Massimo Greco pianist
Massimiliano Laganà basso/double bass
Enrico Santangelo drums
Marco Parlante sound technician

Società Filarmonica di Solomeo
Francesco Verzieri director
Andrea Angeloni director

ALFIE Musica: B. Bacharach, H. David, Testo: H. David

SOMETHING THAT WAS BEAUTIFUL Musica e testo: B. Bacharach,
S. Sater, Arrangiamento: C. Jacob

FOOL FOR YOUR LOVE Musica: S.E. Sater, Testo: M. Biondi

LOVE IS A TEMPLE Musica: M. Biondi, Testo: A. Bertorelli

REBIRTH Musica: N. Poggi, F. Foggia, Testo: M. Biondi, E.B. Barbosa

RIO DE JANEIRO BLUE Musica: J. Haeny, R. Torrance,
Testo: J. Haeny, R. Torrance

SHINE ON Musica: M. Greco, Testo: M. Biondi, J. Kincaid

THIS IS WHAT YOU ARE Musica: A. Magnanini, Testo: M. Biondi

Mario Biondi

When you first heard the hit This is what you are in 2006, you probably imagined a stocky, middle-aged Afro-American singer. Yet Mario Biondi was born in Catania (a city that has always had a special relationship with Italian music), thirty-five at the time and white to boot. His extraordinary, warm and mellow voice, refined in many years of live performances, had us all fooled and we couldn’t help but compare him to the likes of Teddy Pendergrass, Isaac Hayes and Barry White, three of the most beautiful black voices of all time. The track was launched back in 2004, not in the name of Mario Biondi, but under the nom de plume Was-A-Bee. This is what you are became a part of countless dance compilations, but its entry in the top ten most played tracks by Norman Jay in his cult BBC Radio program took it to the next level. The song is a prelude to a Handful of soul, produced with The High Five Quintet, a successful cocktail of rhythm & blues, soul, swing and jazz, in which original tracks and covers of underrated American soul alternate. In 2007 I love you more was released, a double live CD with the songs Handful of soul and others like Just the way you are in the Barry White version and Close to you by Burt Bacharach. A professional harmony developed with the latter, so much so that the legendary American composer wrote Something that was beautiful for Biondi, a marvellous ballad that became a major track of If, his second album, released at the end of 2009. Published by Tattica Records, over 200,000 copies were sold, a remarkable result considering the music genre. Sales aside, the album confirms Biondi as one of the most interesting artists on the national scene and this is not hard to believe: the single Be lonely, is a triumph of rhythm and strings in pure Seventies style, not to mention the sensual ballad Ecstasy. Even Claudio Baglioni in Juke box and Renato Zero in Non smetterei più showcase the Sicilian crooner’s unmistakable baritone in their own works: there is no stopping his success. Due is an innovative “talent album” published in 2011, in which Biondi’s warm voice meets with that of young artists, more or less well-known, whose talent he nurtures. Twenty tracks, thirteen of which unreleased, composed by the same artists involved in the project, and seven covers, including the wonderful My girl by the Temptations, used in the ad for a famous Italian beer. Sun, released in 2013, is the album that marked his definitive consecration, the first to be published by a major label, launching the singer onto the international market. He achieved all this by brining together an all-star line-up, including Al Jarreau, James Taylor Quartet, Omar, Leon Ware and Chaka Khan. Bluey of the Incognito gave the album its unmistakable touch, which translates into a fresh, pulsating, modern, yet pleasantly vintage sound. In the same year, after a triumphant concert at the Royal Albert Hall in London, he released Mario Christmas, an original Christmas record with two unreleased tracks and surprising reinterpretations of Last Christmas, Driving home for Christmas and Let it snow. Beyond, 2015, is a declaration of intent already palpable from the title: Mario Biondi’s desire to shake things up and present himself with a whole new sound. All I want is you, written with Dee Dee Bridgewater, is all that remains of the soft jazz ballads of the past; Beyond is an album to be danced to, with numerous funky and a couple of pop-dance tracks: Love is a temple and I chose you, and even a reggae tune, Where does the money go. In 2016 the Catania-born crooner published his very own greatest hits, entitled Best of Soul, with the best of 10 years of his career in two cds, with 7 additional unreleased tracks. Lanui Brazilian sounds are the main theme in Brasil, recorded and produced in 2018, in one year of work in Rio de Janeiro, by Mario Caldato and Kassin. Brasil is a veritable journey through the multifaceted nature of Brazilian music, with unreleased tracks and reinterpretations of classics which Biondi performs without ever shunning his soul and funk essence, effortlessly singing in four languages: Portuguese, English, French and Italian.
The elegant ballad Rivederti stands out in particular in the album, and was presented at the 2018 Sanremo Festival, where once more Mario Biondi showcased his excellent vocal control and technique, always at the service of emotions. The recent I wanna be free with Quintorigo and Sunny Days with Cleveland Jones are two singles that indicate Biondi’s tireless sound research. In 2020, a dark time for the world of music and entertainment, Mario had to cancel many performances in Italy and abroad, rescheduling them for 2021. The emergency didn’t stop him from working on different projects. First and foremost, he finished recording his new album, released in 2021. In June he released the digital EP Paradise Alternative Productions, containing 3 different versions of Paradise, a track from the new album; on occasion of Record Store Day / Black Friday, it was released in a special vinyl edition, with additional remixes, not available in the digital version. On 8 December Mario published the Christmas single This Is Christmas Time, a holiday version of his classic This Is What You Are, with text adapted together with Nick The Nightfly and the re-recording of music in a studio with his band. Cantaloupe Island (DJ Meme Remix), was released on 15 January 2021, a single anticipating the imminent publication of the new album. A reinterpretation of the Herbie Hancock classic published in 1964, in the album Empyrean Isles, in addition to the influence of the Brazilian producer DJ Meme, who Mario met in Rio De Janeiro while recording his album Brasil. On 29 January 2021 Dare was published, celebrating 50 years of Mario, amid early influences and new sounds, characterised by the artist’s unfailing quality. After a summer once again filled with live performances in Italy and abroad, Mario returned to the studio to record a new project. On 14 February 2022, Valentine’s Day, he announced his new album Romantic, released on 18 March, with excerpts of You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine and Romantic Song, with a videoclip directed by Luca Tommassini. On the occasion Mario also announced his new calendar of dates, with a theatre tour covering the entire month of May, including major Italian cities, and a series of concerts abroad from the end of March to autumn 2022, including in the UK, Switzerland, Spain, Germany, Austria and Hungary. In 2023 Biondi announced new international performances, including at the Java Jazz Festival, Jakarta, his return to Blue Note, Tokyo, 11 years on, concerts in Ankara, Jurmala, Tangers, and two highly prestigious double bills with Manhattan Transfer (Madrid, Noches del Botanico Festival) and Kurt Elling (Leverkusen, Leverkusener Jazztage). On 18 April 2023 the first summer dates in Italy were announced, as part of the tour Crooning Soon including live previews of brands from the new project which was then released in the autumn. On 26 May 2023 Biondi published the track My Favourite Things, a reinterpretation of the classic by Julie Andrews and preview of the new album Crooning Undercover, released on 29 September 2023. After numerous summer concerts in Italy and abroad, Mario Biondi brought to life a new theatre tour in Italy entitled Crooning – The Italian Tour, in which he performs in the best opera theatres up and down the country, with an orchestra of 19 musicians unplugged… A highly ambitious live project, which sold out in many cities. In 2024 he has reconfirmed a program of back-to-back dates in various countries: Spain, Germany, Portugal, Hungary, Uzbekistan, Morocco, Australia, Ethiopia, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Croatia, Latvia, Azerbaijan and the Principality of Monaco. 10 summer dates in high artistic and cultural value locations were also announced, along with 10 dates in theatres in Italy’s main cities, indeed the Crooning Undercover crossed the impressive milestone of 100 dates in Italy and 22 other countries in 2023-2024. A special event scheduled for 14 September at Teatro Antica, Taormina, will be the grand final for summer 2024, with a show celebrating the world of jazz and soul, and the participation of special guests from the Italian and international jazz scene. E tu come stai was released on 18 April 2024, a cover of the timeless track by Claudio Baglioni, anticipating an EP in which Mario reinterprets four great classics of Italian song and singer-song-writers.

