No Person.
Nicola Frisardi won first prize at the 1989 Palm Beach International Piano Competition, which was the decisive breakthrough in his career as a pianist. This important award, unanimously awarded, gave him the opportunity to make his debut in various major cities in the USA (New York : Lincoln Center, Washington/DC: Kennedy Center, Boston: Jordan Hall, Philadelphia etc.). It was a hit with audiences everywhere and received enthusiastic reviews. The New York Times wrote at the time: "Mr. Frisardi plays always with intelligence, great sensitivity and graceful virtuosity" and the Washington Post added: "N. Frisardi, elegant performer in the grand style... an involving experience!" The Boston Globe also agreed, stating, "...his playing displays a great orchestral variety and expressiveness of colour." And the Philadelphia Inquirer wrote: "A spectacular eye-opening performance!" Nicola Frisardi received his first diploma after his training with Marisa Somma in Bari/Italy. At the same time he studied with Vincenzo Vitale in Naples. Thanks to a scholarship, he was able to attend special courses at the Mozarteum University with Hans Leygraf, which he completed with a soloist diploma. His other teachers were T. Nikolajewa and E. Leonskaja as well as György Sebök and Sándor Vegh for chamber music. He also received the diploma of Kapellmeister from the Mozarteum University under the direction of G. Wimberger. At the same time, he took courses with Franco Ferrara in Siena and with Herbert von Karajan in Salzburg. Thanks to his successes in other important international piano competitions such as the "Maria Canals" in Barcelona, the "Mozart Competition" in Salzburg and the "Casella Competition" in Naples, Nicola Frisardi has entered the most important concert halls in the most important European cities , such as Vienna (Konzerthaus), Salzburg (Festspielhaus), London (Wigmore Hall), Paris (Louvre), Zaragosa (Goya Museum), Rome (Teatro Ghione), Milan (Conservatory), Naples (Auditorium RAI), Munich ( Hercules Hall), Barcelona, La Coruna, Hamburg, Prague, Lisbon, Zurich, Cannes etc. invited. In 2002, the French press, the Nice Matin, described Nicola Frisardi as "the great master of romantic piano playing". The Italian Il Messaggero spoke of him as "one of the greatest Italian pianists of the new generation". Nicola Frisardi's incomparable style of interpretation is documented by a large series of radio recordings in many countries in Europe, the USA and Japan, where he has undertaken many tours. His debut in Tokyo with works by Schumann (Carnaval), Haydn and Stravinsky was recorded live by "Deutsche Grammophon". Nicola Frisardi has also worked with EMI (transcriptions of the operas by F. Liszt), for BMG Classics (100 antique Parisotti -Arias), with Cheska Records (Concertos for piano and orchestra by Mozart), with VAI Audio (Concerto in D minor and four ballads by J. Brahms) and with Doppio Movimento two CDs with music by Chopin and Bach (Goldberg Variations) recorded. Nicola Frisardi has worked with renowned orchestras such as the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (direct transmission through RAI 1), the A. Rubinstein Philh. Orch. Lodz/Poland, the Camerata Academica under Sandor Végh, the Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg under Hans Graf, the Orchestra Filarmonica Ceca has played under Aldo Ceccato, the Südwestdeutsche Philharmonie, the Munich Symphony Orchestra and the Sinfonica de Praga. For ten years he was a member of the Salzburg Piano Trio, which took part in numerous chamber concerts at various European festivals. Although Nicola Frisardi has a very extensive repertoire, Mozart is his forte. He has performed Mozart's complete sonata cycle several times, as well as by Scarlatti (a further CD is planned), the great romantic composers such as Chopin, Schumann, Liszt, Brahms and late romantic composers such as Rachmaninoff, Scriabin and Busoni. Recently, Nicola Frisardi has also attached particular importance to Spanish music and contemporary composers.