MUSIC DIRECTOR SALVATORE DI VITTORIO
“His style embraces the values of the old European traditions.”– Evan N. Wilson, Vice President (Artistic Affairs)Born in Palermo, Italy, Salvatore Di Vittorio studied composition with Ludmila Ulehla and (conducting with) Giampaolo Bracali at the Manhattan School of Music, and aesthetics (and ancient) philosophy at Columbia University in New York City. He then continued conducting in Rome with Francesco Carotenuto (Conservatory of Music “S. Cecilia”), in Florence with Piero Bellugi (Conservatory of Music “L. Cherubini”), and in London with John Farrer and Neil Thomson (Royal College of Music).
Of his American symphonic debut with the Danbury Symphony (20 March 2005), James Pegolotti of the Danbury Times wrote: “Di Vittorio’s leadership evidenced a natural and significant talent!”
Salvatore Di Vittorio has attracted considerable attention as Music Director and Founder of the Chamber Orchestra of New York, established in honor of Ottorino Respighi. Its triumphant debut was held on 11 October 2007 at Zankel Hall, Carnegie Hall. Following the inaugural season finale, Vivien Schweitzer of The New York Times wrote: "The musicians played…producing a polished, rich sound…a stirring performance [of Mahler’s Adagietto and]...a voluptuous rendition of Tchaikovsky's Souvenir…."
Di Vittorio also serves as Resident Conductor of the Adelphi Symphony Orchestra at Adelphi University. Former positions include Accademia Musicale Siciliana (Palermo), Chamber Ensemble of Rome, Florence Symphonietta, Loyola Orchestra and Chorus, and Orchestra Sinfonica del Teatro Mondiale at Manhattan School of Music. He has also conducted the Vancouver Island Symphony, State Symphony Orchestra of Sofia (Bulgaria), Danbury Symphony, Royal College of Music Symphony (London), and Festival Sinfonietta Umbra di Perugia.
Praised by Piero Bellugi for his elegance on the podium, other European conductors have also hailed Di Vittorio a “serious, lyrical, and romantic composer…worthy of serious consideration.”
Maestro Di Vittorio has recently completed an homage to Respighi called “Overtura Respighiana”, and is now completing an unfinished Respighi concerto, by invitation of Respighi’s family heirs and archive director. These and other rare Respighi works will be premiered alongside Di Vittorio’s Sinfonia No. 2 and recorded (for Naxos) during the Chamber Orchestra’s third season.
Di Vittorio's music is often inspired by philosophical-programmatic themes and captivates each listener with long tonal melodies and interesting orchestrations. His symphonies have been premiered by such orchestras as the Orvieto Musica Festival Orchestra, Accademia Musicale Siciliana, Teatro Massimo Opera of Palermo, Orchestra Filarmonica Franco Ferrara, Ragusa Chamber Orchestra, Carnevale di Venezia Musica, Brussels Chamber Ensemble, Festival Sinfonietta Umbria di Perugia, El Hanager String Orchestra of Cairo, Florence Symphonietta, Orchestra da Camera Fiorentina, Chamber Ensemble of Rome, San Jose Chamber Orchestra, and Orchestra Sinfonica Del Teatro Mondiale of New York. While his first opera “Romeo e Giulietta” has been presented to companies, Di Vittorio has received permission from the Thomas Mann estate and publisher S. Fisher Verlag (Frankfurt) to compose his second opera “Fausto” based on Mann’s novel Dr. Faustus.
Di Vittorio has received grants and honors from various institutions including ASCAP Foundation, Italian Cultural Institute of New York, Ibla-Italy Grand Prize in Music Composition (Judge), and Manhattan School of Music Alumni Council (Member). Reviews about the Maestro have been written in The New York Times, America Oggi, New Music Connoisseur of New York, Danbury News Times of Connecticut, La Repubblica of Rome, Il Mediterraneo and Giornale di Sicilia of Palermo, La Nazione of Florence, Arts San Francisco Observer and Classical Voice, including highlights on RAI (Italian National) TV and UN French International Radio.
Salvatore Di Vittorio is published exclusively by Edizioni Panastudio/Carisch of Warner Bros., since 2000. Recordings of his symphonic suites are available on the Panastudio Label, and his first two Symphonies (with Overtura Respighiana) will be available on the Naxos label, beginning 2011.
For more information, please visit: www.SalvatoreDiVittorio.com
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