About the Artist…

Giuseppe Fausto Modugno, Bologna, ITALY, graduated ‘magna cum laude’ in piano performance at the Conservatory of Bologna at the age of 20, while simultaneously obtaining a degree in literature from the University of Bologna. Modugno then completed his postgraduate studies at the prestigious Academy of Imola as one of the first students of Maestro Franco Scala - where he received tuition from many formidable pianists such as Joerg Demus, Nikita Magaloff, Bruno Canino and Antonio Ballista. In 1983 he obtained a diploma from the Accademia Chigiana in Siena under the tutelage of Guido Agosti, where he was awarded a grant for the highest grade in his graduating year. In 1984 he specialised in piano duets with Antonio Ballista at Città di Castello, and at the Festival of Nations where he also won the award for best pupil. Modugno has also studied composition under the guidance of Cesare Grandi and conducting with Maurizio Benini.

Modugno is active as a solo recitalist, concerto artist and chamber musician, reflecting an infinite number of musical tastes and influences. 

He has won seven national competitions and two international competitions as a soloist and duettist. He has enjoyed success both as a soloist and concerto artist, and consistently plays in the major concert halls in Italy and abroad. He has recorded for the RAI broadcasting company of Italy and has been on tours to Russia, Germany, Spain, the United States, Japan and other countries, playing in prestigious venues and major concert halls. Modugno is also regularly invited to conservatories around the world to give masterclasses.

From 2004 to 2007 Modugno was artistic secretary for the ‘Orchestra Mozart’ directed by Claudio Abbado ( (www.orchestramozart.com ) and is currently manager of the "Accademia dell'Orchestra Mozart" ( www.accademiaorchestramozart.it ) . For many years he has been passionately involved, both at the Accademia Filarmonica and in other prestigious musical academies, in preparing a series of conferences and concert-conferences which he frequently gives on composers and on the historical and aesthetic background to major classical works. He has appeared regularly on RAI TV (Italian National Broadcaster) programmes with Corrado Augias, both playing as well as illustrating the music he plays. Since 2003 he has been Artistic Director and Teacher of Music Summer Courses at the “Campus degli Incamminati” in Modigliana (www.incamminati.com ).

In 2001 he was awarded the ‘Nettuno d’oro’ by the Bologna branch of the Lions Club as best city artist of the year, while the city’s Rotary Club awarded him the ‘Paul Harris Fellow’ for his merits in the musical field. In 2004 he was given an honorary Diploma as pianist by the Australian Society of Musicology and Composition. He plays with top-class musicians and dedicates particular attention to piano duets (in particular with the pianist Donatella Pieri) and string and wind ensembles (he regularly plays with the violinists Alberto Bologni and Emanuele Benfenati, as well as with the cellists Geoffrey Rutkowski and Nicoletta Mainardi, and the clarinetist Corrado Giuffredi).

Among his recordings it is worth mentioning his CD for Nuova Era dedicated to the complete works for piano duets by Mendelssohn, and for the Ermitage label the Sonatas by Brahms for cello and piano, as well as the double CD containing the Opera omnia of Mozart’s piano duets. He devotes much of his attention to contemporary and Italian repertoire, and has recently completed a first-ever world recording for the Tactus label of three CDs with works by Stefano Golinelli, Domenico Liverani and Ernesto Cavallini. Recently a CD with music by F.H.Haydn for violin and piano was released by CONCERTO .

He holds the post of Professor of Principal piano at the Conservatory of Modena "Vecchi-Tonelli" in Italy, where he also serves as Director of the Institute.