Pietro Lusvardi
Pietro has an extensive background not only in teaching, but also as a performer and composer, covering both classical and jazz. Following graduation from the Conservatoire of Como in Italy he played professionally with a number of European orchestras including Orchestra Sinfonica di Brescia and Pomerigi Musicali in Italy, and also toured with the Sinfonica Orchestra of Cluj Napoca and the Filarmonica Oltenia of Craiova in Romania. He founded the award winning avant-garde jazz ensemble Gatto Marte, which has published ten albums to date. The group, playing Pietro’s compositions in 2000 won the 1st prize at the European Festival Arezzo Wave as best emerging band; and playing his composition to accompany the silent film ‘Gold Rush’, won 1st prize in that category at the Harlock International Festival of Bolzano in 1998.
From 2000 Pietro spent 4 years in California playing with orchestras including the Monterey Symphony Orchestra and the Bay Shore Lyric Opera Company, and various classical ensembles. He also performed extensively in jazz venues and continued to compose and perform for silent film.
Since coming to the UK in 2004 Pietro has been commissioned to write an opera by Teesside University which has been performed in England and Ireland, to write music for ballet by Tees Valley Dance, and to write a Concerto For Double Bass and Orchestra by the Hull Philharmonic Society, which he performed in 2011 with the Hull Philharmonic Orchestra and in 2013 with the Teesside Symphony Orchestra.
Pietro currently also has a busy teaching schedule including pupils at the University of York, Durham University, Hull University, Ampleforth College, and Hymers College Hull.
