L'aria di baule" award ceremony for Fedora Barbieri. In December 1996,
Elisabetta finished her three-year course for Choral directors at the Guido d'Arezzo foundation in
the presence of Maestri: P. Righele (Gregorian semiology and vocal technique), F. Luisi
(musicology), R. Pezzati (musical analysis), R. Clemencic, D. Fasolis, G. Graden, M. Balderi
(Choral Repertory). She is currently the director of the polyphonic chorus "Novi Cantores" of
Florence. She is an assistant professor of piano at the Conservatorio Statale di Musica di
Latina. In 1988 she recorded two series of inedited vocal chamber music by Gaetano Donizetti
for the Dongiovanni record label together with Susanna Rigacci and William Matteuzzi.

ANGEL ANDREA TAVANI - Professor of Violin

Born in La Spezia , he graduated with a degree in violin from the A. Boito Conservatory in
Parma in 1989, with Prof. Runza, while at the same time finishing his classical studies. Before
having finished his degree, he attended a course for orchestra qualification at the Scuola di
Musica in Fiesole, where he also attended courses on Chamber music and a specialization course
on trios, sustained by the Trieste Trio. He also studied musical duos and trios with piano for
three years under the Maestro P. Masi at the Accademia Musicale di Firenze. He completed
several specialization courses on violin technique and interpretation with S. Lupu, A. Stern, A.
Bologni, and C. Rossi. Tavani performs regularly in concerts both as a solo artist and as a
member of a chamber orchestras: Gruppi da Camera dell' OGI, Solisti del Teatro Bellini di
Catania, Nuovi Cameristi Italiani, Complesso da camera di Luni, Camerata Musicale, Paganini
Consort, Complessi da Camera del Teatro del Giglio di Lucca, Accademia Strumentale Toscana ,
Musici Mundi, Solisti Fiorentini He has also performed with the following orchestras: 1988-89:

Orchestra Giovanile Italiana, 1990: Charleston/Spoleto Festival Orchestra, 33° Festival dei Due
Mondi, 1991-92: Teatro Bellini Orchestra in Catania, 1992: Spoleto festival Orchestra, 35°
festival dei Due Mondi, 1993-94: Orchestra Sinfonica della RAI in Rome, Orchestra dell'Opera
di Roma, Orchestra Internazionale d'Italia, 1994-95: Orchestra Regionale Toscana, 1996-1999:
Orchestra del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, 1999: Orchestra Regionale Toscana, Teatro La
Fenice Orchestra in Venice, the Teatro Lirico Orchestra in Cagliari, Pomeriggi Musicali in
Milano 1999: He performed as second violin during the opera season, Città Lirica for the theaters
in Pisa, Livorno and Lucca, 2000: Pomeriggi Musicali di Milano, Orchestra A. Toscanini in
Parma, Orchestra del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino (First violins concert),Teatro Lirico in
Cagliari. 2000: winner of the competition for the role of First Violin in the Orchestra del Maggio
Musicale Fiorentino, with which he is currently employed.

DUCCIO CECCANTI - Professor of Violin

Born to a family of musicians, Duccio began studying the violin at the age of 5 under the
instruction of his father. He received his diploma with full honors, at a very young age under the
guidance of Andrea Tacchi, at the Luigi Cherubini Conservatory in Florence and awarded the
"Fondazione Banca F. del Vecchio prize for best scholar. Five times he was awarded a diploma
of merit and won the G. Chigi sholarship at the Accademia Chigiana, attending courses held by
Uto Ughi, Boris Belkin, Riccardo Brontola and Alain Meunier. At the Scuola di Musica di
Fiesole, Duccio attended courses held by the Trio Trieste and by the Trio di Milano. He also
attended graduate courses held by Stofan Gheorhiu and Felix Andriewski. His specialization was
completed at the conservatory in Maastricht with Boris Belkin , and at the "W: Stauffer"
foundation in Cremona with Salvatore Accardo. He has played for many important societies and
festivals, such as: Teatro la Fenice in Venezia, Teatro Massimo in Palermo, Sala Bossi in
Bologna, Aula Magna dell'Università degli Studi di Roma, Associazione Alessandro Scarlatti in
Naples, Accademia Chigiana, Amici della Musica of Vicenza, Cantiere Internazionale d'Arte di
Montepulciano, Estate Fiesolana, Acquario Romano. Teatro Metastasio in Prato, International
Festival in Prague and has toured in France, Germany, Spain and Portugal. Duccio has executed
first performances of S. Bussotti and L. Berio. He has recorded: "Pierrot Lunaire" by A.
Schönberg for ARTS with the Contempoartensemble (of which he was a soloist), The trio for
strings by Schönberg and Schubert with the Artes Trio and, with the pianist Vovsk Ashkenazy
the quartet op. 47 by Schumann. He has collaborated with the Italian Chamber Orchestra
founded and directed by Salvatore Accardo with whom he has recorded for the EMI; FONE', and
FONIT CETRA music labels, and with whom he has toured in Italy, South America, China and
Japan.

