Celestina Masotti

Prof. Celestina Masotti, from Bari, completed her musical studies at the Conservatory of her city, graduating in 1978 in piano with Prof. I. Cafaro. Cafaro. She obtained a Level I Master's Degree in "The Musical Cultures of the 20th Century" at the Tor Vergata University in Rome, and a Level II Degree in Interpretive-Compositional Jazz Music Disciplines, at the "N.Rota" Conservatory in Monopoli, with a thesis on G. Gershwin's 7 Preludes. He perfected his studies with Maestros: M. Marvulli, G.Agosti, A.Bacchelli, V.Vitali, C.Zecchi, P.B.Skoda, G.Sandor; Composition F.Donatoni and V.Liturri; Piano Didactics P.Lachert (1996); Music for Films Stelvio Cipriani (1998), Analysis Mus. M. Della Chiesa D'Isasca (1999), Dir. d'Orchestra with M° Bellugi and Hans (2002), Kodàly method at the Summer University of Esztergom in Hungary (2005) and at AIKEM in Florence (2006), D.Dufour Acousmatic Composition (2009). He soon won numerous national competitions as a soloist and in piano duo formation, as a member of the Orch. Giov. Lanciano, he collaborated with Maestros U.Benedetti Michelangeli and K. Morski (1978), and from 1978 to 1988 he was a member of the Orch. Lirico Sinf. Provincia di Bari, collaborating with prestigious Orchestra Conductors. President of the A.M. LE. Ass.ne Musica LEvante, organises 10 editions of European music competitions and Artistic Director of the 1st International Music Competition "CITTA' DI BARI " 2011 edition, as well as festivals and concert seasons; as a soloist and in various formations (preferring the piano duo), he has given over 400 concerts, several radio and television recordings, obtaining prestigious awards. At Bèrben Edizioni Musicali he publishes pieces: for piano, 4-voice fugue, accordion and flute. He composes for trumpet, saxophone, clarinet, violin and chamber music, "Ecco" for 5 voices, percussion and double bass opens the 2009 Bari Jazz Festival, "Anima di cactus" for orchestra which he conducts at Club 1799 (Adelfia), the sextet "Nassiriya", the trio "Skyriana" (Premio "V. Martina" 2010), "All In One" Chaconne for pf. (Premio Speciale Fidapa Sez. di Barletta 2010) published by Preludio (Mi) "Un Prima" for Soprano and pf. (finalist 12th Poetry Competition Musicata Munchenstein 2012), "Missione di pace" for Mezzosoprano and Harpsichord (3rd Prize W.Landowska-Ruvo 2013), "L'Arc-en-ciel" for pf. (1st Prize FIDAPA-Barletta 2013) published by Glissato (Le) "Nuvole" for Harpsichord (3rd Prize W.Landowska-Ruvo 2014) published by Preludio (Mi), Quando? (2014) published by Preludio (Mi) and for voice, mixed trios, quartets etc...11 pieces are collected in the CD ALL-IN-ONE label Preludio (Mi). He also plays in duos his transcriptions for four-hand piano of Liszt, Ponchielli, Strauss, Piazzolla. He received great public and critical acclaim with his arrangement of 10 soundtracks by N. Rota for piano duo and voice. In 2014 he presented the Institute project "Il Pianista Contemporaneo" inviting the composers of the Conservatory of his city to compose unpublished pieces for the student pianists who performed at "La Vallisa" Hall in Bari in a live CD recording. Since 1968 he has played in a piano duo formation and to this day performs with Maestro Domenico Bruno in the "N. Rota" Piano Duo. Since 1979 he has been Professor of Pianoforte, "Contemporary Executive Praxis", "Piano Duo", "Piano and Orchestra Praxis and Repertoire", I and II Level Academic Courses, III and IV Edition of the I Level Master "The Soloist and the Orchestra" at the Conservatory of Music "N. Piccinni" in Bari.