Education
Elena Cecconi graduated in Italy at Conservatorio of Frosinone with the highest marks under the guidance of A. Pucello. She attended the Mastercourses at the Mozarteum of Salzburg with K. H. Zoeller and at the Hochschule für Musik of Vienna with the flutist W. Schulz and E.Melkus for Baroque Music.
Soloist Activity
As a soloist, she has performed under the conducting of G. Ferro (Ibert concert), H.Soudant, M.Boder (Mozart concerts), U. B. Michelangeli (Bach suite) and many others, with different Italian orchestras including the Scarlatti Orchestra, Cremona soloists, Teatro Bellini of Catania Orchestra, Sicilian Symphony Orchestra, Alessandria Classica and others. She also has performed with the Albanian Radio Television Orchestra, Budapest Chamber Orchestra, UCS University Orchestra and OSPA Porto Alegre Symphony Orchestra -Brazil.
Elena has captivated audiences in many places around the world such as Germany, Austria, Norway, Albania, Poland, Switzerland, Spain, Portugal, France, Greece, Romania, Turkey, Serbia, Brasil, Argentina, Costa Rica, Japan, Thailand, Hong Konh- China; USA: Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, California; and Russia, in the famous Ciaikovskij hall of Moscow (Mercadante Concerto).
She performed in important and famous Concert halls as OlimpicoTheater in Rome, Bellini Theater of Catania, Jesi and Panicale Theaters, Olimpico Theater and Music Academy Concert Hall in Vicenza, Mantova, Genova; Concert hall in Cagliari and Palermo, Music International Festivals of Gressoney, Cappadocia, Santander; Florianka Hall in Krakov- Poland and many other Italian and European Music halls and Festivals; Concert halls in Lafayette, Loyola, Dekalb, Hammond, Tulane Universities, Westwego Theater in New Orleans, Teatro Naciònal de San Jose’- Costa Rica, Goethe Institute in Bangkok, Y-Studio in Hong Kong and Concert halls in USA, Japan, Thailand, Brazil, Argentina, Costa Rica.
Competitions and Recordings
She won several Competitions (Palmi, Caltanissetta, Galiçia International Competition) and the Competition to teach in the National Music Academies.
She recorded as soloist for Edipan (T.Procaccini pieces), Ricordi-Stradivarius (Luoghi Immaginari-F.Vacchi), Bayer Records-Germany- (Operatic Fantasias for flute and piano), Clarinet Classics -UK- (Concertoni of Mercadante for fl and orch.) Talent Records (Belgium), Tactus Records, Brilliant Classics (The Netherland), La Bottega Discantica -Italy- (solo flute , flute and harp, flute and piano), Urania records-Leonardo collection (Kuhlau solo flute), De Ferrari (poems with solo flute CD various composers), Da Vinci Edition (solo flute Keller, Jensen – Flute and piano Genin). Her CD appeared with the highest tribute on important International Music Magazines and worldwide radio broadcasting.
Orchestras
She was First Solo Flute of the Sicilian Symphony Orchestra till 1994 and she played and plays as First Flute and Soloist in the “La Fenice ” Orchestra of Venice, the “Toscanini Orchestra ” of Parma , in the “Olimpic Theatre Orchestra” of Vicenza, in the Italian Philarmonic Orchestra of Piacenza, and in the Classical Orchestra of Alessandria.
Chamber Music
She performs in several chamber groups (fl .and piano, fl. and harp, fl. and guitar, fl. and harpsichord, wind quintet, etc) and in 1996 she founded “La Variazione “ Ensemble, a group consisting of a flutist, harpist, and a tenor (recordings and tournée in Italy, Switzerland, Japan, USA).
She performs with the harpist Paola Devoti, they recorded for Bottega Discantica and they performed at Falaut Festival 2009. Elena performed in the project “The thoughtful Heart” Flute, Piano Duo Paola Biondi and Debora Brunialti, Carmen Pupillo singer and Laura Trimarchi actress. She also performs a duo with the actress Laura Trimarchi. Elena plays with the pianist Patrizia Bernelich and more international pianists.
