When I was born, my mother was 41 years old and a few months earlier had graduated in piano, having resumed studies that had been interrupted to take care of the family. She then devoted herself to teaching piano, but had the wisdom not to be my teacher. My father travelled a lot for work and was tone-deaf as a bell, but he was an avid music listener and whenever he was home he would fl ood it with sounds through old record players and the radio. My two brothers, much older than me, never studied music, although the second played light music on the guitar and I loved to stop and listen to him. Finally, our two grandmothers also lived permanently in our house. In this diverse and multi-generational context, I took my fi rst pianistic steps. I am aware of the great gift I received, which gave me the opportunity to meet many wonderful people along the way: teachers, colleagues, and also everyday people, strangers, who may have passed by the dressing room just to compliment me. But I feel a special gratitude to my teachers: Anna Ferrari, who gave me the initial technical setup; Agatella Catania, who was the one who guided me with passion up to my diploma; Nunzio Montanari, of whom, in addition to his valuable advice, I remember and cherish in my memory, still many years later, the example of humble and self-sacrifi cing work that emerged from the stories of his adventures in musical life after the War; and above all, Michele Campanella, whose guidance has led me to a deeper relationship with music, steeped in respect for the score and simplicity of interpretation. In these 50 years, I have reaped many successes, lived many wonderful experiences, and experienced many profound joys. However, there has been no lack of failures and missteps, but looking back, I can say that perhaps it was precisely these diffi cult moments that showed me new paths and new goals.
What else to say about me…
I love playing Schubert: not only, of course, but yes particularly.
I love ensemble music very much.
I love teaching young people, passing on what little I know and exploiting their talents. And learning from them.
I love sports, especially rugby, volleyball and padel.
I love the sea, in summer and winter.
I love snow-capped mountains.
I love the silence.
I look to the future with hope, because I believe that there are many good people; and goodness is contagious. Just start with one small thing and then another and another… one step after another… like a wayfarer… of Schubertian memory.