DAVID BELLUGI - Professor of Flauto Dolce

David Bellugi is a recorder virtuoso, concert and studio musician, Macintosh-enthusiast, Sound
Designer editor and part owner of the Florence-based record company. David has a B.A. in
Applied Musicology which he received Summa cum Laude from the University of California at
San Diego, where he studied with Bernhardt-Ambros Batschelet (flute), Robert Erickson and
Bernard Rands (composition), Anthony Newman (harpsichord), Thomas Nee (conducting), and

Bertram Turetzky (advisor for musicology). He continued his musicological research in Early
Music performance practices under the guidance of Antoine Geoffroy-Dechaume in Paris (a
student of Early Music pioneer, Arnold Dolmetsch). As soloist David has performed with many
orchestras including: the RAI-Torino, Radio France-Paris, Radio France-Lille, Radio della
Svizzera Italiana, as well as with the orchestras of Bari, Cagliari, Cordoba, Emilia-Romagna,
Firenze, Harvard University, Milano, Padova, Palermo, Sanremo and Torino. He has performed
in recitals and concert/lectures in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, England, France,
Germany, Greece, Israel, Italy, Portugal, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland and in the U.S.A. He has
premiered various works (Luciano Berio, Nuccio D'Angelo, Ugalberto de Angelis, Dan Locklair,
A. Riccardo Luciani, Carlo Prosperi, and Giulio Viozzi have dedicated works to Bellugi) and has
appeared successfully as conductor-soloist.

STEFEANO MARGHERI - Professor of Flauto

Prof. Margheri began his studies and graduated with full scores from the Cherubini Conservatory
in Florence under the guidance of Maestro Alfieri and Prof. Di Sabatino, and perfecting his
studies with K. Klemm and A. Marion. He has also attended chamber music courses held by
Maestro Franco Rossi. In his career, he has preformed as a soloist with the Florence’s Chamber
ensemble (Complesso Cameristico di Firenze) as well as with other ensembles, among which the
“J. Francaix” winds quintet, with which he also won the Stresa International Competition. He has
performed with the Maggio Musicale Fiorentina orchestra, the ORT (regional orchestra of
Tuscany), the International Orchestra of Italy and many others. Performing with these orchestras,
he has also had the opportunity to record many works and participate in numerous concerts with
some of the finest directors: Riccardo Muti, Zubin Mehta, and Carlo Maria Giulini. His solist
performances also include sound and televised recordings of J. S. Bach’s concerts for flute, for a
national TV network. Interested as well in contemporary music, Prof. Margheri is involved in the
execution and diffusion of contemporary pieces, written by young composers. At the present
Stefano Margheri is the first flute in the Florentine Chamber Orchestra and component of the
Michelangelo Ensemble.

ANDREA MARCHETTI - Professor of Oboe, Flute

Born and raised in Florence, Andrea graduated from the Luigi Cherubini Conservatory with a
diploma in oboe, under the guidance of Maestro G. Patroniti. He also attended a specialization
course in Chamber Music at the Accademia Chigiana in Siena and specialization course in oboe
at the Hochschule Mozarteum in Salzburg, under the direction of Hansjorg Schellenberger, first
oboe of the Berlin Philharmonic. Andrea has performed and continues to perform as a soloist
and as a member of chamber groups and orchestras and events such as: Maggio Musicale
Fiorentino, Musicus Concentus (under the artistic direction of L. Berio), International Academy
of Salzburg, “Insieme Barocco Fiorentino” chamber ensemble, “Gli Amici della Musica” of
Arezzo. At the present he performs with the orchestra of the Università di Firenze. His
recordings include “Il Figlio dell’Uomo” and “Frate Francesco” with the Musica Instrumentalis

ensemble of Florence, the works Maestro C. Terni. Edizioni Fonografiche e Musicali Pro
Civitate Christiana-Assisi; numerous concerts as a soloist on a National level. Music studies
alone not being sufficient for Andrea, he also earned a degree in Education Sciences from the
Università di Firenze. The thesis was titled, “Distance learning for the disabled: beneficial or
detrimental? An analysis of the problems of social and work-related integration”. His passion to
helping the disabled led him to pursue a career in teaching children with handicaps. Combining
education with his love for music, Andrea also teaches music education in several schools in and
nearby Florence.

