Tommaso Benciolini
Flute
Winner of the 2017 New York Respighi Prize, Tommaso made his debut as a featured soloist with the Chamber Orchestra of New York on the prestigious world stage of Carnegie Hall in 2018.
His concert carrer as flute soloist brought him to perform in many of the main world stages such as Tokyo Suntory Hall, Philharmonie Berlin, Musikverein Vienna, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Tonhalle Zurich, Mozarteum Salzburg, Smetana Hall Prague, Carnegie Hall New York, Seoul Arts Center, Herkulessaal Munich, Gran Teatro La Fenice in Venice, Beijing University Hall and Guangzhou Opera House in Cina, Salle Cortot in Paris; appearing as guest soloists with Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra of New York, Berliner Symphoniker, Nürnberg Symphoniker, Munchener Kammerphilharmonie, Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana, North Czech Philarmonic, State of Mexico Symphony Orchestra, Euro Sinfonietta Wien, St. Petersburg State Symphony Orchestra, Thueringen Philharmonie Gotha-Eisenach.
Many contemporary works are dedicated to Tommaso, among them "The Garden of Delights. A Flute Concerto after Bosch" by Andrea Battistoni, which he premiered on the occasion of his debut at the Berlin Phiharmonie in 2020. As a chamber musician, he has performed in many important Italian festivals including Trame Sonore in Mantua, Io Sono Musica in Mestre, Musikamera in Venice, Amici della Musica in Padua, Amici della Musica and Accademia Filarmonica in Verona, Festival Toscanini in Parma, Yamaha Piano Discovery in Milan, Serate Musicali in Milan, Festival "le Vie del Barocco" in Genoa, MantovaMusica, GAM in Turin.
The main italian music magazine “Suonare News” dedicated Tommaso an article as member of the new generation of italian musicians, and his recordings for Velut Luna (chamber music for flute, cello and piano) and Concerto Classics (music for flute and piano by Alfredo Casella) were enthusiastically reviewed by main Italian radios such as Rai Radio 3 and Radio Classica and by specialized magazines.
In 2021 his debut CD was released for the prestigious SONY Classical label: a world premiere monograph dedicated to Antonio Vivaldi together with the chamber orchestra L'Appassionata (which he founded) which was unanimously acclaimed by journalists, critics and radio. His recordings have been broadcast by RAI Italian National Radio, Swiss National Radio, Japanese National Radio NHK, Radio Classica, Venice Classic Radio and many others.
In 2012 he became the youngest lecturer at the "E. F. Dall'Abaco" Conservatory in Verona, and is currently holding the position of flute professore at the "F.A. Bonporti" Conservatory in Trento. He's also been invited to give masterclasses in Cuba (International Contemporary Music Festival), Finland (Tampere Music Academy and Suomitaly Music Festival) and Estonia (Tartu Eller Music Academy), Malta (Malta Music University).
Also very active as a researcher, he is the author together with pianist Leonora Armellini and cellist Ludovico Armellini of the world premiere recording of Mendelssohn's Trio in D minor Op. 49 in the version for flute, cello and piano edited by the same composer; and he was the author of the rediscovery of the trio for the same ensemble by Nino Rota and its first performance in modern times at the Teatro La Fenice in Venice in 2015. He also unearthed some of Antonio Vivaldi's pages for flute by recording them for the first time, and he also edited some world premieres by the same composer on modern instruments.
Born in Bologna (Italy) in 1991, began studing flute at twelve and graduated at eighteen at Conservatory “E. F. Dall’Abaco” in Verona achieveing the highest honors. After his diploma he won competition for the year’s best graduated music students in Italy. Winner of scholarship from french foundation “Zygmunt Zaleski” he later studied at Ecole Normale de Musique “Alfred Cortot” in Paris with Pierre-Yves Artaud and after that he grauated form the Lugano University of Music (Switzerland) and got the “Master in Advanced Studies” with the internationally renowned soloist Mario Caroli. Following his two masters, he perfected his skills under the guidance of Giampaolo Pretto and Nicola Campitelli.
Giuliano Mazzoccante
Piano
Born in Chieti, Giuliano Mazzoccante studied under the guidance of Lucia Passaglia at the Conservatory “L. Cherubini” in Florence graduating with highest honours ande later, he studied with Lazar Berman. With him, his concert repertoire deepened and improved with particular attention to the music of F. Liszt. He perfected Chamber Music at the International School of Chamber Music in Duino under the guidance of “Trio of Trieste” achieving a “Diploma with Merit”.
Winner of more than 50 national and international competitions, including “M. Clementi” in Florence, “Agorà 80″ in Rome, “F. Liszt” in Lucca, and “Città di Stresa”, he was awarded in prestigious competitions such as “International Music Tournament” in Rome, “Prix Venice”, “Ecomusic” in Monopoli and he is the winner of the 40th International Piano Competition “Arcangelo Speranza” in Taranto. In 2009 he was awarded in the “4th International Tbilisi Piano Competition” in Georgia (WFIMC).
Mazzoccante has been engaged in a remarkable concert activity both as a soloist and as a chamber musician at major Italian venues and overseas in Europe, USA and Asia. He is regularly invited to hold concerts and master classes at international venues and festivals such as “Mozarteum” in Saltzburg, “ClaviCologne Festival” in Germany, the “Malta International Music Festival”, “VIPA” International Music Festival, ecc.
He has been a regular guest of the “International Sommer-Akademie Schloss Pommersfelden” (Germany) where he has performed as a soloist and in chamber music performances and where he teaches chamber music since 2010. He has appeared as a soloist with different orchestras such Camerata Baltica, Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra, Kiev Philharmonic Orchestra, Sinfonica Abruzzese, Sinfonica di Lecce, Sinfonica di Bari, Solisti Aquilani.
He plays with prestigious musicians such Karl Leister (historical 1st clarinettist of the Berlin Philharmonic), Francesco Manara and Fabrizio Meloni (1st violinist and 1st clarinettist of Teatro alla Scala in Milan), Dora Schwarzberg, Pavel Berman,, Romain Garioud, ecc.
His notable record productions range from solo repertoires, chamber music to a soloist with an orchestra, including recordings for Camerata Tokyo, Dynamic, Wide Classique, DAD Records, Da Vinci Classics, Radio Vatican, Radio Bavaria etc.
Since 2012 he has been an honorary member of the Rotary Club of Subiaco (Rome) and in 2014 he was awarded from the Rotary Club of Pescara West with the “Paul Harris Fellow” for commitment in spreading music and culture.
In 2015, he was named Artistic Director of the “Music & Art International Academy" in Chieti which aims at promoting artists and the development of arts. Since 2018 he is Artistic Director of CHIETI CLASSICA International Music Festival.
Since 2022 he is the Artistic Director of the Teatro Marrucino in Chieti.
He is currently a piano teacher at the State Conservatory “L. D’Annunzio” of Pescara (Abruzzo Region – Italy).