The Tri-C Classical Piano Series makes its debut on Cleveland Ovations with a recital by Orazio Maione. Emanuela Friscioni directs the series for Tri-C, and both she and Orazio sat down with WCLV's Angela Mitchell.
Italian pianist Orazio Maione gained professional recognition early, winning piano competitions at national (Osimo, “Muzio Clementi”) and international levels (Senigallia, Monza, “Franz Liszt” of Sopron, Hungary). He made his début at the age 20 at the Teatro San Carlo in Naples and then played in concerts for some of the most important Italian music institutions as soloist, chamber performer and symphonic orchestra musician (Teatro Comunale di Genova with P. Maag, “Verdi” di Milano with G. Noseda). In 1986, he won the third edition of the prestigious international piano competition of Pretoria, followed by concert engagements in various European countries, Canada, the United States, South Africa, Turkey and Israel. He has made recordings for Italian and international radio and television channels and for the IMP Classic recording label, England. He has recently recorded Fryderyk Chopin’s 27 Studies, which are in the process of being released. He has curated series of broadcasts for Vatican Radio and is the author of historical-musicological publications for Curci and EDT publishers. Orazio Maione’s most recent project is concertizing and promoting the works of famed Italian composer, Franco Alfano.
Emanuela Friscioni began studying piano in Italy at age five and made her debut at the age nine. She received a diploma in piano performance from the"Giuseppe Verdi" Conservatory in Milan, with full marks, and went on to study with Annamaria Pennella. Other teachers have included Paul Badura-Skoda, Aldo Ciccolini and Bruno Canino. Ms. Friscioni has won many national and international first prizes, including those at the Tortona, Moneglia, Camaiore, Chieti, and Kawai Piano Competitions. She has performed throughout Italy, in Switzerland, France and other European countries. She made her U.S. debut in July 2000 with Cleveland Orchestra violinist Gino Raffaelli. Since then, she has enjoyed a career that has seen her perform solo recitals, orchestral engagements and chamber music appearances. Among her collaborations, she played Schubert's Quintet Op.114"The Trout" with members of The Cleveland Orchestra and was again invited by Orchestra members in 2004 to play an all-Brahms program. Ms. Friscioni's recent performances have included Rachmaninoff's Second Piano Concerto with the National Repertory Orchestra; Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue with the Canton Symphony; chamber music and solo performances at the Music in the Mountains festival; and Franck's Symphonic Variations with the Lakeside Symphony Orchestra. She has also performed recitals in California, New Mexico, New York and Ohio. Her piano duets with her husband, pianist Antonio Pompa-Baldi, have earned them many prizes and wonderful reviews. Ms. Friscioni is also an accomplished professor of piano, first in Italy, where many of her pupils have won prizes and scholarships, and now in the U.S. As a teacher and artistic director, she founded and manages the Classical Piano Performance Academy at Cuyahoga Community College. She was appointed to the CIM faculty in 2004.