Biography
Born in Palermo, Andrea began studying the violin at the age of six and at 12, was admitted to the Conservatorio di Musica Vincenzo Bellini, Palermo. After graduating, Andrea moved to London to complete his Postgraduate Diploma with Distinction at Trinity Laban Conservatoire, where he was gratefully awarded a Trinity College London Scholarship.
During his studies, Andrea worked with leading violinists and teachers including Silviu Dima and Stefano Pagliani, and participated in masterclasses with Tasmine Little, Francesco Manara, Simone Bernardini, Christophe Horak and Rivka Golani.
Andrea has worked with orchestras across Italy and the UK, including the new Orchestra Giovanile Mediterranea, Fondazione Teatro Lirico di Cagliari and the Orchestra Palermo Classica, as well as performing at major festivals including Royal Greenwich String Quartet Festival, Malta International Music Festival, Amici della Musica di Palermo and many more.
Andrea is passionate about chamber music and has been awarded in competitions such as Concorso Città di Palermo and Concorso Benedetto Albanese di Caccamo. A founding member of Tamesis Piano Trio, Andrea was awarded the Trinity Laban mentoring scheme, reaching the semi-final of St Martin-in-the-Fields Chamber Music Competition. Together, the trio have won second prize at TIM International Music Tournament and third prize at Grand Prize Virtuoso International Music Competition.
QUICKFIRE QUESTIONS
What do you love about classical music?
I think classical music, once you approach, appreciate, understand it, goes inside you and captivates you. Studying music was fundamental for me and I learnt the discipline, perseverance, ability to concentrate, the passion and the will to give my best to make my dreams real. What I love about classical music? That it is always with me in every moment of my life.
What do you do with your time when you’re not playing music?
When I don’t play I like to dedicate myself to several activities. Firstly I love travelling, visiting and exploring new places. I like historical documentaries and I love playing football and basketball. Moreover, I’m a food lover and I really like cooking, proving myself with always new recipes. I also recently got a Bonsai tree and it is really nice to take care of it.
Tell us something about yourself that might surprise us
When I was 15 my dream was to be a rock star. Far from Mozart or Beethoven, my future was in big arenas like Wembley Stadium, sharing the stage with Deep Purple or Led Zeppelin. I didn’t want to practise violin that much and for several years I played electric guitar in a rock band. Suddenly I fell in love with my instrument and I decided to dedicate my life to it, but inside me, my rock soul is always alive and my guitar is always in my room, next to my violin.