Born 1964 in Forlì, Italy.
I have studied violin (with A. Casagrande) and composition (with M. Perrucci) in the Musical Institute "G.B.Pergolesi" in Ancona and in the Conservatory "G. Rossini" in Pesaro. I've played with the "Orchestra Filarmonica Marchigiana" and various chamber orchestras, ensembles of early, baroque and contemporary music.
In 1982 I've founded, together with Peter Rabanser, the international ensemble Oni Wytars, and I'm still performing with this group. I perform as soloist since 1990 for the Clemencic Consort in Vienna, since 1991 I'm artistic director (with Katharina Dustmann) of the Studio Katharco - Sound:Creations.
I debuted as a soloist and nyckelharpa player in the theatre "Alla Scala" in Milan, in concerts for the Royal Swedish Concert Agency, in the Alte Oper Frankfurt, in the Philharmony in Cologne, Berlin, Moscow and in the Carnegie Hall of New York.
Together with Carlo Rizzo, Jean-Louis Matinier, Valentin Clastrier and Michael Riessler I've participated in numerous concerts and radio recordings of jazz music. I was chosen by the German radio SWF as newcomer and composer for the New Jazz Meeting 1993.
In recent years I've participated in numerous radio, television and CD productions (more than 150), as a solo artist, composer or member of ensemble Oni Wytars (Germany), Els Trobadors (Spain), Unicorn, Accentus, Clemencic Consort, Armonico Tributo (Austria), Ensemble Kapsberger (Rolf Lislevand-Norway), Camerata Nordica (Sweden), Jean-Louis Matinier, Michael Riessler and others.
I'm ECM-artist as soloist, SONY/DeutscheHarmoniaMundi with the Ensemble Oni Wytars
I am active as a teacher:
- regular courses: Scuola di Musica Popolare di Forlimpopoli (IT), Academy of Burg Fürsteneck (DE)
- workshops and master classes: Musikhochschule Trossingen (DE), Escuela Superior de Musica, Artes e Espectáculo do Porto (PT) and University of Nanchang (China)
- as educational coordinator for the several European Projects
- as co-director (together with Karsten Evers) of the International Days of the Nyckelharpa at the Academy of Burg Fürsteneck (DE)
- as artistic director of the Summer Master Classes for Early Music in Bertinoro, Italy, in co-operation with the Fondazione Alma Mater of the University of Bologna (IT), Musikhochschule Trossingen (DE) & the Konservatorium Wien (AT)
- CADENCE (Cultural Adult Education and Nyckelharpa Cooperation in Europe)
- Nyckelharpa Symbols and Notation, (in cooperation with Jule Bauer and Didier Francois)
- Nyckelharpa - Exercises for daily practice
- A.Vivaldi: La Primavera (Edition for 3 Dudays, viola and B.c., in cooperation with Eva-Maria Rusche)
- A.Vivaldi: L'Autunno (Edition for 4 Dudays, viola and B.c., in cooperation with Eva-Maria Rusche)
My work as a composer (selection)
- Music for the staging of "Kaiserkrönung" ("The Coronation of the Kaiser") on the occasion of the celebrations for 1200 years of Frankfurt.
- 1995 the music for the musical-theatrical staging "La Divina Commedia".
- 1996 invitation of the Swedish National Radio as performer and composer for the "Nordic Jazz Meeting".
- Compositions in collaboration with Katharina Dustmann:
- 1997 "The Return of Marco Polo", for the Opera in Frankfurt/M and the Italian Institute of Culture.
- 1999 "Between Heaven and Hell", written for the Maschinenhalle Zweckel, Gladbeck, Germany
- In 2000 "misch: lagen"
- 2001 "ZechenZirkus"
- 2002 "Illumina" and "Quasibolero" (for the festivities of the Zeche Zollverein, World Heritage Site by the UNESCO)
- 2003 "Illumina 2", "ExtraSchicht" & "Ensemblia"
- 2004 "Magic Illumina" and "Centro"
- 2006 "Wasserquintett"
- 2007 "Die Pennschnecke Jonathan"
- 2013 "La Follia - The Triumph of Folly" (Sony/DHM/DLF)
- 2011 compositions for the EU-project "CADENCE"
- 2011 „La Follia –The Triumph of Folly“ (sony music)
- 2013 "Janicar super Ambarabaccicciccoccò" (for the EU-project ENCORE)
- 2014 "Tasteggiata" & other works for the CD "Inventio" (ECM)