NUCCIO D'ANGELO - Professor of Guitar

Nuccio D'Angelo began playing music at the age of six, immediately showing a remarkable
interest for the guitar and for composition. His most important teachers have been Alvaro
Company for the guitar and Gaetano Giani-Luporini for composition. He has performed in
concerts as soloist and in chamber music in Italy, Greece, Holland, France,USA,Canada,
Germany and Portugal. He won the first prize at the "Festival of contemporary music" (Tokyo
1984) with "Due Canzoni Lidie" and the "A. Segovia" competition in Almunecar (1991) with
"Magie". He received a special prize in 1996 at "The European International Competition for
Composer" in New York and "La chitarra d'oro per la composizione" (Alessandria - 1997)

His music has been appreciated by musicians such as L. Brouwer, T. Riley, R. Smith-Brindle, R.
Aussel, A. Pierri and played and recorded by famous guitarists: "Due Canzoni Lidie" was
recorded nine times in the last years. He teaches classical guitar at the "P. Mascagni Musical
Institute" in Livorno and led courses of guitar and composition in Rome, Lucca, Macerata,
Agropoli, Florence, Portoferraio (Elba), Catania, Monza, Usa, Canada, Hamburg and
Marktoberdorf (Monaco).

VITTORIO CECCANTI - Professor of Cello

Born in 1972, he began studying the cello at the age of 5 and performed his first "concert" to an
audience of seven people. After having graduated with honours from the Cherubini Conservatory
in Florence under the guidance of Andrea Nannoni, Vittorio went on to study with such
renowned musicians as: Yo Yo Ma, Mischa Maisky, David Geringas, Valentin Berlinsky, Anner
Bijlsma, Karine Georgian, Alain Meunier, Riccardo Brengola, the Trieste Trio and the Milano
Trio. Since 1996 he has been one of Natalia Gutman's 5 pupils at the Hochschule in Stuttgart,
where he earned his master's in Cello and his degree as a soloist (Solistenklasse) with the highest
of marks. Vittorio has won national and international competitions and prizes such as: first place
plus a special Honourable mention of merit at the "City of Vittorio Veneto" competition in 1989;
a diploma from the Eurovision competition in Vienna in 1990; the European Yamaha Music
Foundation award in 1992; the special "Libero Lana" award and the International "Trio of
Trieste" Competition in 1996 and the "Karel Hilsum Prjice" in Amsterdam in 1997. After having
performed in Vienna with the Radio Orf Orchestra directed by Pinchas Steinberg in 1990, and in

Naples at the Teatro San Carlo with Pier Luigi Urbini in 1991, Vittorio was called to perform for
the occasion of the Gala Concert of the winners of the Eurovision Competitions, which was
televised by the RAI TV. Since then, he has been regularly invited to perform as a solo artist in
many concerts and festivals in Italy and abroad: Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Cité de la
Musique in Paris, Festival of Prague, Festival of Lyon, Chigiana Music Week, Amici della
Musica in Firenze, Vicenza and Palermo, Teatro Rendano in Cosenza, Festival of Ravello,
Festival of Todi, Festival Pontino, in Rome for Radio Tre Suite, RAI International and at the
Acquario. He currently participates in the Trio Artes and the Contempoartensemble (of which he
is the founding president). He has recorded 5 CDs with the music of Berio, Boulez, Sciarrino,
Steve Reich, Schoenberg e Vacchi, among which he executed the cello solo of "Les mots sont
allés…" by L. Berio, and the trio for strings op. 45 by Schoenberg, and played first ever
executions by F. Vacchi (for trio with piano), by Peter Maxwell Davies (Trio for strings) and by
L. Berio ("Chanson" for Pierre Boulez-cello solo). Vittorio also recorded the music of F. Vacchi
for BMG-Records, among which pieces "In alba mia dir…" - solo for cello, for the soundtrack of
the film "Il mestiere delle armi" by Ermanno Olmi. He also collaborates as first cello soloist with
the RAI's National Symphonic Orchestra. Vittorio, since 1996, teaches the cello at the G. Verdi
Music School in Prato, was invited by the Accademia Chigiana in Siena as Assistant
Instrumental Maestro for the composition courses in 2000 and 2001, held by Azio Corghi, and
was called by the Accademia Musicale in Florence to hold special courses for cello since January
2002. Recently he has had a huge success with the Trio Artes during their long tour in Latin
America (Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay). Vittorio plays a priceless cello constructed in
Venice around 1720-1 by C. Tononi, which once belonged to Amedeo Baldovino.

"One of the rare true musical talents among all of the students that have passed through me"
(Amedeo Baldovino). "He played for me in September 1992. I was deeply moved by his great
talent." (Sir Georg Solti). "From the first time I met Vittorio Ceccanti, I was impressed with his
maturity and his intelligence. He is an exceptional musician, both technically and intellectually.
He is gifted with an extraordinary instrumental ability and a profound perception of the music."
(Luciano Berio).