An artist who combines a robust tone and elegant technique with profound intellectual and emotional understanding, Stefano Greco, who became a Steinway Artist in 2007, is fast building a reputation as one of the finest Italian pianists of his generation.

    His debut at New York’s Carnegie Hall (Zankel) was met by a lengthy standing ovation, and widely acclaimed by both the public and critics. Stefano gave his Wigmore Hall debut, where he presented an ingenious programme which brought to light masterpieces of contrapuntal music, including the world premieres of fugues by Puccini and Dinu Lipatti. Other notable recital appearances include a tour of seven cities in Central and South America (Mexico, Brasil, Argentina and Chile), a concert tour of United States, Canada and Japan, during which Stefano gave his début at numerous prestigious venues such as New York's Lincoln Center and the Opera City Concert Hall in Tokyo. As well as frequent recital, chamber music and concerto appearances in Italy, Stefano has also performed in Amsterdam, The Hague, Prague, Hamburg, Aleppo and Damascus.

    Stefano’s frequent broadcasts for radio and TV have included appearances on CNN, RAI International, Radio Vatican, Radio Beethoven (the main classical music radio station in Chile), Opus 94 (the main classical music radio station in Mexico), and as a guest on the well-known programme ‘Reflections from the keyboard’, directed by David Dubal in New York. Stefano is an exclusive recording artist with Brancusi Classics. His recordings for Brancusi to date include ‘The Later Art of the Fugue’, the first world complete series of Handel’s Keyboard Suites, Bach’s The Art of Fugue and Golbderg Variations.

    Stefano studied initially at the Conservatory Tito Schipa in Lecce, Italy with Antonio Serrano. He graduated with full marks, and went on to win prizes in several Italian competitions before continuing his studies with Hector Pell at the Accademia Superiore in Barletta and with Aldo Ciccolini, in Rome and Trinitapoli. Stefano’s profound passion for music in general and for J. S. Bach in particular has prompted him to undertake intensive study and research, and next year his first book about Bach will be published and distributed in Italy, the UK, USA and Germany.

    Stefano is increasingly in demand for his teaching, and in spare moments away from the platform and recording studio enjoys giving international masterclasses and lectures at institutions such as New York Bard College, the California State University and New York University, working with students on repertoire ranging from keyboard pieces by William Byrd to contemporary works for piano.

Status: November 2010

    An artist who combines a robust tone and elegant technique with profound intellectual and emotional understanding, Stefano Greco is fast building a reputation as one of the finest Italian pianists of his generation. He became a Steinway Artist in 2007, and gave his first recital in this capacity during the 2007 World Sacred Music Week in Florence, performing Bach’s The Art of Fugue at the Chiesa di S. Stefano al Ponte Vecchio. Since then, Stefano has performed Bach’s unfinished masterpiece in numerous cities around the world, including Verona, for the Accademia Filarmonica, in Cagliari, for the Mozart Italy Association, in Los Angeles, for the Bach Festival, and New York, for the Italian Academy Foundation and the Keyboard Trust.

    His debut at New York’s Carnegie Hall (Zankel) in December 2007 was met by a lengthy standing ovation, and widely acclaimed by both the public and critics.

He “demonstrated an absolute control of his art […] with a total fidelity to music and with a master’s touch; from lightly caressing the keys to a raging storm, from a barely perceptible whispering to a thunderous, devilish racing up and down the obliging keys […] and many times, in this hall with perfect acoustics, everyone leapt up at once: from the numbered seats, from the parterre and the balcony, applauding and screaming ‘bravo’!” (America Oggi).

    Stefano gave his Wigmore Hall debut in November 2005, where he presented an ingenious programme entitled ‘The Later Art of the Fugue’.

This collaboration with writer Robert Temple, brought to light masterpieces of contrapuntal music – many of them rarely heard in concert – including the world premieres of fugues by Puccini, transcribed for the piano by Greco, and Dinu Lipatti, also edited by Greco.

    Other notable recital appearances include a tour of seven cities in Central and South America (Mexico, Brazil, Argentina and Chile) under the aegis of the Comitato Nazionale Italiano Musica (CIDIM), an evening concert as part of the Carnegie Hall Notables series at The Mark Hotel, New York, lunchtime performances in the well-know London churches St James’s, Piccadilly and St Martin-in-the-Fields, and recitals in St. John's, Smith Square and the Steinway Halls of London, Munich and New York.

    In 2001, Stefano toured the United States, Canada and Japan, making his début at numerous prestigious venues such as New York's Lincoln Center and the Opera City Concert Hall in Tokyo.

As well as frequent recital, chamber music and concerto appearances in Italy, Stefano has also performed in Amsterdam, The Hague, Prague, Hamburg, Aleppo and Damascus.

    Stefano has appeared in broadcastings by Radios and TVs such as CNN, RAI, RAI International, Radio Vatican, Radio Beethoven (the main classic music radio in Chile), Opus 94 (the main classic music radio in Mexico), and in the famous show “Reflections from the keyboard”, directed by David Dubal in New York.

    Stefano is an exclusive recording artist with Brancusi Classics (www.brancusiclassics.com). Among the recordings he made for Brancusi, are his Wigmore Hall recital programme, “The Later Art of the Fugue”, the first truly complete series of the Keyboard Suites of Handel, The Art of Fugue of Bach, in addition to the rerelease of his acclaimed Goldberg Variations.

    Stefano Greco studied initially at the Conservatory "Tito Schipa" in Lecce, Italy with Antonio Serrano. He graduated with full marks, and went on to win prizes in several piano competitions within Italy, before continuing his studies with Hector Pell, at the Accademia Superiore "G. Curci" in Barletta and then, from 1995 to 1998, with Aldo Ciccolini at the Accademia "A. Ciccolini" in Trinitapoli. During this period, Stefano gave lectures on "The Mechanics of Piano Technique", "The Golden Section", "Mathematical Proportions in Music" and "Bach's Polyphony". He graduated from the Accademia "A. Ciccolini" with full marks, Summa Cum Laude and Honorable Mention, and in 2000, was Top Winner in the Ibla Grand Prize International Piano Competition, where he also won the Bach Special Mention Award and the "Città di Pozzallo" Prize. He has also a prize winner of the Glenn Gould International Piano Competition.

    Stefano’s profound passion for music in general and for J. S. Bach in particular has prompted him to undertake intensive study and research, expressed through his playing, the lectures that he gave whilst a student at the Accademia "A. Ciccolini",

and his many realizations and editions of Bach’s music, including transcribing 14 Canons on the First 8 Fundamental Notes of the Aria from Bach's Goldberg-Variationen for solo piano, and creating two-piano versions of the Musikalisches Opfer and "Erbarme dich, mein Gott" from the Matthäus-Passion.

    Greco’s studies lead him to a sensational and revolutionary discovery on the music of Bach. On this subject, Stefano wrote a book, which will soon be published and distributed in Italy and then in UK, USA and Germany. This will reveal for the first time the key to the greatest mysteries related to the last works of the great composer. Thanks to this discovery, the works of Bach take a new life in Stefano’s interpretations, which are more and more requested.

    Stefano is increasingly in demand for his teaching, and in spare moments away from the platform and recording studio enjoys giving international master classes and lectures, in prestigious Universities such as New York Bard College, California State University, New York University, etc., working with students on repertoire ranging from keyboard pieces by William Byrd to contemporary works for piano.

Status: November 2010