Giovanni Falzone

Trumpeter and composer Giovanni Falzone began playing the trumpet at the Municipal Band School of Music in Aragona, at the age of 17. He then enrolled in the V. Bellini Conservatory in Palermo, where he graduated in a short period of time under the tutelage of G. Ciavarello. In addition, he graduated, with the highest honors, from the Jazz Studies Program (arranging, historical-formal analysis, and improvisation) at the G. Verdi Conservatory in Milan. He won first prize as "Best Talent at Umbria Jazz, 2000", earning a scholarship to the Berklee School of Music, in Boston. He also participated as a soloist in a workshop/concert held by Wynton Marsalis at the Morlacchi Theater in Perugia, and in a modern-jazz seminar held by saxophonist Dave Liebman.

He has attended the following jazz seminars: Umbria Jazz Clinics, Siena Jazz, and Nuoro Jazz. While still studying, he began to collaborate with orchestras and chamber groups, and to attend master classes with world famous teachers. After graduating from the conservatory studies, he filled the chair of first trumpet with the following orchestras: l'Orchestra Giovanile Italiana, il Teatro Lirico di Spoleto, l'Orchestra Filarmonica Italiana, l'Orchestra Filarmonica di Torino, il Teatro G. Verdi di Trieste, il Teatro Comunale di Bologna, l'Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano G. Verdi, and l'Orchestra Internazionale d'Italia.

Since 1996, he has played under the direction of world famous conductors and soloists such as Giuseppe Sinopoli, Claudio Abbado, Carlo Maria Giulini, Riccardo Chailly, Yutaka Sado, Luciano Berio, Vladimir Jurowski, Valere Giergev, Salvatore Accardo, Luciano Pavarotti and Placido Domingo. He has toured extensively with the Milan Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Riccardo Chailly, playing throughout Europe, South America and Japan. He has done radio concerts for such programs as "Radio Populare", "Radio RAI Tre" for the "Jazz Club" series presented by Carlo Boccadoro, at RAI's Rome Auditorium for a program presented by Pino Saulo.

He has played the following jazz festivals: Umbria Jazz Winter 2000, "Villette Jazz Festival" 2001 in Paris, Free Milano Jazz Nights 2002, Italian Jazz Rebels 2002 in Bologna, Bocconi Festival 2002, Spoleto Jazz 2002 (as part of the "Festival of the Two Worlds"), Clusone Jazz 2002, Licata Jazz Festival 2002, AH-UM Jazz Festival 2002 in Milan.

He has recorded two albums in which he is featured as composer, arranger and bandleader: "Music for Five" for the Italian "Splasc(h)" label in 2002, and "Big Fracture" for Soul Note, 2003.

He took third place in the annual "Musica Jazz" Critics Poll for 2002 in the "Best New Talent" category. In 2003 he placed second in that same category, and third in the "Best Record" category.

The Milan Symphony Orchestra, in its "Concerti da Camera" concert series, has regularly performed his compositions:

• 2000-2001 season: Giovanni Falzone Quartet & String Quintet of the Giuseppe Verdi Symphony Orchestra of Milan
• 2001-2002 season: "In Good Faith Suite" for Trumpet, Vibraphone, Marimba and Percussion
• 2002-2003 season: "Suite Contemporanea Per Tromba, Gruppo Jazz E Piccola Orchestra". Chamber Ensemble of the Milan Symphony Orchestra

In November 2002, he signed a record contract with the prestigious Italian label "Soul Note" for whom he will record original projects for the next three year.

Giovanni Falzone currently teaches courses in "Improvisation and Jazz Pronunciation for Wind Instruments", and plays regularly with the Giuseppe Verdi Symphony Orchestra of Milan. He is also the artistic musical director of the NO'HMA under the direction of Teresa Pomodoro, alternating his work in classical music with work in the jazz field.

For further information: www.giovannifalzone.com

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