Filarmonica di Solomeo

The Solomeo music band was created thanks to Father Ruggero Margaritoni, who taught the first notions of music to his students in 1925. After its first maestro Ducci, from Romagna, Aroldo Pedini was appointed, who raised the group’s level thanks to his talent for arranging tracks suited to the potential of various elements. The maestri Piero Vincenti, Eleno Orazi, Roberto Castellani and Enrica Picciafuoco are also particularly worthy of mention, as they led the band over time. For two decades and until 2015, the band was conducted by Mauro Basiglio, who worked on the quality of performances and implemented the musical repertoire. Today the band is conducted by maestro Verzieri, who also coordinates the school of music and arts “Musikè”, of the eponymous association. Under his direction the Band has developed both in technical and interpretative terms and has continued to expand its musical repertoire. Maestro Andrea Angeloni was appointed to support Maestro Verzieri in his work and conduct the band at its various performances away from home. The most significant events in which the band has performed include the Christmas Concert at the Cucinelli Theatre, the End of Year Concert at the Sala dei Notari, Perugia, religious celebrations and processions in neighbouring towns and musical exchanges with bands from other regions in Italy and European countries. In the last few years the Solomeo Philharmonic Band has also participated in concert festivals such as the Band Festival of Città della Pieve (PG), La bacchetta d’Oro, Fiuggi (FR), and in 2024, at the Flicorno d’oro, Riva del Garda (TN). At the Cucinelli Theatre on 18 December 2022, the maestro and composer Lorenzo Pusceddu presented and conducted the new track written for Solomeo and its band for the first time, entitled Solomeo dreams. In summer 2023 the band performed on the prestigious stage of the Villa Solomei Festival in “Sounds of China”, with Maestro Guo Gan. For a long time the Solomeo Philharmonic organised the “Aroldo Pedini” band festival: an event dedicated to the spread and promotion of band music, with the participation of bands from Italy’s variegated scene. Today the Solomeo Philharmonic band is made up of around 40 members and its repertoire ranges from classical music to jazz and blues.

