World-class pianist Francesco Attesti is coming to Bocs Grande for a free concert.
Attesti will appear at 7 p.m. Saturday, June 30, at the Boca Grande Community Center Auditorium.
The Friends of Boca Grande Community Center and Gasparilla Properties are sponsoring the appearance.
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World-class pianist Francesco Attesti
Marta Howell, executive director of the Friends, credited Bob Melvin of Gasparilla Propertis for the entertainment coup.
"Apparently, he's a friend of Bob's," she said.
Melvin said he's met Attesti through the Rotary and was able to get him to perform for basically the price of airfare.
Fact Box
To Go
Who: World-class pianist Francesco Attesti
What: free concert
When: 7 p.m. Saturday, June 30
Where: Boca Grande Community Center Auditorium
Sponsors: The Friends of Boca Grande Community Center and Gasparilla Properties
"He loves this island like we all do," Melvin said. "He's a friend of mine and he was going to be over here (stateside) playing the big concert halls. I take care of his air fare and he'll put on his concert."
The appearance is being billed a Summer Valentine Concert.
The 37-year-old Attesti is considered one of the finest interpreters of the Romantic and early 20th century repertoire.
He began practicing the piano at the age of 6 and gave his first concert at 11, performing a transcription of the Toccata and Fugue in D minor by J. S. Bach.
According to his website, when Francesco was 16, he met Sergio Perticaroli who, invited him to attend the Summer Masterclass at the Mozarteum of Salzburg. There, Francesco was immersed in the Romantic repertoire, particularly the works of Chopin and Liszt.
He continued to study with Maestro Perticaroli for several years in Rome, refining his skills and winning several national and international piano competitions, including: Ibla Grand Prize International, F.I.D.A.P.A. Competition, Citt di Racconigi, Migliori Diplomati d'Italia, Rovere d'Oro, Citt di Cesenatico.?The Swiss Ursula Stroher Stiftung sponsorship for talented young people was conferred on Francesco Attesti from 2003-2005.
In 1998, studying with Maestro Luigi Tanganelli at the "L. Cherubini" Conservatory of Florence, Francesco earned the highest grades in piano. He then attended masterclasses with Jacques Rouvier (1998) and Hector Moreno (1999, 2000).
With Maestro Moreno, he explored the chamber repertoire for piano, as well as several contemporary composers.
Francesco's first recorded a CD in 1998 when the "Rugginenti Editore" label asked him to record contemporary. Since then, there have been many recordings on several labels, such as "Agor," "Max Research," and "Drycastle." Some have been collaborations with such contemporary composers as Silvia Bianchera Bettinelli, Biagio Putignano, Raoul De Smet.
In 2007, together with organist, colleague and friend Matteo Galli, he published the first recording of Verdi's Requiem, transcribed for piano and organ, on the "Le Voci della Citta" label. At the beginning of 2008, Francesco produced a CD on the "Drycastle" label called "Feeling Chopin."
