Lorenzo Micheli - Guitar
Hailed by the musical critics as "virtuoso extraordinaire" (Nice Matin), "absolutely astonishing" (Fort Worth Star-Telegram), "prodigious talent" (Soundboard), Lorenzo Micheli, theorbist and guitarist, has taken up a busy concert career throughout the world since winning the first prize in some of the most prestigious guitar competitions (Gargnano, Alessandria, Guitar Foundation of America). He performs regularly - both as a soloist and with orchestra - in Europe and all over the US and Canada, as well as in Africa, Asia and Latin America. As a researcher and scholar, he has written articles and contributions for a number of music journals, including Il Fronimo and Guitar Forum. He has been performing worldwide in duo with Matteo Mela, as "SoloDuo", in such venues as New York"™s Carnegie Hall, Dublin"™s National Concert Hall and Vienna"™s Konzerthaus. Their guitar duo was welcomed by The Washington Post as "nothing less than rapturous", and The New York Concert Review wrote about their Carnegie Hall debut: "It is hard to say what left more of an impression: their remarkable blend, their sublime artistry or their impeccable technique. Do not miss a chance to hear them."
His discography include the music of Dionisio Aguado, the Quartets, op. 19, by François de Fossa and a CD of Italian music of the 17th century for baroque guitar, archlute and theorbo (Stradivarius); the complete guitar Concertos by Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco (Brilliant); a couple of live DVD"™s (Mel Bay); a selection of guitar music by Castelnuovo-Tedesco, the complete works by Miguel Llobet and the Duos Concertants by Antoine de Lhoyer (Naxos); an anthology of chamber works by Mauro Giuliani (Amadeus), and two collections of 19th and 20th century masterpieces for two guitars (Noesis and Solaria, Pomegranate Music). Lorenzo is guitar professor at the Conservatory of Aosta, Italy.
Definito "l"™esecutore ideale dello strumento"; (Enzo Siciliano, Il Venerdì di Repubblica) e "prodigious talent" (Soundboard), Lorenzo Micheli, chitarrista e tiorbista, ha vinto alcuni tra i più importanti concorsi di interpretazione del mondo (Gargnano, Alessandria, Guitar Foundation of America). Dopo gli studi con Paola Coppi a Milano, Frédéric Zigante a Losanna e Oscar Ghiglia alla Musik-Akademie di Basilea, Lorenzo ha intrapreso un"™intensa attività artistica - come solista e con orchestra - che lo ha portato in tutta Europa (Spagna, Irlanda, Croazia, Austria, Svizzera, Estonia, Francia, Grecia, Polonia, Gran Bretagna, Finlandia, Slovenia, Norvegia, Ucraina, Slovacchia, Repubblica Ceca, Germania, Turchia, Olanda), in Canada e in oltre cento città statunitensi, in Estremo Oriente, in Africa e in America Latina. Tiene regolarmente masterclass per Università e Festival americani ed europei, ha registrato per radio e televisioni di quattro continenti e pubblicato saggi e contributi su riviste specializzate italiane e straniere, quali Il Fronimo e Guitar Forum. Insieme a Matteo Mela, Lorenzo Micheli ha suonato nelle sale da concerto di tutto il mondo, dalla Carnegie Hall di New York alla Konzerthaus di Vienna: il Washington Post ha salutato il loro duo come "nothing less than rapturous".
Per Stradivarius Lorenzo ha registrato una monografia sulle opere per chitarra sola di Dionisio Aguado, una sui Quartetti op. 19 di François de Fossa e una sulla musica italiana del Seicento per tiorba e chitarra barocca; per NAXOS sono usciti un CD dedicato alla musica di Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, i Duos Concertants di Antoine de Lhoyer e l"™integrale delle opere di Miguel Llobet; Brilliant Records ha dato alle stampe la sua registrazione integrale dei Concerti di Castelnuovo-Tedesco, la rivista Amadeus un doppio disco sulla musica da camera di Mauro Giuliani e l"™etichetta Pomegranate Music due antologie di opere dell"™Ottocento e del Novecento (Noesis e Solaria). Lorenzo Micheli insegna presso l"™Istituto Musicale Pareggiato della Valle d"™Aosta.
David Knopfler - Narrator
Founder of Rock group Dire Straits, David has subsequently faithfully pursued his own musical vision, writing and producing his own compositions on ten solo CDs to date.
Knopfler has been fortunate enough to reach a wide audience without compromising his art and while he's enjoyed the respect and admiration of his musical peers, widespread critical acclaim, international awards and worldwide chart successes, has managed, in his own country, Britain, to keep a profile so low as to be nearly invisible. He lives quietly in the English countryside, notching up an impressive list of writing credits.
A regular panelist at music conventions and lifelong member of organizations like Amnesty International and Adopt a Minefield, David has always made uncompromising life choices: "I don't regard what I do as remotely glamorous. I write, record and perform my music because I completely love doing it and despite any so called celebrity status that sometimes comes with the job."
Daniele Vineis - Percussion
Daniele De Pascalis - Double Bass
Angelo Montanaro - Clarinet & Saxophone
Giorgio Dellarole - Accordion
Massimo Felici - Conductor & Banjo