Luigi Piovano
Principal cellist of the Symphony Orchestra of National Academy of St. Cecilia and guest principal cellist of the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra since 2007, Luigi Piovano has been enjoying a constantly growing international recognition both as a cellist and as a conductor. His rapidly expanding career has placed him as soloist under the batons of such conductors as Mikhail Pletnev, Myung-Whun Chung - performing with the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, Yehudi Menuhin, Andrey Boreyko and Antonio Pappano, with whom has been regularly performing in duo setting since 2007, among others.
Luigi Piovano first attracted attention on the international music circuit after his participation in the "Pollini Project," which brought forth a highly-succesful debut at the Salzburg Festival, as well as performances in Tokyo, New York's Carnegie Hall and National Academy of Santa Cecilia. During this time, Mr. Piovano also debuted at the renowned Newport Music Festival in the United States, and has been a regular invitee ever since.
In addition to regular concerts and recitals throughout Europe, the United States and Asia, performances of note include the Menuhin Festival - performing with Dmitry Sitkovetsky and Michael Dalberto; the Sun Festival in Cortona; soloist appearances at the National Academy of St. Cecilia in Rome, Tchaikovsky's "Rococo Variations" at the Walton Foundation in Ischia, Naples; and solo performance with the Tokyo Philharmonic String Ensemble.
As an avid and sought-after chamber musician, Luigi Piovano has taken part in numerous prominent collaboration with such celebrated artists as Katia and Marielle Labeque, Myung-Whun Chung, Wolfgang Sawallisch, Alexander Lonquich, Dmitry Sitkovetsky, Michel Dalberto, Malcolm Bilson and Antonio Pappano. As a member of "Quartetto Michelangelo" and of baroque ensemble "Concerto Italiano," Mr. Piovano has appeared at many leading Italian venues and has given extensive concert tours. He is also a member of "Trio Stradivari," with which has recorded the complete W.A. Mozart's works for piano trio on the CPO label – a critically acclaimed recording which has received Fono Forum's highest rating of five stars and has been named its record of the month.
Luigi Piovano's other recordings have been released by such recording labels as EMI, Italian-based Nuova Era, Opus 111 and French label Eloquentia – which in May, 2010 released Mr. Piovano's recording of the Six Bach Cello Suites, and in February, 2011 will release a double CD dedicated to Camille Saint-Saëns, including his two cello concertos and two cello sonatas. Other recordings include the two Brahms sonatas with pianist Luisa Prayer and, currently in production, J.S. Bach's Goldberg Variations with Trio Sitkovetsky. Amongst his upcoming engagements as soloist are his orchestral version of Franz Schubert "Arpeggione" in Milan and Thailand; Dmitry Shostakovich's FirstConcerto in Taranto, Italy; and Antonín Dvoràk's cello concerto in Tokyo with Yomiuri Nippon
Symphony Orchestra.