Fabiano Casanova
Curriculum vitae
"A highly talented individual with a strongly artistic and magnetic personality, through which he deeply communicates his extraordinary passion and rich inner life”. This is how the Russian composer Rodion Shchedrin describes pianist Fabiano Casanova after hearing him perform some of his compositions. A charismatic and passionate pianist, winner of international piano competitions, Fabiano Casanova maintains a regular artistic presence, performing as a soloist in Italy and abroad for prestigious concert societies. In Italy, he has performed for the “Fondazione La Società dei Concerti” in Milan (Sala Puccini and Sala Verdi at the Conservatorio di Milano), the Concert Season of the Orchestra Sinfonica di Roma (Auditorium della Conciliazione), the “Società del Quartetto” in Bergamo (Sala Piatti), Teatro Dal Verme in Milan, Teatro Bibiena in Mantua, and Auditorium San Barnaba in Brescia (Associazione GIA). Abroad, he has appeared as a soloist at the Kolarac Foundation Hall in Belgrade, Rohm Music Foundation Hall in Kyoto (Japan), Airef Hall in Fukuoka (Japan), Seymour Theatre Centre in Sydney, Grünewaldsal in Stockholm, Saint Martin in the Fields in London (for the "Pianists of the World" series), the “Satie Festival” in Arcueil, Paris, and the “37th Sandviken Chamber Music Festival” in Sweden. His repertoire ranges from the Baroque works of Bach and Scarlatti to contemporary pieces by C. Vine, G. Ligeti, and R. Shchedrin. He has won several national and international piano competitions: in 2000, he was awarded the “Grand Prix” at the International Piano Competition “Shabyt Inspiration” in Astana, Kazakhstan; in 2002, he received first prize at the International Piano Competition “Vanna Spadafora” in Venetico Superiore (Messina), awarded by R. Angemuller, Secretary of the Mozarteum in Salzburg. Born in Rome in 1974, he completed his musical studies at the Conservatorio “G. Verdi” in Milan under the guidance of Maestro O. Minola, graduating in 1995 with top honors, including a special mention. He has attended various masterclasses and advanced courses, studying with prominent figures in the international piano scene, such as Paul Badura-Skoda, Alexander Lonquich, Brigitte Engerer, and Elissò Virsaladze, enriching his training. He continued his studies with Konstantin Bogino, who became his mentor, perfecting his skills at the “S. Cecilia” Academy in Bergamo and the Arts Academy in Rome. His discography includes a solo CD titled "Nordic Piano Sonatas," released in 2020 by Da Vinci Classics, featuring works by Sibelius, Grieg, and Stenhammar. The album received enthusiastic reviews from international magazines: 4 stars in Musica Magazine (by Luca Segalla), 5 stars in Pizzicato Magazine (by Remy Franck), and 4.5/5 stars in Music Voice (by Andrea Bedetti). He has also published a revision of Stenhammar's Piano Sonata No. 4 for Da Vinci Publishing - Osaka and recorded Prokofiev's Piano Sonata No. 7, Op. 83, for the Velut Luna label in 2019. Chamber music plays a significant role in his concert activities. He has shared the stage with distinguished musicians such as Boris Baraz, Igor Volochine, Alexander Chaushian, and Diemut Poppen. He has a stable piano duo with his partner, pianist Sara Costa. The duo has received numerous accolades, including a Master’s degree in Piano and Chamber Music with top honors from the Conservatorio “C. Pollini” in Padua in 2019 and the release of their first four-hand album for Da Vinci Classics, which won the Global Music Award in California. Recently, he collaborated with pianist Massimiliano Motterle in the two-piano repertoire, resulting in a 2022 release for Da Vinci Classics of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, transcribed for two pianos by Liszt. As a charismatic, refined, and respected teacher, he combines the Italian piano tradition with the Russian school of H. Neuhaus, having been mentored by Maestro Konstantin Bogino, a student of the great Russian pedagogue Vera Gornostaeva. He has dedicated himself to teaching with passion for over twenty-five years and is a tenured Piano professor at the Conservatorio “A. Boito” in Parma. In parallel, he has assisted Maestro Konstantin Bogino as a collaborator first at the Santa Cecilia Academy in Bergamo for Advanced Courses and from 2019 to the present at the Perosi Academy in Biella for Advanced Perfection courses, welcoming talents from around the world. In Italy, he has also been invited to conduct masterclasses in piano and piano duos at prestigious institutions such as the Perosi Academy in Biella and the “B. Gigli” Civic School of Music in Recanati. Additionally, he has been invited to hold masterclasses in Serbia and Japan. Many of his students have received awards in national and international piano competitions, and he has been invited as a jury member for competitions such as the International Piano Competition in San Donà di Piave, the Contest of Young Pianists “Mihailo Vukdragović” in Šabac, Serbia, and the Odin Piano Competition in Estonia. Since 2016, he has served as the artistic director, alongside Sara Costa, of the concert season “Il Castello Armonico,” which takes place in prestigious historical residences in the lower Bergamasca region, aiming to promote young international talents. Fabiano Casanova's dedication to music, both as a performer and educator, continues to inspire audiences and students alike, making significant contributions to the cultural landscape through his artistry and commitment to nurturing the next generation of musicians.