• American Record Guide•
Read the Article
May/June 2002

•DE MARIA, DEDICATIONS
OF GREAT CLASS•
Read the article
March 14, 2003

Listen to music played from the CD by Pietro De Maria

All music selections are partial clips except where noted.

Selected pieces:
composer Muzio Clementi

Sonata in G Major Op. 40, No. 1
Allegro molto vivace (complete)

Sonata in B Minor Op. 40, No. 2
Molto adagio e sostenuto

Sonatata in D Major, Op. 40, No.3
Adagio molto - Allegro (complete)

Allegro

"Pietro De Maria is one of the most exceptional and brilliant pianists of his generation. A complete artist possessor of a fascinating personality, united to a refine sensitivity and intelligence"
Maria Tipo

After receiving the Critics' Prize at the Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow (1990), Pietro De Maria won First Prize in other prestigious international piano competitions, such as the Dino Ciani - Teatro La Scala in Milan (1990), the Géza Anda in Zurich (1994), and the Mendelssohn Award in Hamburg (1997).

An active concert pianist, he has played as soloist with the best known orchestras, with conductors of the stature of Roberto Abbado, Gary Bertini, Myung-Whun Chung, Vladimir Fedoseyev, Daniele Gatti, Alan Gilbert, Eliahu Inbal, Marek Janowski, Ton Koopman, Peter Maag, Ingo Metzmacher, Gianandrea Noseda, Corrado Rovaris, Kwamé Ryan, Yutaka Sado and Sándor Végh.

Born in Venice in 1967, De Maria studied piano with Giorgio Vianello and Gino Gorini. Revealing a precocious talent, he won First Prize at the Alfred Cortot International Piano Competition in Milan at the age of 13. He graduated from the Conservatory of Venice and continued his studies with Maria Tipo at the Conservatory of Geneva, where he obtained the Premier Prix de Virtuosité with the highest honours in 1988.

His repertory ranges from Bach to Ligeti. He is the first Italian pianist to have played Chopin’s complete piano works in public concerts. These works have been recorded by Decca and have received important acknowledgments from international publications of prestige such as five stars from Diapason, International Piano and Amadeus.

In 2010, bicentennial of the birth of the Polish composer, Pietro De Maria was invited to play Chopin in the most important international centers such as Berlin, Paris, Warsaw, Zurich, Rome, the Nohant Festival, Beijing and Singapore.

De Maria has recorded three Sonatas by Clementi for Naxos, a live recital at the Miami International Piano Festival for VAI Audio, and Beethoven’s complete works for cello and piano with Enrico Dindo for Decca.

He teaches at the School of Music in Fiesole, at the Academy of Music in Pinerolo and at the International Engadin Summer Piano Academy, which is held in Switzerland every two years.

fMr. Pietro De Maria's appearance at the Fourth Annual Miami International Piano Festival of Discovery on February 6, 2001, marks his Florida debut.

To contact Pietro De Maria, e-mail: pietro@miamipianofest.com
or visit www.pietrodemaria.com

Morning Call, Allentown, PA Saturday, February 12, 2005
THE WEEK IN REVIEW
PENNSYLVANIA SINFONIA, PIETRO DE MARIA

When Italian pianist Pietro de Maria played the famed Andante in Mozart Piano Concerto No. 21 - dubbed "Elvira Madigan" after a 1967 movie by that name - one could feel in Allentown Symphony Hall the collective breathing of the entire audience. It was a truly magical moment. The 37-year old Venetian brought to the music a light, velvet touch, so refreshingly gentle when compared with pianists who pound mercilessly.

The appearance of de Maria was the pinnacle of an otherwise wonderful concert by the Pennsylvania Sinfonia, guided by Allan Birney. De Maria is a pianist who respects the inner truth of the music he plays. Add to that his flawless technique and natural musicality, and you get the memorable evening we had.

The heartwarming, all-Mozart program opened with the Divertimento K.136. The ensemble's first violin section sounded better than ever, particularly in the Finale. Symphony No. 39 was given a good performance, although the opening Adagio was fast for my taste.

The true magic began when de Maria took center stage. Concluding the K.467 concerto with the playful Allegro vivace assai, the charming Italian responded to enthusiastic "Bravos!" with Liszt's Campanella, proving that he can play big, 19th-century repertoire just as well as he can play the classics. But just in case someone forgot his classical skills, he offered a Scarlatti sonata as a second encore. ... Ian Peleg

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