Alessandro Taverna
Hailed in the world of music as the “natural successor to his great compatriot Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli”, Alessandro Taverna’s “music making stimulates the senses as does a visit to his native Venice”, and gives “rise to a feeling of wonderment”. When he reached the final and performed Chopin’s First Piano Concerto at the 2009 Leeds International Piano Competition, “the world was suffused with grave beauty”. Since then, Alessandro Taverna has shown a most remarkable, constant development that makes him one of the most interesting, musical pianists of his generation, being in worldwide demand.

At age 28, Alessandro Taverna has won numerous awards in national and international competitions, lately 2nd Prize at London International Piano Competition (2009), 1st prize at Minnesota International Piano Competition (2009), 3rd prize in Leeds (2009), and Premio Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli (2010).

Alessandro has performed throughout Italy, Europe, North America and South Africa including the MiTO Settembre Musica/Milan, Konzerthaus/Berlin, Fazioli Concert Hall, Ottawa International Chamber Music Festivals, Salle Cortot/Paris, International Keyboard Festival/New York as well as major cities of South Africa. He also appears regularly as soloist with orchestra, e.g. London Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Minnesota Orchestra, Hallé Orchestra, Orchestra del Teatro Olimpico/Vicenza. He has recorded for Radio Classica in Italy, Slovenian National Radio Television and Classic FM Radio in South Africa.

In 2009, Taverna was chosen by the international foundation The Keyboard Charitable Trust (London), for which he performed at Steinway Halls in London, New York, Berlin, Hamburg and Munich, as well as opening the 2009-2010 season of Lorin Maazel’s Châteauville Foundation in Castleton/Virginia. This is when Maestro Maazel invited him to tour with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra during the 2012/2013 season.

A native of Venice, Italy, Alessandro Taverna began his piano studies at the Fondazione Musicale Santa Cecilia, Portogruaro, with Laura Candiago Ferrari, graduating with honours in 2001. He achieved the Artist Diploma at the Scuola di Perfezionamento Musicale di Portogruaro, studying with Piero Rattalino, and continued at the legendary Accademia Pianistica Internazionale “Incontri col Maestro” in Imola with Franco Scala, Leonid Margarius and Boris Petrushansky. He received his Master Diploma in November 2008. In January 2009, Alessandro Taverna enrolled at the famous Accademia Santa Cecilia in Rome with Sergio Perticaroli, graduating cum laude, and he currently contiues his studies with Arie Vardi at the Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien in Hanover/Germany. He also attends the renowned Lake Como Piano Academy, where he has the possibility to work with some of the finest personalities of the piano world.