Francesco Verzieri

Born in 1975, he graduated in clarinet in 1997 from the Perugia Conservatory, under the mentorship of the maestri Zampognini and Scarponi. His mentorship continued under Maestro Garbarino and once more with Master Scarponi. In 2002 and 2003 he participated in numerous educational initiatives organised by the Umbria Region and by ANBIMA, directed by illustrious maestri including A.M. Freschi (music education), A. Carnevali, M. Livi, F. Creux (training course for orchestral conductor). In 2003 he attended the course taught by Maestro C. Pirola (gesture and communication). In 2008 he participated in the conduction course held by Maestro S. Acquaviva. Francesco Verzieri has executed numerous intense and acclaimed concert performances as a soloist, in piano duets, various chamber formations and important symphonic orchestras, recording numerous CDs as a clarinettist. From 2004 to 2006 he was the director of the “V. Puletti” Philharmonic of Ponte Felcino (PG), with whom he recorded the CD Armonie di Capodanno, and conducted for the Municipality of Perugia in 2004 and 2005 at Sala dei Notari, on occasion of the prestigious New Year’s Eve Concert. He works with numerous educational associations as an expert in education, sound and music. In 1998 he was appointed director of the “Michele Taddei” School of Music in Cannara and in 2002 maestro of the “F. Morlacchi” Musical Concert of Cannara, in a highly acclaimed performance. In May 2006 he moved to Ausgburg (Germany), on occasion of the festival of Italian emigrants in Germany, and in April 2010 to Genk, Belgium, for 25 April formal celebrations. Under his leadership, the Concerto Musicale “F. Morlacchi” qualified for the national final in Florence among the top 10 bands in Italy at the Concorso Energia in Banda organised by Enel and ANBIMA and, in April 2009, sixth place in the third category in the eleventh edition of the Flicorno d’oro competition, Riva del Garda (TN). From 2009 to 2014 he was vice director of the Corciano Festival wind orchestra, from 2010 to 2018 he directed the “Caduti per la Patria” Philharmonic of Mugnano (PG), from 2015 he is director of the Solomeo Philharmonic Company, with whom he participated in the La bacchetta d’oro Competition in 2017, in Fiuggi (FR).

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The New York City Gospel Choir performs in a show of love and inspiration, consisting of musical selections that promote and spread the message. A moving, melodic and emotional concert, with feel-good vibes for all listeners. With songs like Seasons of Love (from the Broadway show RENT), Love Train (O’Jays), How Deep Is Your Love (BeeGees), I Want To Dance With Somebody (Whitney Houston), and inspiring songs like Total Praise (Richard Smallwood), Oh Happy Day (Edwing Hawkins) and other feel-good tracks, the audience will applaud and sing with us.

H. WALKER (1962) I Will Bless The Lord

J. WILSON (1934-1984) You’re Love Keeps Lifting Me Higher

J. LARSON (1960-1996) Seasons of Love

W. HAWKINS (1949-2010) Thank You

P.J. MORTON (1981) How Deep Is Your Love

THE CLARK SISTERS (1973) I’m Looking For A Miracle

W. HOUSTON (1963-2012) I Look To You

D. WALKER If Any Man Be In Christ

A. FRANKLIN (1942-2018) You’re All I Need To Get By

E. HAWKINS (1943-2018) Oh Happy Day

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Fabio Ciofini conductor

REGINA COELI KV 108 for soprano, choir and orchestra
Regina coeli – Allegro
Quia quem meruisti – Tempo moderato
Ora pro nobis – Adagio un poco Andante
Alleluia – Allegro

EXULTATE, JUBILATE KV 165 for soprano e orchestra
Allegro, Recitativo, Andante, Molto Allegro

MESSA DELL’INCORONAZIONE KV 317 for solos, choir e orchestra
Kyrie
Gloria
Sonata da chiesa KV 329
Credo
Sanctus
Benedictus
Agnus Dei

Accademia Hermans

Coro Canticum Novum of Solomeo first formed in late 1986 on occasion of the Christmas festivities, upon the initiative of Father Alberto Seri and thanks to the enthusiasm of a small group of youths with a passion for music. Father Alberto’s idea, combined with his capacity to involve, were so inspiring that in a short space of time, the group attracted numerous people, the majority from neighbouring towns. Fabio Cofini has been its conductor since the early months of 1994. Before its extensive participation in concerts, the Choir dedicated around a year of its time to in-depth study and meticulous research into its repertoire, highlighting its natural preference for renaissance and classical polyphony, without neglecting elaborations of popular song, negro spirituals, gospels and music by modern and contemporary authors. Attentive to timbre research and the accurate interpretation of musical text, the Choir, consisting of approximately 25 members, has participated in different choir festivals, with the following particularly worthy of mention: Natale in Coro, at the national festival Appuntamenti Polifonici Natalizi, at Agosto Corcianese and The International Peace Festival, Assisi. Its repertoire includes several works for Choir and Orchestra (Bach, Buxtehude, Telemann, Händel, Mozart, Faurè, Rheinberger and Dvorak), performed on occasion of important Festivals and concert Seasons. It has toured in Germany, France, Hungary and Czechoslovakia. In 1996 it won the “profane music” section of the In Coro Festival-Competition. Since 1999 the eponymous association has been organising the Villa Solomei Festival.

