Giuseppe Scigliano began early to study the classical accordion with M° Mario Castellacci. He was the first graduate with honors and praise at the “Santa Cecilia” Conservatory in Rome under the guidance of M° Massimiliano Pitocco. He studied composition and conductorship with Maestro Francesco Carotenuto and attended master classes in Italy and abroad with Massimiliano Pitocco, Viatcheslav Semionov, Matti Rantanen, Max Bonnay, Friederic Lips, Yuri Shiskin, Geir Draugsvol, Jean Luc Manca and Claudio Jacomucci.
He has collaborated with renowned Italian musicians such as: Franco Piersanti, Nanni Moretti, Quartetto Pessoa, Gennady Rozhdestevensky, Marco Della Chiesa d’Isasca, Ezio Monti.
1. What role does the research play in your education as a classical accordionist?
The Classical Accordion belongs to a very young world so doing research is fundamental. I often study little known scores by contemporary composers that I won’t probably play but, to me, they are useful to grow both as a concert artist and as a teacher.
2. Alongside your hard educational activity you are a judge in National and International competitions. When do you realize to have met a young talent?
According to me, being a natural talent without hard and constant studies is not enough. Moreover, the teacher’s preparation and ability to communicate are fundamental. When both elements meet results are great. Being a judge, I often listen to talented students without a proper preparation to the musical performance. I see several little mistakes (fingerings, bellows working, agogics) causing not excellent results.
3. As for you, when have you understood the importance of this extraordinary instrument in your life?
I think it unconsciously happened at the beginning of my studies but I can’t describe a precise context of time. However, I can certainly tell an anecdote: when I was 12, I played “Moto Perpetuo” transcription by Niccolò Paganini and during a hot summery afternoon my cousin Antonio Cauteruccio, viola player at the Teatro dell’Opera in Rome, listened to me for the first time. He was impressed by my execution and asked my parents to let me study at the conservatory but, at that time, there were few accordion classes so I started to study privately with M° Mario Castellacci in Rome. Maybe that was the starting point of my awareness.
4. In 2008, together with the pianist Filippo Arlia, you founded the Italian duo called “2ttango”, focusing on tango research and development. What have you to say on this?
This project was born when our Conservatory commissioned a concert for two soloists, accordion in the first part and piano in the second one. During the rehearsals we decided to prepare an encore together and that particular made the concert even more pleasant.
So we started to study and play in concert together. Today I believe that our project and friendship are strengthen and, beside tango, we are working on unpublished compositions written just for us.
5. Now you are busy in Lamezia with the International Festival of Classical Music. What are your next dates?
Yes, I have just played with the Calabria Philharmonic Orchestra. On 11th May I’m debuting in an accordions trio with Massimiliano Pitocco and Angelo Miele playing V. Solotarjov, K. Olczak, A. Piazzolla and Motion Trio. While on 18th May I’m playing with Filippo Arlia.
6. Any other future plans?
In September I will be in Castelfidardo at the Fif where I’ll play in duo while in October I’ll go to Tokio, as a soloist. My first album “2ttango” is going to be published and I have started my solo album too.
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