Giuseppe Di Bianco

Giuseppe Di Bianco
Giuseppe Di Bianco
Born	Giuseppe Di Bianco; 17 October 1969 (age 55); Naples, Italy
Alma mater	Salerno University
Occupation(s)	Composer, pianist
Website	www.giuseppedibianco.com

Giuseppe Di Bianco (born 17 October 1969) is an Italian composer, conductor, arranger, mainly of choral music.

Biography

Education

Giuseppe Di Bianco holds degrees in Piano, Composition, Choral conducting and Music Didactics from the Conservatories of Salerno and "San Pietro a Majella” of Naples, graduating Summa cun Laude and Honorable Mention in Foreign Languages and Modern Literatures, with a post Lauream Master at Rome University. His training includes piano studies with Pietro D’Amico, György Sándor, Alexandre Hintchev; compositional studies under Enrico Buondonno (pupil of L. Refice) and masterclasses at "Scuola di Musica di Fiesole" (Florence) and at Accademia Chigiana (Chigiana Musical Academy) of Siena with Giacomo Manzoni, Luis Andriessen, Peter Maxwell Davies, Louis De Pablo; analysis seminars with Jean - Jacques Nattiez, Janet Schmalfeldt (Tufts University, MA).

Artistic activity

Active as a pianist, teacher and composer, with a particular interest in choral composition, Giuseppe Di Bianco has gained international recognition winning first prizes in many composition competitions: I prize at the 13th International Trophy of Choral Composition Competition "Seghizzi" (Gorizia, IT, 2016); VIII International “Amadeus" Choral Composition Competition (Badajoz, Spain, 2014); V International “Choir Laboratory, XXI Century” Competition, (St. Petersburg, RUS, 2012); XI “A.C.P.” National Choral Composition Competition, Regione Piemonte (IT), 2012 , “A.R.C.C. Award” “La canzone napoletana in polifonia” (IT), 2009; International Choral Award “José Ribeiro de Sousa (Alqueidão da Sierra, Portugal), 2008; XI International Composition Award by Federcoritrentino (Trento), 2001, etc.

His choral works "In Laude" and "In pace" were chosen to be compulsory pieces at 44th and 55th International Choral COmpetition “C. A. Seghizzi”(Gorizia, Italy) in the "contemporary section". In 2008, in Naples, he was awarded the “Franco Caracciolo” National Prize for the best choral sacred composition based on a luteran text. On the same year he was invited by Dr. Sue T. Klausmeyer (University of North Carolina, USA) as composer-in-residence at Chapel Hill Campus (NC, USA). In 2014 he was awarded the FENIARCO prize (Italian National Choral Federation) for his original choral score "Madonna de lu Camene", on neapolitan language text.

His choral music has been commissioned and included in the repertoire of Italian and foreign choral ensembles: Coro di Voci Bianche of “"Santa Cecilia” Academy, Rome, "Coro da Camera di Torino" (IT), “Academic choir of Aarhus” (DK), "E STuudio Noortenkor" (EST), UPSA “University of the Philippines Singing Ambassadors” (Quezon city, Philippines), “San Josè State University Choraliers” (San Josè, CA, USA), “Cantari” vocal ensemble, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; “Quire of Voyces”, Santa Barbara, CA, USA; “NYME, "New York Miniaturist ensemble", etc. Among the various collaborations and première entrusted to international solists and conductors: Charlene Archibeque, R. Paul Crabb, Mario Caroli, Eric Carlson, T. J. Harper, Sue T. Klausmeyer, Nathan Kreitzer, Ed Manguiat, Uffe Most, Terry Rhodes, Alessandro Ruo Rui, Mattia Sanguineti, Mauro Squillante, Dario Tabbia, Sante Tursi, Jonathan Talberg, Ciro Visco). His choral music has been performed in Italy and abroad (the Vatican City, France, Denmark, Latvia, Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, Philippines, URSS and United States) including important premieres and venues (the mottetto "Angele Dei" had its italian première in Rome at St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City, 2010) and included as part of international choral festivals, such as the 44th Competition "C. A. Seghizzi" of Gorizia and 60th International "Guido D'Arezzo" Choral Festival", Arezzo, 2012; the International Choral Festival of Saint - Petersburg (RU). He is also active as a pianist, with particular regard to the chamber music repertoire, performing in important festivals and venues organized by accredited musical associations: Ravello Concert Society, Concerti dell’Università di Roma 3, Roma; Concerts at “Chiostro del Paradiso” of Amalfi; “Santa Sofia” Music Festival of Benevento; I Giovedì musicali di S. Rosa, Conca dei Marini; Estate musicale sorrentina, Sorrento, Concerti a Villa Guariglia, Vietri sul Mare; Teatro “G. Verdi”, Salerno; Teatro Tasso, Sorrento; Teatro Comunale of Carpi (Mo), Auditorium “Oscar Niemeyer” of Ravello, Festival Teatro de’ Barbuti, Salerno, etc).