Canticum Novum

I l Coro Canticum Novum di Solomeo nasce verso la fine del 1986 in occasione delle festività natalizie su iniziativa di Don Alberto Seri e sull’entusiasmo di un piccolo gruppo di ragazzi appassionati di musica. L’idea di Don Alberto unitamente alla sua capacità coinvolgente hanno costituito un punto di aggregazione tale che, in poco tempo, il piccolo gruppo si è arricchito di un folto numero di persone, la maggioranza delle quali provenienti da paesi limitrofi. Affidata la direzione nei primi mesi del 1994 all’attuale direttore (Fabio Ciofini), prima di affrontare un’intensa attività concertistica, il Coro ha dedicato circa un anno ad un approfondito studio e ad una attenta ricerca del repertorio, evidenziando una naturale predilezione verso la polifonia rinascimentale e classica, senza però trascurare elaborazioni di canti popolari, negro spirituals, gospels e musica di autori moderni e contemporanei. Attento alla ricerca timbrica e ad un’accurata interpre tazione del testo musicale, il Coro, composto da circa 25 elementi, ha preso parte a diverse rassegne corali: tra queste spiccano le partecipazioni a Natale in Coro, alla Rassegna nazionale Appuntamenti Polifonici Nata lizi, all’Agosto Corcianese e al Festival internazionale della Pace di Assisi. Ha in repertorio diverse opere per Coro ed Orchestra (Bach, Buxtehu de, Telemann, Händel, Mozart, Faurè, Rheinberger e Dvorak) eseguite nell’ambito di importanti Festival e Stagioni concertistiche. Ha effettua to tournèe in Germania, Francia, Ungheria e Cecoslovacchia. Nel 1996 ha vinto la sezione “musica profana” della Rassegna-Concorso In Coro. Dal 1999 l’omonima Associazione organizza il Festival Villa Solomei.

Lucia Casagrande Raffi

Born in Gubbio (PG), she graduated in singing and then in Music Education with honours from the “F. Morlacchi” Conservatory, Perugia. She then obtained a second-level postgraduate degree with honours in Singing, majoring in interpretation and composition. At twenty-one she made her début at the XXIV Montepulciano Art Workshop and has been performing for years in Italy and abroad in the fields of opera, sacred, oratory and symphonic music. In 2010 she attended the Beniamino Gigli Awardsin Helsinki at the Sibelius Academy. She then went on to specialise in baroque repertoire, studying under Claudine Ansermet, Gloria Banditelli and Roberta Invernizzi, working with influential musicians of the sector and important chamber formations, including: Hermans Academy, Solisti Aquilani, Perugia Chamber Orchestra, Accademia degli Unisoni, Roma Barocca Ensemble, Instrumental Ensemble of the St Petronius Music Chapel. An increasingly refined performer of eighteenth century repertoire, she has been the guest at prestigious festivals including: Hermans Festival, Antigua Festival, Euro Mediterraneo, Antichi Organi, Corti Chiese e Cortili, Camerino Festival, Villa Solomei Festival, Barattelli Concerti, Sagra Musicale Umbra, Arti in Movimento festival, Todi Festival, Perdonanza Celestiniana, Artem Festival, Anghiari Festival, Terra D’Organi Antichi, Filarmonica Umbra. She has recorded forBottega Discantica, Bongiovanni, Da Vinci, Sheva, Brilliant Classic.

Chiara Giudice

After graduating in Piano and Singing from the “F. Morlacchi” Conservatory, Perugia, she went on to study with important exponents of the international opera singing scene: Claudio Desderi, Renato Bruson, Luciana D’Intino, Daniela Dessí and Fabio Armiliato. She made her début at Teatro Lirico di Spoleto as Barbarina and since 2003 she has increasingly performed in concerts, both in sacred and opera singing. She has played numerous parts, ranging from Mozart to Puccini (Berta in The Barber of Seville, The Countess in the Marriage of Figaro, Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni, Dorabella and Despina in Così fan Tutte; Serpina in Serva Padrona; Musette and Mimi in Bohème directed by the masters C. Desderi, Daniele Agiman, Stefano Seghedoni, Marco Moresco and Dian Tchobanov, Nedda in I pagliacci; Alice nel Falstaff by G. Verdi alongside the great baritone Renato Bruson and directed by Marco Boemi at the F. Cilea Theatre, Suor Angelica, Santuzza in Cavalleria Rusticana). In 2010 she performed Mozart’s Requiem as a soloist, in the presence of His Holiness in Castelgandolfo. She made her début in Tosca by G. Puccini, directed by Antonello Madau Diaz. She has worked with the Italian Culture Institute in Tunis and has performed in major cities in the USA and Netherlands. She has continued to develop with famous sopranos Daniela Dessì and Luisa Maragliano, and the tenor Fabio Armiliato. She also teaches alongside great artists and in prestigious operatic Academies.

