Christian Schmitz

Pianist, Italy

Born in Milan, he graduated with honours in piano at the Conservatory of his city under the guidance of M° Sergio Lattes, later studying with M° Boris Petrushansky and with prof. Nelly Ben-Or.

Recently he has studied with prof. Maria Luisa Franco, graduating cum laude at the Conservatory "A. Boito” in Parma. As a soloist he has distinguished himself in several national and international competitions, and has held concerts in Italy and abroad, devoting particular attention to the music of the Twentieth century.

He collaborated with important associations such as the Academie Française in Rome, Traiettorie Sonore in Como, Fondazione Ricci di Studi Pianistici in Udine, performing in prestigious halls such as Steinway Hall in London, Villa Medici in Rome, Amici del Loggione del Teatro alla Scala, Spazio Oberdan, Sala Napoleonica at the Circolo della Stampa in Milan. He played chamber music from a very young age, under the guidance of prof. Maria Leali, and showed eclecticism collaborating with a wide variety of instrumentalists (two pianos and four hands, strings, winds, percussion).

He graduated in composition with the highest marks in the class of prof. Sonia Bo at the Giuseppe Verdi Conservatory in Milan, later studying with M°Azio Corghi at the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome. He attended masterclasses held by Pascal Dusapin, Henri Pousseur and Bernard Cavanna and took part in the composition courses of the Accademia Chigiana in Siena held by Maestro Azio Corghi, obtaining the Diploma of Merit in 2004.

He has won several prizes in composition competitions: Grand Prize at the International Piano Composition Competition in Valencia (2005), first prize at the ICOMS International Competition in Turin (2003), second prize at the International Competition in Val Tidone (2007), second prize at the National Composition Competition Assami (2001), third prize at the Castello di Belveglio International Festival. His works have been performed as part of events such as Settembre Musica in Turin, Di Nuovo Musica in Reggio Emilia, Festival Berio in Rome, by the Sicilian Symphony Orchestra in Palermo and have been published by Edizioni Bèrben and Ass. Bellas Artes in Valencia.

Since 2007 he has worked on the rediscovery of the Italian swing and light repertoire of the Thirties and Forties, founding, together with the producer and author Giorgio Bozzo, the Sorelle Marinetti theatre company (of which he is a pianist, arranger and vocal director) and the Maniscalchi Orchestra, a big band dedicated to rediscovering the Italian repertoire of that period, of which he is pianist and arranger.

With these projects he has performed in the major Italian theatres, as well as in Switzerland and France and has supervised the artistic production of their record productions (7 albums to his credit). In 2014 he graduated cum laude in Instrumental Didactics at the Conservatory A. Boito in Parma.

Since 2006 he works as vocal coach and teacher of Harmony analysis in the "Operando" courses for opera singers and conductors held with M° Francesco Lanzillotta and M° Bruno Taddia in Milan.

He teaches piano at the Liceo Musicale "C. Tenca" in Milan.