In 2009 he founded the "Limen" chamber trio (piano, flute and voice), aimed at enhancing and spreading rare repertoires and specific monographs. His choral compositions are published in Italy by Federcoritrentino and Feniarco Ed. (choral anthology "Melos 3" and “Voci & Tradizione”- Piemonte) and abroad by “Kompositor Publishing House” (St. Petersburg, RU). In 2013 his composition "Kublai" was chosen for the "Invisible Cities Project", an international composition project, freely inspired to Italo Calvino's book. The project includes works from composers from all over the world (Carlo Domeniconi, Victor Kioulaphides, Alexey Larin, etc.) He has lectured on musicologic topics (“Musica poetica by Joachim Burmeister” at Fondazione Menna of Salerno, 1998; “Linguaggi, invention, percorsi critici tra tradizione e contemporaneità” at 36th European Conference on Musical Education and Choral music in Gorizia (2005) and at the University of Salerno (“The new research of Melopoiesis”, 2007). He currently lives and works in Maiori, on the enchanting Coast of Amalfi (IT), collaborating into several projects including music, literature and theatre.

Awards and special Honors

2016 - I prize, 13th International “TROPHY of Choral Composition Competition "Seghizzi" (Gorizia, Spain)
2014 - I prize, VIII International “CONTEMPORALIA" Choral Composition Competition (Badajoz, Spain)
2012 - I prize, V International “Choir Laboratory, XXI Century” Competition (St. Petersburg, Russia)
2012 - I prize, XI “A.C.P.” National Choral Composition Competition, Regione Piemonte (Italy)
2010 - I prize, X "A.C.P." National Choral Composition Competition (Regione Piemonte, Italy)
2010 - II prize (1st not assigned), III National Choral Composition Prize "A.R.C.C.", La canzone napoletana in polifonia (Italy)
2008 - I prize, International Choral Award “José Ribeiro de Sousa" (Alqueidão da Sierra, Portugal)
2008 - I Prize, “Opera Omnia” Choral Prize, Fiumefreddo di Sicilia (Catania, Italy)
2008 - I Prize, IX “A.C.P.” National Choral Composition Competition, Regione Piemonte (Italy)
2008 - I Prize, II National Choral Composition Prize "A.R.C.C.", La canzone napoletana in polifonia (Italy)
2008 - II prize (1st not assigned), 2nd International Choral Composition Competition (Vittorio Veneto, TV, Italy)
2008 - II prize, “F.M. Napolitano” Composition National Award 2007 (Naples, Italy)
2007 - I Prize, Choral Composition Contest “Soldanella” of Brentonico (Trento, Italy), 2007
2007 - II prize (1st not assigned), National Composition Prize "Franco Michele Napolitano" (Naples, Italy)
2005 - Finalist, II International Competition for Choral Composition “C.A. Seghizzi” (Gorizia, Italy)
2004 - II prize, T.I.M. “International Music Tournament” Award (Rome / Paris, 2004)
2003 - III prize, International “Drum open competition” (Fermo, AN, Italy)
2003 - Finalist, “Helmut Laberer” Composition Prize, Conservatory of “Santa Cecilia” (Rome, Italy)
2002 - II prize, X International Prize of Cortemilia (Cuneo, Italy)
2001 - I Prize ex-aequo, XI International Choral Composition Award by Federcoritrantino (Trento, Italy)