Teaching
Elena is Professor of Flute at the Conservatorio – Music University G.Nicolini of Piacenza, and she also conducts and performs with The Joyful Flute Ensemble founded by her.
She taught MasterClasses at Valtidone International Festivals and Summer Camp-Italy, International Mastercourses at Assisi UmbriaEstate, Flute Masterclass at Musica in Vacanza-Accademia Operarmonica in Pistoia. Elena teaches Flute Masterclass at SDA Suoni d”Autore.
She teaches Flute Masterclasses and performs Flute recitals at Conservatorio-Music Academies in Vicenza, Mantova and Reggio Calabria – and she was Guest Artist at International Wind Festival 2019 in Novara – Italy.
Recently she taught a Masterclasses and performed recitals in Turkey, Greece- Kodaly Conservatorio in Athens- and at F. Liszt Music University in Weimar (Germany), Music Academy in Krakov (Poland), Conservatorio Superior de Musica in Alicante, La Coruña, Valencia and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (Spain), the Escola Superior de Musica ESML of Lisbon, and Aveiro University- Portugal.
She teaches Masterclasses in USA at the Florida State College in Jacksonville (FL), at Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond, University of Louisiana at Lafayette UL and Loyola University and Tulane University in New Orleans (LA), at ThomasCountyCentral Highschool of Thomasville (GA) and at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb-Chicago (IL) where she also played solo flute, flute and piano and flute and harp recitals. Elena taught Masterclass and solo flute recital at UFRGS University in Porto Alegre and at Santa Maria Vale Veneto RS University- Brazil and at Maimonides University in Buenos Aires-Argentina.
Festivals and International Engagements
On January 2007, February 2008 and January 2010 Elena perfomed Solo Flute Recitals and a “Virtuoso Operatic Fantasias”– Flute and piano recital with the pianist Tim Carey- at the Flute Fair in the Florida Flute Annual State Convention (Orlando-Florida).
She has been selected to play an Operatic Fantasias recital for flute and piano at the 36th Annual NFA Convention– National Flute Convention in Kansas City-Missoury , August 2008. In the same Convention she performed the piece “Hurricane!” for solo flute of H.Buss-Brixton Publications.
Elena has been invited to represent Italy at the VIII International Flute Festival in Costa Rica in April 2013, where she taught Masterclass and performed Verdi Operatic Fantasias with the pianist Tim Carey. In 2014 Elena performed and taught Masterclasses at XII International Flute Festival-ABRAF in Belem, at VII Flute Festival in Porto Alegre, and at XXXII Festival.Vale Veneto- Brazil; in Genève – Switzerland at La Côte Flûte Festival, in Mendoza – Argentina at the IX World Flutes Festival; September 2017; Flute Festival and Recitals in Romania 2015 and 2018.
Juries
Elena was in the Jury at the International Mozart Competition – Berlin – 2017, at Rospigliosi International Competition 2019, at Musica Nueva International Flute Competition Buenos Aires.
Guest Artist
Elena is Guest artist with recitals and Masterclass at Gazzelloni Festival in Roccasecca – Italy and International Wind Instruments Festival in Corfù – Greece.
Dedicated Works
The Florida composer, H. Buss composed pieces for Elena: “Alpine Spring” and ” Inner Quest”, for flute and harp, and Pieces for solo flute entitled “Space Renaissance” and “Venetian Memoirs” – Brixton Publications – this one performed by Elena at the Florida Flute Convention- January 2010 – World Premiere. The composers C.Galante, R.Di Marino, P.Devoti, A. Del Re, P.Furlani, H.Buss, A.Hagman, N. Harizanos, M.Furlani, composed pieces dedicated to Elena.
Affiliations
Elena is Magistral Dama of the Knights of Malta and she is a musician of Donatori di Musica.
