Chiara Massini (Harpsichord)

Born: 1971 - Rome, Italy

The Italian harpsichordist, Chiara Massini, studies piano with Professor Enzo Stanzani at the at the Ottorino Respighi Conservatory in Rome, and musicology at La Sapienza University. Upon graduating, she attended various master-classes in Salzburg and commenced an intensive study of early music. This path led her to Vienna, where she studied harpsichord and figures bass at the University of Music and Performing Arts under Professors Gordon Murray and Augusta Campagne, respectively, graduating with distinction.

In addition to numerous recordings for Austrian, Italian, Canadian and Spanish radio, Chiara Massini is active as soloist and chamber musician, and has appeared at various festivals and concert series in Europe, Canada, Brazil and Lebanon, including the Al Bustan Festival in Beirut, I conceri de Confalone in Rome, Muzikfestspiele in Dresden and the Musikverein in Vienna.

As one critic remarked on her solo debut CD, "Toccata, Passacaglia, Partita," released in 2003 and broadcast in Italy and Canada: "Her playing captivates through its combination of technical authority and expressive power." Elsewhere, the press has written of her: "Already with the first phrase, she profiled herself as an exceptional artistic personality who brings these selected works by Italian composers to life with ingenious liberties [...] her rubato, executed with stylistic certainty and sheer delight, injected itself organically into the course of the movement [...] Massini's suspenseful playing successfully captured the affects' polymorphism and illuminated the music's harmonic boldness [...] the melodic charm and the perfect proportions of the music of Domenico Zipoli unfolded under Massini's sensual grasp in all their radiance."

In august 2005 Chiara Massini played J.S. Bach's Goldberg Variations (BWV 988) throughout Europe, subsequently recording them in summer 2006 for Symphonia. The reaction of both public and press was highly appreciative: "C.M. shows she can really dig in and captivate her listeners. (Alte Musik Aktuell)". In december 2008 she was invited by the "Charitable Society of Friends" to make her USA concert debut touring Florida. She performed in Delray Beach solo on the harpsichord, and in Palm Beach both solo and with a chamber group. Both critics and the public were awed by her technical grasp of the music as well as the passion with which she played. As always, the audience was with her from the first touch of the keyboard to the end.

More Photos

Source: Chiara Massini Website; CD Baby Website
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (May 2008, January 2009)

Chiara Massini: Short Biography | Recordings of Instrumental Works | Videos

Links to other Sites

Welcome to Chiara Massini's homepage
Chiara Massini (Le Carillon) [German]
Eddissimo

Radio 3 I Concerti Del Quirinale Di Radio3 Stagione 2006-2007 [Italian]
ISAR [German]
Chiara Massini (Wikipedia) [Italian]