Honorable mention / Special honors

2013 - FENIARCO Special Award (Italian National Choral Federation) for an original choral work on Neapolitan language (Naples, Italy)
2008 - “Franco Caracciolo” Award (audience prize), VIII Sacred Choral Composition Prize on a luteran text (Naples, Italy)
2008 - Honorable Mention, International Choral Award “José Ribeiro de Sousa" (Alqueidão da Sierra, Portugal)
2007 - Honorable Mention, 7th Aliénor International Harpsichord Composition Competition, Salem College, Winston-Salem (NC, USA)
2002 - Honorable Mention (no prize assigned), National Choral Composition Prize “P. Righele” (Malo, VC, Italy)

Commissions

2015 - Terra mia (SATB), Commissioned by "Kantika Vocal Ensemble", dir. Raffaela Scafuri
2014 - In pace (SSATB), Commissioned by "Coro da Camera di Torino", dir. Dario Tabbia
2013 - Victimae paschali laudes - Coro "Stella del Mare", Cecina (LI)
2012 - "La musica della Costa d'Amalfi" - CD arrangements commissioned by Orchestra Mandolinistica "Le corde della Costa d'Amalfi"
2008 - Venite, exultemus - Commissioned by "Carolina International Chorale", Chapel Hill, NC, USA
2007 - Parthenope Suite - Commissioned by "Officina Musicale" for the International "Fiera della liuteria contemporanea", Cremona, 2007

Works (selection)

Choral works (original compositions)

In pace - SSATB a cappella (2014)
Victimae paschali laudes - SATB a cappella (2013)
Madonna de lu Carmene - Solo, SATB (2011) [Special National Prize FENIARCO, for an original piece with Neapolitan language]
Angele Dei - SATB a cappella (2010) [1st Prize, V International “Choir Laboratory, XXI Century” Competition, St. Petersburg, URSS, 2012]
Salmo 148 - SATB, piano (2007) [“Franco Caracciolo” National Prize, best choral sacred composition on a luteran text, Naples 2008]
Silentium (Volatizzazione di Dosso Casina) - TTBB a cappella (2007) [1st Prize, Choral Composition Contest “Soldanella” at Brentonico (Tn), ITA, 2007]
In laude - SSATBB a cappella (2004) [Finalist, 2nd International Competition for Choral Composition “C.A. Seghizzi” (Gorizia, ITA, 2005)]
Salmo 95 – for SATB choir, piano (2002)
As if the sea should part (E. Dickinson) - SATTB a cappella (2002)
Mistero della casa - (introitus), SATB, 2 T.be, C.no, Tb.ne, organo (2002)
Sia lode alla pietra angolare - (offertorium), SATB, organ (2002)
Ave Maria – SATB a cappella (1996) / SSAA arrangement available
Agnus Dei – SATB a cappella (1992)

Choral arrangements

Italian popular tunes from Piemonte (2012)
Four popular tunes extremeñas (from "Cancioneiro de Entre Mar e Serra" da Alta Extremadura) (2008-2013)
Italian popular tunes from Veneto (2008)
Two Italian traditional Christmas tunes by St. Alfonso de' Liguori (2008)

- Quanno nascette ninno (SATB, piano)

- Tu scendi dalle stelle (SATB, piano)

The meeting at Peterloo, based on an old English ballad; SATB divisi a cappella (2001), 1st Prize, XI International Composition Award by Federcoritrantino (Trento), ITA, 2001
Pop in choir II – arranged for a cappella choir (2000)
Pop in choir I – three arrangements for a cappella choir (1999)
Italian popular tunes from Trentino Alto Adige (1996)
Heilige Nacht (trad.) (1996), (SSA and wind quintet)
Amazing grace (trad.), for medium voice, SATB, piano (1993)
Italian popular tunes from Friuli Venezia Giulia (1993)
Two traditional Christmas songs (1992)

