IIC to Host Two Solo Concerts Next Month

Next month the Italian Cultural Institute (Istituto Italiano de Cultura, IIC) will contribute to the launching of the new season by offering two solo concerts on two successive weeks. Both of these will involve eclectic artists with rich experiences in the practice of jazz informed by the background of a classical education. Like other concerts hosted by IIC, both will begin at 6:30 p.m. and last for about two hours. IIC is located in the Civic Center at 601 Van Ness Avenue, Suite F. Admission is free, but registration is required to assure having a place. IIC has created a registration page specific for each event, and hyperlinks to those pages will be attached to the specific dates given below in the concert descriptions. Anyone who registers may also add the names of a maximum of two additional guests. Those wishing further information may call IIC at 415-788-7142.

Friday, September 14: Pianist Alberto Pizzo was born in Naples, and his studies at the Conservatory of Music San Pietro a Majella in that city advanced to the level of a master’s degree. After achieving recognition at both national and international piano competition, Pizzo decided to broaden his approach to repertoire. His most recent album Memories, released by Sony Classical in March of 2016, was recorded by the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Luis Bacalov. Pizzo’s personal  stamp is on all the tracks of the album, not on his original compositions but also his arrangements of selections of works by Frédéric Chopin, Domenico Scarlatti, and Johann Sebastian Bach. Those arrangements reflect his venture into both popular and jazz genres.

Wednesday, September 19: Luca Ciarla is a violinist who has balanced his interests in classical, jazz, and world music. He calls his eclectic approach “Violipiano Music.” His Web site includes a Projects Web page that reflects the diversity of his approaches to performance with titles such as “Solorchestra,” “Bach into Myself,” and “Jazz Violin 2.0.” His interest in past artists includes not only Bach but also pioneering jazz violinist Stéphane Grappelli.