Giovani Eccellenze Musicali

**CONCERT PROGRAM**

J.S. Bach, Sonata in G minor

N. Paganini, Capriccio No. 21 for solo piccolo (arranged by C.P. Nese)

F. Liszt, Reminiscences de Norma S.394

G. Briccialdi, Carnival of Venice for piccolo and piano

C.P. Nese, Reminiscences for flute and piano (1st regional absolute premiere)

F. Borne, Fantasia on Carmen

**CHRISTIAN PIO NESE** began studying the piccolo at around 3 years old and by age 6 was already participating in and winning numerous national and international competitions, such as the First Prize at the Crescendo International Competition Italy, performing at Carnegie Hall in New York at just 10 years old, as well as the First Absolute Prize in the wind instruments category at the Crescendo Competition in Florence, and the Crescendo Prize for Chamber Music in a Duo with his brother Massimiliano on trombone. He has participated as a soloist in the Pomir Festival in Saint Petersburg (Russia), at the Falaut Campus in 2019, 2020, and 2024, where he was invited as a young promise in different editions. He performed Mozart's Concerto in G major with the Accademia d’archi Arrigoni Orchestra in Udine. He participated as an active student in the Masterclasses of the "International Piccolo Festival" (Italy, Germany). He has performed in masterclasses led by G. Nese, N. Mazzanti, P. L. Graf, P. Taballione, A. Oliva, J. Zoon, and J. Balint. He performs solo concerts with orchestras and in chamber music formations in prestigious Italian and international venues. He won the Angelo Persichilli Prize as a "Young Talent" in 2021 at the Pescara Flute Festival. He is the principal flute and piccolo of the Juniorchestra of the Santa Cecilia National Academy, conducted by Sir A. Pappano, N. Piovani, and S. Genuini. At 16, he was a finalist in the National Arts Award for Italian Conservatories. He was invited as an associate by the Italian Army Band and was selected as a piccolo player for the "RAI Orchestra Profession" project 2025 of the OSN of Rai in Turin with F. Andriani, conducted by A. Orozco-Estrada, M. Gardolinska, and G. Fratta. In 2025, he was invited twice to the Galway Flute Academy in Lucerne, studying with Sir James Galway and Jeanne Galway. In July 2025, he graduated with a diploma in Flute from the "Santa Cecilia" Conservatory in Rome with top marks and honors, 110 and Lode out of 110. He is currently pursuing a two-year course in flute at the Santa Cecilia Conservatory under Mº P. Tabachin and is perfecting his skills in the second year of Mº A. Oliva's class at the Santa Cecilia National Academy. He was deemed eligible for the VFJO orchestra of the Verbier Festival and reached the final stage for the EUYO orchestra in December 2025.

**FRANCESCO RICCI**, born in 2003, graduated in piano in 2023 from the Santa Cecilia Conservatory in Rome with the top score of 110/110, honors, and special mention, under the guidance of Mº Antonella Lunghi. He is currently completing his studies in Mº Michele D'Ambrosio's class. Since 2023, he has been perfecting his skills at the Pinerolo Academy of Music, initially with Alexander Romanovsky and later with his current teacher, Roberto Plano. Over the years, he has benefited from invaluable teachings from great Masters such as Enrico Pace, Benedetto Lupo, Vincenzo Maltempo, Anna Kravtchenko, Andrea Lucchesini, Pietro De Maria, Pierluigi Camicia, Andreas Frölich, and Roberto Cominati. He competes in national and international competitions, consistently achieving excellent results. Notably, he won fourth prize at the 40th edition of the Venice Prize competition at the Gran Teatro La Fenice, an important competition dedicated to the best graduates of Italian conservatories and considered one of the most prestigious competitions in Italy. He has an intense concert activity behind him, having performed prominently as a soloist and in chamber formations. He is continuously invited by important concert associations such as AMA Calabria, Fondazione F. M. Napolitano, Varese Chamber Association, Abruzzo Symphony Institution, Fundación Eutherpe (Spain), Onde serene Association, Bernardo Pasquini Association, Pinerolo Music Academy, and is included in important festivals like Pianocity Milano, Pianolab, Civitafestival, Musica d'Estate (Bardonecchia). He has played in prestigious venues such as the Apollinee Halls and the Grand Hall of Teatro La Fenice, Teatro Vittorio Emanuele in Messina, Villa d'Este (for the traditional Lisztian concert), the Academic Hall of the Santa Cecilia Conservatory in Rome, the R. Caetani Auditorium of the Latina Conservatory, Teatro Giannone in San Marco in Lamis, Circolo Canottieri in Naples, the Liszt Hall of the Hungarian Academy in Rome, Galleria Doria Pamphilj, Basilica of Agliate (where he was invited by Mº Filippo Gorini), and many others. He has a preference for modern and contemporary repertoire, being the dedicatee of several works and often performing world premieres of pieces in chamber formations, as a soloist, and in orchestras. He is described as "a young musician with a rare interpretative maturity that suggests a bright career." He always garners great success after his performances, with reviews stating: "[...] The highlight of the evening was the masterful interpretation of Liszt's Sonata in B minor. Ricci fully conveyed its romantic fervor along with its intimate poetry [...], virtuosity at the service of expressiveness, and musicality as broad as his vision" (A. F. Jannoni-Sebastianini).
Web: mercadantecompetition.com/