Jacopo Taddei
Saxophonist Jacopo Taddei is creating sensation on the international classical music scene. Recognized for his brilliant technique, exuberance and finesse, Jacopo first came into the limelight in 2015, after winning the prestigious Claudio Abbado Prize and the Prize of the Milan Conservatory.
Born on January 28th,1996 on the Elba Island (Tuscany, Italy), Jacopo began his musical studies at the age of eight. He studied at the Pesaro Conservatory, in Federico Mondelci’s class, and graduated Summa cum Laude and Honourable Mention. Then he got his Master’s degree in Saxophone at the Milan Conservatory, Summa cum Laude with honours, under the guidance of Mario Marzi.
Between 2006 and 2018 Jacopo was the winner of twenty-four Absolute First Prizes in international competitions: to name just a few, the Salieri- Zinetti, the Luigi Nono, the Francesco Cilea di Palmi.
In 2015, at Umbria Jazz Clinics, Jacopo got a scholarship for the Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he was awarded a further substantial fellowship in 2016.
Jacopo plays recitals in the most famous concert halls, among which the Teatro Argentina, the Sala Santa Cecilia, the Parco della Musica in Rome; the Sala Verdi, the Auditorium, the Auditorium of the Università degli Studi, the Teatro degli Arcimboldi, Teatro Dal Verme, Teatro Litta and Teatro Filodrammatici in Milan; the Teatro d’Opera del Maggio Musicale in Florence; the Berklee Performance Center in Boston.
He performs as soloist with renowned orchestras, among which the Moscow Soloists Orchestra, UniMi Orchestra, Divertimento Ensemble, G.A.M.O Ensemble. He has played with the Orchestra Filarmonica della Scala, the Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, the Orchestra de I Pomeriggi Musicali, the Orchestra dei Conservatori italiani. In 2019 Jacopo has been appointed first solo soprano saxophone chair of the Orchestra of the Teatro Regio in Turin.
He has been conducted by celebrated conductors, such as Yury Bashmet, Antonio Pappano, Daniele Gatti, Yoichi Sugiyama, Daniel Smith, Bruno Aprea, Viktoriia Vitrenko, Francesco Gesualdi.
Taddei performs regularly at festivals for Les Jeunesses Musicales, Società Umanitaria, Festival Omaggio all’Umbria, Festival Elba Isola Musicale d’Europa, Amici della Musica di Padova. Some of his concerts have been broadcast by the Italian National Channel RaiRadio3 and Radio Popolare.
During the Season 2017/18, remarkable concerts were his debut in New York City (opening concert of New York Chamber Music Festival), in Miami (Miami International Piano Festival Academy) and in Hong Kong (Y Theatre). Season 2018/19 will feature Jacopo as Artist in Residence for the Società dei Concerti in Milan; he will also make his first appearance in the billboard of La Verdi Orchestra concert season at the Auditorium of Milan.
In 2019, he made solo recitals at the Italienisches Kulturinstitut Stuttgart. Performances with orchestra include, in 2020, concerts as soloist with the Nuremberger Symphoniker at the Milan Conservatory-Sala Verdi, and in Nuremberg.
Jacopo released his second CD produced by Concerto Classics and Skira, after the first one by Michelangeli Editore-Suonare News. He is the dedicatee of music composed by Christian Lauba, Francesco Libetta and Alessandro Solbiati.
In June 2017 he was awarded the Medal of the Italian Chamber of Deputies by its President in Montecitorio - as a recognition of his talent.
In May 2019 he was invited to the Rossini Conservatory in Pesaro to hold a master class.
Photo Credit : Ph Pablo Massa