Poetry
Elena is a poet and her books of poems has been published: ” Inquietudini fra Musica e Silenzio” Aracne; ” Arabeschi e Geometrie” including the solo flute CD ” Il respiro che racconta” DeFerrari publisher; “Ironie della Sorte, Tempo e Destini” Albatros- Il filo; “Umane dissonanze Echi divini” PAV Edizioni. More poems by Elena has been published in Poems Anthologies by several publisher. Elena received awards and certificates of merit for her poems, and her books are present in International books’ salons and fairs.
Instrument
Elena Cecconi plays a Haynes gold flute 14 K which belonged to the famous Italian flutist Severino Gazzelloni.
www.elenacecconi.it
Short CVS
Elena Cecconi has captivated audiences in concert halls and Festivals in Italy, Europe, Brazil, Argentina, Costa Rica, Japan, Hong Kong-China, Thailand, USA and Russia.
As soloist she has performed with several Orchestras including the Budapest Chamber Orchestra, UCS and OSPA Brazil Orchestras, Scarlatti of Napoli and Cremona Soloists, Albanian Radio Television, Catania and Sicilian Symphony Orchestras.
She recorded 5 stars international CD for Edipan, Ricordi-Stradivarius, Bayer Records, Talent, Tactus, Brilliant, La Bottega Discantica, Urania records, Da Vinci Edition.
She was Principal Solo Flute of the Sicilian Symphony Orchestra until 1994 and also performed as Principal Solo Flute in the Orchestras of Venice, Parma, Vicenza, Piacenza, Alessandria.
Elena is Flute Professor at the Music Academy G.Nicolini of Piacenza, and she also conducts and performs with The Joyful Flute Ensemble, founded by her.
She teaches Masterclasses in Music Academies in Italy, Greece, Turkey, Weimar and Osnabrück -Germany, Krakov- Poland, Alicante, Valencia, La Coruña, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Vigo – Spain, Libon, Aveiro-Portugal and in USA: Florida, Louisiana, Illinois Universities, and NFA and FFA flute Convention; in Porto Alegre and Vale Veneto-Brazil and Maimonodes University in Buenos Aires-Argentina, at the International Flute Festival in San José- Costa Rica and Abraf 2014, Porto Alegre 2016 flute convention- Brazil; Mendoza world flute. Convention 2017- Argentina.
She was Guest Artist at International Wind Festival 2019 in Novara. She is Guest Artist at Gazzelloni Festival in Roccasecca and International Wind Instruments Festival in Corfù-Greece, with recitals and Masterclass.
Elena performs with several chamber groups as Ensemble La Variazione, Il Cuore che pensa, duo with the actress Laura Trimarchi, flute and piano with the pianist Patrizia Bernelich and more international pianists.
She specialized at the Hochschule für Musik of Vienna with W. Schulz after graduating in Italy at Conservatorio of Frosinone with the highest marks.
Elena performs in the project Donatori di Musica and she is Dama Magistrale of Knights of Malta.
Elena was in the Jury at the Mozart International Competition – Berlin 2018, at Rospigliosi International Competition 2019, at Musica Nueva International Flute Competition Buenos Aires.
Recently her book of poems “Inquietudini fra Musica e Silenzio” has been published by Aracne publisher. More poems by Elena has been published in Poems Anthologies by several publisher. New poems just published: “Arabeschi e Geometrie” by De Ferrari- Genova, including a solo flute live CD “Il respiro che racconta”. In December 2021 has been published a third poems book, “Ironie della sorte, Tempo e Destini” by Albatros-Il Filo. In March 2023 a poems book “Umane dissonanze Echi divini” has been published by Pav publisher. Elena received awards and certificates of merit for her Poems.