Alessandro Fiocchetti

Alessandro Fiocchetti, Tenor, studied singing at the Giulio Briccialdi Institute,Terni, with Ambra Vespasiani, and then at the Santa Cecilia Conservatory, Rome, where in 2021 he graduated with honours, under the mentorship of Amelia Felle. In 2014 he won the ex aequo prize at the Fausto Ricci International Opera Signing Competition in Viterbo; in 2022 he was a finalist at the RAI competition “Voci in Varaccia”. He made his début in 2009 as Paolino in The Secret Marriage by Cimarosa at the Bonci Theatre, Cesena. In 2018 he attended the début training course of the Teatro Lirico Sperimentale A. Belli, Spoleto, singing Ramiro in Rossini’s Cenerentola and Ke-ki-ka-ko in Ba-ta-clan by Offenbach. A year later he played Alfredo in Traviata at Teatro dell’Unione, Viterbo, Ernesto in Don Pasquale at Teatro Gentile, Fabriano and at Teatro Ventidio Basso, Ascoli, Nemorino in Elisir d’amore for the “Europaincanto” project, and Mercury in The Judgement of Paris by Marcello Panni, directed by the author at the Palladium Theatre, Rome. In 2020 he sang Fe-ni-Han in Ba-ta-clan by Offenbach at Luglio Musicale Trapanese and Rodolfo in La Bohème in the film made for “Magia dell’Opera” by the Tito Gobbi Association. A year later he played Gerardo in Gianni Schicchi at Teatro delle Muse, Ancona. He featured as a soloist in the Liebesliederwalzer by Brahms, with Michele Campanella and Monica Leone in Osimo, Asolo, Monfalcone; he sang with the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Marche and at the Muse, Ancona and Arena Gigli in Porto Recanati. He participated in the concert Elio in Beethoven’s Vienna, with Elio e le Storie Tese, in Enna. In 2023 he sung Arlecchino in Pagliacci by R. Leoncavallo at the Traiano Theatre, Civitavecchia, Priest and Armoured Man in the production of the Magic Flute and at Teatro delle Muse, Ancona. He is currently furthering his education at l’Accademia d’Arte Lirica, Osimo.

Ferruccio Finetti

Born in Fabriano, his music studies first began at the “Pergolesi” school of music, Jesi. Immediately he began working for the opera season of the Pergolesi Theatre, Jesi (Italy), making his début in Gianni Schicchi, Rigoletto, La Boheme and La Traviata, and singing dozens of titles with important national choir institutions and with the prestigious London Symphony Chorus, London, in Fidelio, directed by Colin Davis. He participated in the making of the DVD Conventions and Inconveniences of the Stage, G. Donizetti, for Bongiovanni and recorded Mozart’s Requiem K626 at La Gran Guardi auditorium, Verona, which he also performed at the Santissima Annunziata, Florence, and the Basilica of Saint Mary of the Altar in Heaven, Rome. He recorded the DVD of Mass in F-major by J. Poniatowsky, followed by a highly acclaimed performance at Westminster Cathedral Hall, London. In 2017 he began working with Teatro Lirico Sperimentale, Spoleto and was acclaimed for his role as Escamillo in Bizet’s Carmen, Don Magnifico in Rossini’s Cenerentola, Dulcamara in Donizetti’s Elisir d’amore, Sparafucile in Verdi’s Rigoletto. In 2018/19 he played Ramfis and Dulcamara on the Italian tours of AIDA and L’Elisir d’amore by the association Europaincanto, Rome. He sang Rossini’s Stabat Mater at Bagnoregio Cathedral (VT). He has worked as a choral artist withFondazione del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, L’Opera di Roma, Teatro Regio, Turin, and Academy of St. Cecilia in Rome. Currently he is a supplementary singer of the Sistine Chapel Choir. He assists the conductor Riccardo Serenelli in musical preparation. He has participated in different masterclasses with the maestri Riccardo Serenelli, Renato Bruson, Edda Moser, Claudio Desderi, Enza Ferrari, Marina Comparato, Amelia Felle, Laura Brioli, Barbara Frittoli, Roberto de Candia, and Marco Boemi.

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Arundo Donax

Pasquale Laino sax
Pietro Tonolo sax
Mario Raja sax
Rossano Emili sax
Federica Raja soprano

Arundo Donax

Arundo Donax is the scientific name of the common reed, the vibrating element that gives the Saxophone its voice. The quartet first formed in the early nineties and immediately strived to cultivate both improvisation and writing, ranging from jazz to contemporary literature and the production of original music for specific projects. To date the formation has produced three records: C’era una volta, dedicated to the world of childhood, Arundo Donax, with tracks by authors including Carlo Boccadoro and Carla Bley, Dancers in Love, with music arrangements by Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn. The concert program draws inspiration from tracks in the record Dancers in Love, based on the music of Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn, specifically arranged by the members of Arundo Donax for the formation of the saxophone quartet. Additional tracks, also in original arrangement, include those which Ellington composed for a non-jazz voice, more operatic in nature. True to Arundo Donax, the concert is completed by original music written by the group’s members.

Pasquale Lainois a multi-instrumentalist and soprano sax specialist who has worked in very different fields, from the symphonic orchestra to pop music, jazz big bands and contemporary music. For years he performed with Mango, Matia Bazar and Carmen Consoli. He is solo sax in numerous sound tracks, including Il Commissario Montalbano, Mio fratello è figlio unico, Habemus Papam. Since ’96 he was been working with the group “Klezroym”, with whom he has performed worldwide. He has participated in theatre, tv and radio shows as an instrumentalist and composer (including with Carlo Cecchi, Paolo Rossi, Vincenzo Cerami, Ascanio Celestini, Marco Presta and Antonello Dose). He has taught in the Conservatory and since 2004 he has been working as a composer for cinema, RAI and Mediaset.

