Biography

"Clearly a Star in the making" (Pianist Magazine), Andrea Cicalese (2005) is a Sony Classical recording artist, currently performing on a 1731 Guarneri del Gesù violin, generously provided to him by the philantropic initiative 'Adopt a Musician' (Music Masterpieces Lugano). The "Violin Phenom" (Buffalo Rising) has earned international praise for a "musical maturity that most artists cannot achieve even after decades" (Süddeutsche Zeitung) and a "technical fluency that makes an impression" (Abendzeitung). He is considered "one of the most important young figures in the classical music scene" (El Pais). ​ He regularly collaborates with distinguished orchestras, such as the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, Prague Philharmonia, Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale della RAI, Brussels Philharmonic Orchestra, NDR Radiophilharmonie, Munich Symphony Orchestra, Sinfonia Lahti, Filarmonica Arturo Toscanini and Orquestra Filarmonica de Montevideo under the baton of world renowned conductors, including Hannu Lintu and JoAnn Falletta in venues such as the Berliner Philharmonie, Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, Tonhalle Zürich, Isarphilharmonie München, Prinzregententheater München, Herkulessaal München, Kurhaus Baden-Baden, Teatro La Fenice di Venezia, Teatro Filarmonico di Verona, Auditorium RAI Torino, Sibelius Talo in Lahti, Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto, Kleinhans Music Hall of Buffalo, and Teatro Solís de Montevideo. ​An avid recitalist and chamber musician, Cicalese collaborates with renowned pianists Beatrice Rana, Eric Lu, Alexander Malofeev, Yekwon Sunwoo, Filippo Gorini, and Julien Quentin. He is a regular guest at major international festivals—including the Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival, Festspiele Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Rheingau Musik Festival, Moritzburg Festival, Dvořák Prague International Music Festival, Settimane Musicali di Ascona, Ravello Festival, Classiche Forme, Stresa Festival and Al Bustan Festival—and features in leading concert series such as Konzertdirektion Hörtnagel, I Concerti del Quirinale in Roma, Série Jeune of Tonhalle Zürich and Aspect Concert Series in New York City. Andrea is also the youngest guest in the history of the film series Living the Creative Life, having appeared twice on the program, in 2021 and 2023. In 2023, he further made history by becoming the first violinist in decades to give a public concert on the ex-Menuhin "Prince Khevenhüller" Stradivarius (Cremona, 1733). Following these successes, his presence in the media became more and more prominent. It includes recent interviews on TV, Radio and Newspapers, including "La Repubblica", "El Pais", "BR-Klassik", "BR-Abendschau", "TGR Piemonte", "Music Paper Magazine", "Radio Classica", "Pianist Magazine", "NDR Kultur" and many more. For Andrea, however, organizing and performing benefit concerts, remains at the centre of his musical life. He has performed in hospitals, schools, mental health care centers, and similar institutions around the globe. Furthermore, he frequently conducts masterclasses free of charge across North America, Europe, the Middle East, for talented, often underprivileged students—a teaching presence previously described as "superb, humbling, and stunning" (CMS Buffalo). The most important figures in Andrea Cicalese's educational path were Rudens Turku and Josef Rissin. Andrea is currently enrolled at the Royal College of Music in London, where he is studying under Radu Blidar. He is a holder of 'The Geoffrey Boyes Memorial Scholarship​'.