BIO
FILIPPO LATTANZI
Considered one of the most interesting and complete artists of his generation, much appreciated by specialized magazines; the American Percussive Notes defines him, in a review of his CD’s, one of the most interesting interpreters and exponents of the marimba world scene, defining the recordings catalysing, attentive to stylistic details and with a clear historical-philological vision demonstrated by few interpreters.
Lattanzi’s artistic activity includes many solo concerts that have led him to perform in several states, including Argentina, Australia, Canada, Colombia, France, Germany, Greece, Holland, Poland, Portugal, South Korea, Spain, Romania, Thailand, Turkey, United States, Switzerland and Venezuela, welcomed in prestigious concert halls such as the Musikalle in Hamburg, the Chopin Academy in Warsaw, the Prague Concert Academy, the Piccolo Teatro alla Scala of Milan, the Konzertsaal KKL in Lucerne.
Alternating with the soloist activity collaborations with important chamber formations such as the NexTime Ensemble, the Arnold Schoenberg Choir of Vienna and the Aterballetto Dance Company of Reggio Emilia, with which he opened several editions of international music festivals, such as Di Nuovo Musica, Ferrara Musica and the La Biennale di Venezia Festival (Venice).
Since 2005 he has been the artistic director of the World Percussion Movement and he still directs him actively collaborating with the dance movement World Dance Movement (founded by choreographer Michele Assaf), and participating in prestigious events in which, among others, some of the most important international artists such as Steve Reich, and choreographers of international prestige such as the American Desmond Richardson and the French Bruno Collinet.
He has to his credit many first recordings and first Italian and world performances of works for marimba solo and Concertos for marimba and percussion by authors such as Richard Rodney Bennett, Luciano Berio, Luis De Pablo, Jean-Pierre Drouet, Vinko Globokar, Gerard
Grisey, Gabriela Ortiz, Toshiro Osokawa, Kaija Saariaho, Joseph Schwantner, Toru Takemitsu, Andrew Thomas, Alejandro Viñao, for the record labels Koch-Schwann-Aulos, Naxos, Forlane, Tactus, Dad Records, for the Radio and Television of Italian Switzerland.
He regularly gives master classes at festivals, universities, and music conservatories in the United States, Australia, Argentina, Colombia, Venezuela, Thailand, South Korea, Belgium, Germany, Greece, Holland, Lithuania, Portugal, Spain and Turkey.
He is regularly invited to take part in international juries in marimba competitions, including the Universal Marimba Competition (Belgium), the Australian Marimba Competition in Melbourne (Australia), Concours International de Marimba in Paris, the Percussive Arts Society (USA), Tomarimbando Percussion Festival (Portugal), Valencia Percussion Festival & Competition (Spain), Jeju International Brass and Percussion Competition (South Korea),
Princess Vadhana Galyani Institute of Music – International Ensemble Competition (Bangkok, Thailhand), Thailand International Percussion Festival (Bangkok, Thailand.
Since 2001 Filippo Lattanzi is the artistic director of the Italian label DAD RECORDS which has under his belt 126 titles ranging from ancient music to classical, contemporary and jazz.
Among his activities, we can also mention his important knowledge demonstrated over the years as Ton Meister (Technician and director of registration) in which he offered his expertise to labels of national and international prestige as the European TACTUS, Stradivarius, Azzurra Records, VelNet, DAD RECORDS and to important theater orchestras like Fondazione Teatro Petruzzelli for which, thanks to his work, they received the Abbiati award, which is considered one of the highest awards by Italian music critics.
The Petruzzelli Foundation, one of Italy’s most prestigious symphony Italian opera houses, has commissioned a concerto for percussion and orchestra to the Italian composer Carlo Boccadoro. The Concerto, dedicated to Lattanzi and entitled “Cat and Mouse,” will be premiered on June 7 this year and will be conducted by the French conductor Pascal Rophé.
Born in Bari where he began the course of musical studies, graduating with full marks and praise under the guidance of Beniamino Forestiere. He then specialized with Maestro Gastone Sylvestre at the Conservatoire National de Region Rueil Mailmaison in Paris, obtaining, for four consecutive years, the gold medal and the Premier Prix de la Musique à l’unanimité et Félicitations. In ’98 he was also conferred, for the first time unanimously, the Prix Spécial de Virtuosité en Marimba, in whose prestigious commission are placed composers of the caliber of George Aperghis and Carlos Alsina as well as percussionists like Jean-Pierre Drouet and Willy Coquillat.
At the same time, he perfected with Michael Rosen at the Oberlin College of Music in the United States, with Robert Van Sice at the Royal Conservatory of Rotterdam and with Leigh Howard Stevens at the Royal Academy of Music in London.
He also perfected his jazz language at Berklee College of Music in Boston and, at the same time, with some of the most prominent drummers on the international scene such as Peter Erskine, Tommy Igoe, Dafnis Prieto, John Ramsay, Antonio Sanchez, Steve Smith, and Dave Weckl. His latest performances have been enjoyed alongside artists such as Marco Pacassoni, Alex Acuna, and Amik Guerra.
In recent years, he has undertaken the activity of conductor, also bringing to the stage contemporary works premiered by composers such as Gianni Francia and Biagio Putignano.
Lattanzi performs all over the world, as endorsers, for ADAMS Musical Instruments,
Innovative Percussion Mallets, GRETSCH Drums, SABIAN Cymbals, DAD RECORDS and GM-AUDIO in-ear headphones.
