Pierluigi Camicia

Pierluigi Camicia, a native of Apulia, Italy, began piano study at the age of five. In 1962, at the age of ten, he won first prize in the prestigious national competition „ENAL” at La Spezia. At thr age of twentyone he won first prize in the most important piano competition in Italy: Citt? di Treviso, and he started with a prestigious career as soloist in Italy and Europe. Mr. Camicia, a Busoni and Chopin competition prizewinner, became professor at the Bari Conservatory at the age of 20, engaged from M° Nino ROTA.

He has already produced a generation of notable piano students, including Benedetto Lupo, prizewinner in the Van Cliburn Piano Competition in Forth Worth. Mr Camicia devotes himself primarily to solo performances, and his artistry has been commented enthusiastically by Rostropovich, Ciccolini, Vasary and Franco Ferrara, but has also gained notoriety in Europe as a chamber musician.

His association with cellist Michael Flaksman dates to 1982; they have performed together in European Festivals and in U.S.A. and they have recorded the music of Faur? in a CD of ABEGG. He has played also with Nina Beilina, Ruggero Ricci, Melina Mandozzi, Angelo Persichilli, Sebastian Quartett, Trio di Roma, etc. He played with Orchestras conducted by Gabriele Ferro, Samuel Friedman, Tamas Gal, Walter Proost, Gabriele Gandini, Mario Gusella, Massimo Biscardi etc in the most important Italian and European Theatres. He also conducts Piano and Chamber-music Masterclasses in Europe (Italy,Germany, Croatia, France) and in U.S.A (Cleveland, Salt Lake City, Fresno, Arlington).

Actually Mr. Camicia is artistic director of a big jazz festival named Talos Festival, in Ruvo di Puglia, and of the more ancient Concert Series in Lecce, named Camerata Musicale Salentina. From 2007 Prof. Camicia has been Director of Conservatorio Tito Schipa in Lecce. He has recorded with Bongiovanni, Abegg, Quintieri and Farelive .