Pietro Tonolo is one of Europe’s most renowned jazz saxophonists. His career began at a tender age, with performances in Europe and America with the bands of Gil Evans and Chet Baker. He has recorded a hundred or so CDs as a sideman and in his own name, achieving extensive success acclaim. He has worked with many major jazz artists from Italy (Franco D’Andrea, Massimo Urbani, Enrico Rava, Rita Marcotulli, Danilo Rea, Roberto Gatto) and Europe (Aldo Romano, Tony Oxley, Henri Texier, with whom he has toured in the Orient, Africa and Latin America). He has regularly performed with musicians including Lee Konitz, Steve Lacy, Joe Lovano, Joe Chambers, Gil Goldstein, Steve Swallow, Paul Motian (as member of his“Electric Bebop Band”) and is one of the most esteemed Italian musicians by colleagues overseas. He has also worked with numerous contemporary music groups, including Claudio Ambrosini’s Ex Novo Ensemble, Giovanni Mancuso’s Laboratorio Novamusica, Danilo Grassi’s Next Time Ensemble, and the Milanese group Sentieri Selvaggi, as well as with the Orchestra of Padua and Veneto and Virtuosi italiani.

Mario Raja saxophonist, composer and arranger. He has been active for years in different musical fields, from jazz quartets to symphonic orchestras. He has worked with musicians including Mel Lewis, Bob Brookmeyer, Joe Chambers, Luciano Berio, Jerry Lewis, George Pretre, Stewie Wonder, Massimo Urbani, Sal Nistico and Giuseppe Sinopoli. He was first tenor sax of the RAI orchestra of Rome. Since 1988 he has been conducting the “Mario Raja Big Bang” whose members include some of the best Italian jazz musicians, from Paolo Fresu to Danilo Rea. In ‘97 and ‘98 he conducted the AMJ national jazz orchestra. Since 2007 he has been conductor of the “Napoletan Jazz Orchestra” working with musicians including Joe Lovano, Archie Shepp, Randy Weston and Enzo Avitabile. He conducts the Jazz Youth Orchestra of Scuola di Testaccio, Rome, with whom he prepared the sound for the film “Inferno” of 1911, on occasion of the 700th anniversary of the death of Dante. He teaches at the Perugia Conservatory.

Rossano Emili is a saxophonist, arranger and composer who has been active since the nineties, both in the “high-brow” world of music- with the RAI Symphonic Orchestra, Accademia Filarmonica Romana, Louis Andriessen and other ensembles Sentieri Selvaggi, Artisanant Furiex and Parco Della Musica Contemporanea – and on the jazz scene – working with, to name but a few, Kenny Wheeler, Paul Motian, Willem Breuker, Lee Konitz, Bob Brookmeyer, Uri Caine, Joe Chambers, John Taylor, Ethan Iverson, the Lydian Sound Orchestra, Barga Jazz Big Band, Umbria Jazz Orchestra and many Italian formations. His repertoire also includes over forty records and he has performed at the most important Italian and European jazz festivals, including Umbria Jazz, Manchester Jazz Festival, Banlieus Blues, Grenoble Jazz Festival, Time in Jazz, Roccella Jonica Jazz Festival, Nis Jazz Festival, and Bath International Music Festival. He holds the chair of classical Saxophone at the “A. Pedrollo” Conservatory, Vicenza.

Federica Raja

She graduated with honours from the “F. Morlacchi” Music Conservatory of Perugia with Michela Sburlati. She has attended post-diploma courses with Mietta Sighele, Barbara Frittoli, Ian Bostridge and Mariangela Sicilia. She has played parts including Lauretta in Gianni Schicchi (Wexford Opera Festival), Liu in Turandot (San Carlo Theatre, Naples, Musikalische Komödie, Leipsig and others), Adina in The Elixir of Love, Susanna in The Marriage of Figaro, Ännchen in Der Freischütz, Gretel and Sandmann in Hänsel und Gretel, Belinda in Dido and Aeneas. She is also very active in the field of chamber and sacred music (solo soprano in Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis with Antonio Greco’s “Cremona Antiqua Ensemble” Stabat Mater by Pergolesi, Membra Jesu Nostri Buxtehude, Laudes evangelii by Bucchi). With the saxophone quartet Arundo Donax she has performed in concerts at the Quirinale, broadcast live on Radio Tre. In 2021 she was among the winners of the “Riccardo Zandonai International Competition for opera singers” and in 2023 she received the Donizetti Prize at the “Claudio Desderi International Competition”. As a chorister she has participated in numerous concerts conducted by Riccardo Muti (Verdi’s Macbeth, Beethoven’s Ninth symphony, Verdi’s Nabucco, and Verdi’s Requiem). Federica Raja 74