Elena plays a Haynes gold flute 14 K – 1960 which belonged to the famous Italian flutist Severino Gazzelloni.
www.elenacecconi.it
Poetic / Musical Curriculum
Elena Cecconi is an international flutist and she is passionately devoted to poetry. She is Flute Professor at the Conservatory of Piacenza and gives masterclasses and recitals worldwide: Italy, Europe, Serbia, Russia, the United States, Brazil, Argentina, Hong Kong, Japan and Thailand. Winner of numerous competitions, she has been Principal Flute in symphonic and opera orchestras in Palermo, Parma and Venice. She has served on international juries and has recorded 5-star CDs for Ricordi-Stradivarius, La Bottega Discantica, Bayer Records, Talent, Tactus, Brilliant, Urania, De Ferrari and Da Vinci. Many composers have written works dedicated to her, and she performs with artists in different fields and chamber ensembles.
She has appeared as soloist with prestigious Italian and international orchestras, performing flute concertos by Mozart, Vivaldi, Mercadante, Reinecke, Chaminade and Ibert.
Elena plays the Haynes 14K gold flute (1960) that belonged to Severino Gazzelloni.
Poetry
In poetry, Elena has been selected for the publication of four poetry collections by important and prestigious publishers.
In 2020, the collection “Inquietudini fra musica e silenzio” (Aracne publisher, “Ragnatele” series) was presented at the Genoa Poetry Festival 2020. The poem “Lontano”, included in the collection, was selected for the International Salvatore Quasimodo Prize and will be included in the prestigious dedicated volume published by Aletti. The poetry collection received a Certificate of Merit at the VI edition of the International Michelangelo Buonarroti Prize.
Apollo Publishing House selected her poem “La Dea”, included in the recently published volume “Penso donna e scrivo”. Another poem, “Sospensione”, was selected and included in the anthology of the competition “Pagine d’oro della Poesia Italiana-2020” (CentoVerba publisher). Elena’s poems are also featured on websites and in poetry anthologies (Isole and Luci sparse) by the publishers Dantebus and Pagine – Poeti e Poesia.
A collection of 13 poems by Elena was selected and included in the Emozioni series published by Pagine – Poeti e Poesia.
In 2021, Elena Cecconi published two new poetry collections: “Arabeschi e Geometrie” (De Ferrari publisher), including a solo flute CD, “Il respiro che racconta”; and “Ironie della Sorte, Tempo e Destini” (Edizioni Albatros – Il Filo). The latter was a finalist at the Leopold II of Lorraine Literary Prize 2023.
Her poetic text “Il riscatto di Antigone” was set to music by composer Davide Tramontano and the chamber version for spoken voice, flute and viola was staged on 19 June 2022 at the Conservatory G. Nicolini of Piacenza for the contemporary music festival “Musicmediale”.
Elena received the Special Jury Prize for the poem “Scirocco” (Section A – single poem) at the 29th National Unpublished Poetry Competition “Ossi di Seppia”. The poem is included in the poetry collection “Umane dissonanze, Echi divini” (Pav Edizioni, Aonia series, 2023). For the same poem she also received an important recognition at the International Apollo Dionisiaco Prize and was included in the Gallery of Works in Poetry and Contemporary Art. The book was also among the finalists at the prize “La città del Ponte in Versi 2023” (Florence).
In 2024 she received the Special Merit Recognition of the Jury at the Apollo Dionisiaco Prize, with Diploma, critique in aesthetic semiotics, public reading at the National Central Library of Rome and publication in the Academic Anthology of Contemporary Poetry for the unpublished poem “Se sarò ancora qui”.
Her books are present at the Turin International Book Fair, at the Rome Book Fair “Più libri, più liberi”, and at international fairs and literary salons.
In addition to her strictly musical performances, Elena Cecconi performs in solo flute concerts and poetry readings, often in duo with actress and poet Laura Trimarchi. The duo has performed in Italy and abroad, including Hong Kong, Monte Carlo, and during the Week of the Italian Language in the World in Oslo (2019).
Elena Cecconi served on the jury of the unpublished poetry competition “Le Parole della Vita” 2024, Monaco, Monte-Carlo.
www.elenacecconi.it