Flavio Villani is an Italian-New Zealand pianist who made Auckland his home after moving from Italy in 2008. He completed a Bachelor of Piano Performance with Matteo Napoli at the Conservatory “G.Martucci” in conjunction with a Bachelor of IT in Salerno, Italy in 2007.
After working in IT in Barcelona for a couple of years, he was given the opportunity to come to New Zealand to pursue a career in music. He moved to New Zealand in 2008 to follow his dream and in 2012 he completed a Master in Piano Performance at the University of Auckland with first class honours under the guidance of pianist Stephen De Pledge.
Flavio is currently a Doctoral Candidate at the University of Waikato, with Katherine Austin as supervisor. Flavio’s doctoral research focuses on the methodologies of improvisation used within Classical music. Up until the end of the nineteenth century, improvisation was an essential component of a musician’s development. Elements of composition were combined in teaching and performance, for a better understanding, embodiment and interpretation of the musical elements of a score, as well as to enhance creativity in a musician’s formation. Key to this research and study has been the supervision and work with Professor David Dolan at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, an expert on this field.
The journey towards his first solo performance with an orchestra was documented in the internationally acclaimed biopic documentary ”Crossing Rachmaninoff”. The film followed his preparations for, and performance of, Rachmaninoff Concerto n.2 in Calabria in 2015.
After that performance he subsequently took different soloist opportunities performing Rachmaninoff Concerto n.2, Tchaikovsky Concerto n.1, the Warsaw Concerto and Carnival of the Animals with the Orchestra of CalArts in Los Angeles, the New Plymouth Orchestra, the Taranaki Symphony, the Bay of Plenty Symphonia, the Hawke’s Bay Orchestra and the Auckland Symphony Orchestra.
Flavio was absolute winner of the Northland Society Piano Competition in 2008 as well as winner of the first prize in the Llewelyn Piano Competition in both 2011 and 2012.
He has performed many recitals as a soloist as well as in different chamber formations in California, Texas, Italy, Spain, North Macedonia and New Zealand.
Festivals where he has performed include: the Venice Biennale (2011) for the exhibition and installation of the New Zealand pavilion, “Lamezia Festival” in Calabria and “Pianino Festival” in the Chopin cell in Mallorca.
He has also adjudicated a number of national piano competitions in New Zealand in the past couple of years (Hamilton, Te Awamutu, IRMT Auckland).
PROGRAMME
Bach/Busoni - Chaconne in D minor
Chopin - Nocturne Op.27 no.1
Chopin - Ballade no.1 in G Minor Op.23
Chopin - Nocturne Op.27 no.2
Chopin - Nocturne Op.48 no.1
Chopin - Ballade no.4 in F Minor Op.52
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