- Stille nacht (F. Gruber) - SATB or TTBB and piano

- White Christmas (I. Berlin) - SATB or TTBB and piano; S,T, wind quintet

Two negro spiritual (1991)

- He never said a mumblin’ word (SATB)

- Wade in de water (soprano, SATB)

Neapolitan traditional songs, for a cappella choir (1993 - 2013)

- Cantata a fronne ‘e limone (SAT)

- Cicerenella (SSATB)

- La ballata della trasportatrice a spalla (SATB)

- La fiera de mast’Andrea (SATB divisi), 1st prize, II “A.R.C.C. Award”, “La canzone napoletana in polifonia” (ITA), 2008

- La scarpetta (SATB), 1st prize, XI “A.C.P.” National Choral Composition Competition, Regione Piemonte (ITA), Torino 2012

- Lu cardillo (SATB)

- Luna nova (SATB), 2nd prize (1st not assigned), III “A.R.C.C. Award”, “La canzone napoletana in polifonia” (ITA), 2010

- ‘O Marenariello (SATB divisi), 2nd prize (1st not assigned), III “A.R.C.C. Award”, “La canzone napoletana in polifonia” (ITA), 2010

- Palummella (SATB), 2010

- Ritornello delle lavandare del Vomero (SAT / SSA), 1993

Chamber music

Kublai (après une image invisible) - per mandolino e chitarra (2013)
Mentis motus – per pianoforte, xylofono, marimba e timpani (1995)

- trascrizione per quintetto di fiati (2003)

Threnos - per clarinetto (commento sonoro a The mystic swan, film muto di T. Edison ) (2007)
Parthenope (Litania, Moresca, Giga) – Suite per trio d’archi (2007)
Quartetto - per archi (2007)
Quelli che vanno - per flauto (2008)
Wolfgang… remastered (pastiche su temi mozartiani) – per Baritono, Ottavino, Trombone e quartetto d’archi (2003)

Songs

Two poems by H. Hesse (1991)

- Nacht

- Bitte

Ave Maria – soprano and piano (1993)
Tre liriche per soprano, on Rimbaud's poems (1994)

- Sensation

- Marine

- Tête de faune

Essays

Introduzione alla analisi stilistica e retorica, Convegno di Studi a cura della Fondazione "F. Menna", Salerno, 1998
Linguaggi, inventio, percorsi critici tra tradizione e contemporaneità, in Atti del XXXVI Convegno Europeo di Studi "Seghizzi", sez. musicologia, Ed.Uffico stampa Seghizzi, Gorizia, 2005
Melopoiesis. La musicalizzazione del testo letterario nella letteratura modernista inglese, Università degli Studi di Salerno, 2008
La musica italiana nel Risorgimento, 2011
InCanti di Sirene: topografia musicale di un mito, dal Mediterraneo ai Mari del Nord, 2012

Bibliography

Atti del XXXVI Convegno Europeo di Studi "Seghizzi", sez. musicologia,(pp. 195–217) Ed. Ufficio stampa Seghizzi, Gorizia, 2005
Autori vari, Armonie in concorso all' XI Concorso Internazionale di Composizione Corale, Ed. Federcoritrentino, 2002
Autori vari, Melos 3, nuove composizioni corali, Edizioni Musicali Feniarco, 2012
E. Galvani e A. Ruo Rui(a cura di):Voci & Tradizione Piemonte, Canti della tradizione orale armonizzati o elaborati per coro, Ed. Feniarco, San Vito al Tagliamento; ACP, Piemonte, 2012
I. Vyaeslavovna Roganova (a cura di):"Хоровая лаборатория. XXI век. Музыка для детей и юношества. Выпуск 4", Ed. «Композитор • Санкт-Петербург», S. Pietroburgo, RUS, 2014

External links