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D. SHORT (1951) Tango

G. GERSHWIN (1898-1937) Four hits for five, by George!

D. ELLINGTON (1899-1974) Mood Indigo

D. ELLINGTON (1899-1974) It don’t mean

B. HOWARD (1915-2004) Fly me to the Moon

L. BERNSTEIN (1918-1990) Somewhere

Billi Brass Quintet

The Billi Brass Quintet, founded in 2012, won first prize at the 8th Young Musicians International Competition of the City of Treviso (2016) and in 2019 it was selected for the final phase of PJIBEC at the Royal Northern College of Music of Manchester (UK). From the outset the group has always proposed original sounds for silent short films of the first half of the twentieth century, commissioned to important composers including David Short and Mark Hamlyn. The group has participated in numerous festivals and competitions in Italy and abroad, including: Festival dei 2 Mondi di Spoleto, Stresa Festival, Festival delle Nazioni, Prix Italia 2018 (Capri, concert broadcast live by Rai Radio Classica), Chigiana Festival (Siena), Atlante Sonoro Festival (Rome), Giardini La Mortella (Ischia, NA) Eolie in Classico (Messina), XVI Puppet Festival (Varna, Bulgaria) and the Maurice André Festival (Saint – André – Capcèze, France).

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G. PICCHI (1572-1643) Three dances:
Ballo ditto il Stefanin
Todesca
Ballo ditto il Picchi

G. PESCETTI (1704-1766) Sonata in c minor
Allegro, Moderato, Presto

B. GALUPPI (1706-1785) Second sonata
Andantino, Allegro

Donato Cuzzato

Donato Cuzzato was born in Treviso and is an international concert organist who has performed over a thousand concerts in Europe and the USA. He studied at the “G. Frescobaldi”, Ferrara Organo, and Organ Composition with Liliana Medici Turrini, Majoring in Composition under Bruno Coltro and Organ Improvisation under Günther Kaunzinger at the Postgraduate School of Organ of Würzburg University (Germany). He has toured in the USA in the following cities: Atlanta, Atlantic City, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Charlotte, Detroit, Hartford, New York, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Richmond, Salt Lake City, Louisville, Washington DC, to name but a few, and performed recitals in the world’s largest gothic cathedrals in Bourges, Chartres, Cologne and Seville, as well as in Hamburg, Budapest, Bratislava, Brussels, Copenhagen, Helsinki, Lausanne, Malta, Nuremberg (Frau Kirke), Oslo, Stockholm, Warsaw, etc. Concerts in the most prestigious international organ festivals in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Ireland, Malta, Norway, Netherlands, Poland, Czech Republic, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Hungary and USA.

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TRADIZIONALE Just a closer walk

L. BERNSTEIN (1918-1990) West Side Story
Prologue, Something’s coming, Maria, Tonight, America,
One hand one heart, I feel pretty

Billi Brass Quintet

The Billi Brass Quintet, founded in 2012, won first prize at the 8th Young Musicians International Competition of the City of Treviso (2016) and in 2019 it was selected for the final phase of PJIBEC at the Royal Northern College of Music of Manchester (UK). From the outset the group has always proposed original sounds for silent short films of the first half of the twentieth century, commissioned to important composers including David Short and Mark Hamlyn. The group has participated in numerous festivals and competitions in Italy and abroad, including: Festival dei 2 Mondi di Spoleto, Stresa Festival, Festival delle Nazioni, Prix Italia 2018 (Capri, concert broadcast live by Rai Radio Classica), Chigiana Festival (Siena), Atlante Sonoro Festival (Rome), Giardini La Mortella (Ischia, NA) Eolie in Classico (Messina), XVI Puppet Festival (Varna, Bulgaria) and the Maurice André Festival (Saint – André – Capcèze, France).

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David Taglioni I violin
Giuditta Longo II violin
Aurelio Venanzi viola
Andrea Agostinelli cello

A. DVORAK (1841-1904) Quartetto n. 12 in Fa Magg.
Op 96 “Americano”
Allegro ma non troppo, Lento, Molto vivace, Finale

S. BARBER (1910-1981) Quartetto Op 11
Molto Allegro e Appassionato, Adagio, Molto Allegro

Quartetto delle Marche

Quartetto delle Marche was formed in 2009, inspired by the passion its members have always had for Strong Quartets, a formation considered to be the queen of chamber music. Its members have extensive concert experience in various formations, from duets to sextets; they have always pursued chamber music by also teaming up with orchestras, including the Orchestra of Accademia Nazionale di S. Cecilia, Orchestra del Petruzzelli, Bari, the Mantua Chamber Orchestra, I Solisti di Pavia, I Solisti Aquilani, the Marche Philharmonic Orchestra, Italian International Orchestra, Rossini Symphonic Orchestra, Pesaro, Verdi Orchestra, Milan, Bologna Chamber Orchestra, often as first musicians. Quartetto delle Marche embraces a vast repertoire with humility and dedication, often enriching its performances with new ideas, arising from constant and passionate musical research. The aim is to contribute towards the more extensive spread of quartet music, in the spirit of sharing and emotional involvement. The Quartet’s repertoire also includes pages by forgotten authors of the Marche region, who operated throughout Europe, including Venanzio Rauzzini, Luigi Tomasini and Lino Liviabella. Quartetto delle Marche performs in the concert seasons of the most important musical associations, always receiving public and critical acclaim.

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The great Burt Bacharach wrote a musical masterpiece that proclaims:

What the world needs now, is love sweet love!

The New York City Gospel Choir

The New York City Gospel Choir is New York’s main contemporary choir, made up of the city’s best singers, all professionals who have performed and recorded with the biggest names of the music industry, including Stevie Wonder, Whitney Houston, Roberta Flack, Freddie Jackson, Michael Jackson, Donnie McClurkin, Hezekiah Walker, Aretha Franklin and countless others. The NYC Gospel Choir has been hosted on MTV, by the Spirit of New York cruise, and has been acclaimed by the magazine Vogue Italia as the most beautiful and fashionable choir of all time! An important moment for the NYC Gospel Choir was when it backed Sir Paul McCartney and Bon Jovi in New York. They have shared the stage with Wyclef Jean, Kool and the Gang, Billy Eilish and Andy Cohen. They were also the choir selected for the event TiQany & Co. Holiday Window Event with Golden Globe and Oscar winner, Reese Witherspoon. The group has recently been a guest of Pharell Williams, Shawn Mendes, Jim O’Heir, Melissa Joan Hart and many others. The NYC Gospel Choir presents the best of classical gospel, contemporary and other choral music, performing at festivals, on international tours, at concerts, performances, special and private events and weddings.

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Anna Foglietta narrating voice
Francesco Mariozzi cello
text by  Michele Santeramo
original music by Francesco Mariozzi

True to my nature I remain faithful to my emotions and if something is making my heart beat fast, I tend to listen to it. “Una Guerra” [A War] is a text I remain faithful to and as the years pass it still shakes my wrists. It focuses on an important and timeless topic: the migrant’s journey, in search of a life worthy of the name, and their encounters with unknown and ruthless adversities. In this case the main character is a mother, like me, with two children, who decides to take the unknown path of fortune, on a frightening journey, which is still better than staying put. A boat, the sea and the voice of unheard and unseen people are also all main characters. Life demanding attention and respect is also a main character, which always triumphs over death, no matter what. I hope you stay and listen to this story and to all the stories it contains, over the next few days too, and that you feel a desire to transform this feeling into substance, giving it a shape, any shape whatsoever, that strives for the good of all the unheard and unseen. I often ask myself what being“human” means to me. My answer is to consider my own journey as everyone’s and everyone’s journey as my own. I would like to end by thanking the Cucinelli Family for listening to “Una Guerra” right from the start, and for the profound and mutual outlook on living in the world.

Anna Foglietta

Anna Foglietta was born in Rome in 1978. The turning point in her career came in 2011, when she played Eva in Nessuno mi può giudicare by Massimiliano Bruno, for which she was nominated for the David di Donatello and Nastro d’Argento awards. In 2016 she performed in Perfetti sconosciuti by Paolo Genovese and in La mafia uccide solo d’estate, a Rai tv series, for which she received a Flaiano International Award. In 2019 she won a Nastro d’Argento for best lead actress for Un giorno all’improvviso by Ciro d’Emilio. In the last few years, Anna has participated in different cinema and television projects, including DNA-Decisamente non adatti, Il talento del calabrone, Alfredino, una storia italiana, Blackout love, Trafficante di virus. In addition to her career as an actress, in 2020 she was the godmother of the 77th edition of the Venice Cinema Festival. In 2023 we saw her in the film Elf me and the series Everybody loves diamonds on Prime Video and in the films I migliori giorni and I peggiori giorni directed by Edoardo Leo and Massimiliano Bruno. We will see her again soon in the upcoming film of Paolo Costella, starring as the main character. She is also the founder and president of the socially useful NPO Every Child is my Child, socially committed to protecting the most vulnerable families.

Francesco Mariozzi

Born into the profession, he graduated in cello on 28/10/1996 from the N. Piccinni Conservatory, Bari with honours, under the mentorship of Maestro N. Sarpe. He continued his studies at the Hochschüle fur Musik, Würzburg, obtaining Meisterklassendiplom with Maestro J. Metzger; he developed under prestigious artists, including Maisky, Gutman, Geringas, Perènyi, Meunieur and Palm, and at important academies including “Stauffer”, Cremona, University of Mainz, Accademia Chigiana, Siena, Hochschüle, Vienna. From 2007 to 2012 he was first cello at the Massimo Bellini Theatre, Catania; as guest first cello he performed on numerous occasions at the S. Carlo Theatre, Naples, for the Sicilian Symphonic Orchestra, Teatro Regio di Parma and the Rome and Lazio Symphonic Orchestra. He works with the actors Claudio Santamaria, Anna Foglietta and Marco D’Amore, performing at important theatre festivals. Previously he has also worked with other important institutions, including the Santa Cecilia Orchestra of Rome and the prestigious “Arturo Toscanini” Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Loorin Maazel, as first cello. He has performed both as a soloist and chamber musician at prestigious musical and foreign institutions, including the Società del Quartetto of Florence, Spoleto Festival, l’Institut Culturel Italien de Montreal, the Fiesole musical meetings, Portogruaro festival of the Nations, Pomposa Festival, Umbrian Philharmonic Association, in March 2019 he performed as a soloist in Carnegie Hall, NY; he has frequently played duets with the pianist Bruno Canino. He is artistic director of Festival delle Città Medievali (Rome and Lazio). He has also recorded for Radio Vaticana on several occasions. In addition to concerts and teaching, Maestro Mariozzi also composes. He graduated in Cello and Composition from Hochschule für Musik di würzburg Frankfurt am Main (Germany).

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