We must play our splendid piano repertoire in such a way as to induce the listener to love life more strongly, to understand its essence more deeply, to be intensely moved, to desire with ardour.

Elia Cecino is recent winner of the first prize at the Iturbi International Piano Competition 2023 in Valencia, in which the jury chaired by Joaquín Achúcarro also awarded him special prizes for the best performance of a Concerto by Beethoven and for the best interpretation of Chopin’s music.

Elia is winner of the first prize at the New Orleans International Piano Competition (USA), James Mottram International Piano Competition in Manchester (UK) and Ricard Viñes International Piano Competition in Lleida (Spain); he also won further international awards including the Finalist Prize at the 17th Arthur Rubinstein Piano Master Competition in Tel Aviv and the Vendome Virtuoso Award at the 8th New York Vendome Prize.

He performed as soloist with orchestras including the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Orchestra del Teatro La Fenice, Israel Philharmonic, Israel Camerata Jerusalem, Louisiana Philharmonic, Simfònica del Vallès, Sinfónica de Galicia, Orquesta de València, Düsseldorf Symphony, Sichuan Philharmonic, Bacau Philharmonic, Sinfonica di Milano, FVG Orchestra, Sinfonica Città di Roma, collaborating with conductors such as Riccardo Frizza, Oleg Caetani, Paolo Paroni, Yoel Levi, Avner Biron, Joshua Weilerstein, Timothy Muffitt, Xavier Puig, Victor Pablo Pérez, Álvaro Albiach.

Since 2014 Elia is regularly invited to play solo recitals in venue such as the Palau de la Música Catalana in Barcelona, Laeiszhalle in Hamburg, Gran Teatro La Fenice and Teatro Malibran in Venice, Teatro Verdi in Trieste, Fazioli Concert Hall in Sacile, Teatro Municipale in Piacenza, Teatro Sannazaro in Naples, Teatro Toniolo in Mestre, Teatro degli Industri in Grosseto, Teatro Olimpico in Vicenza, Sala dei Notari in Perugia, Sala Bianca di Palazzo Pitti in Florence, Sala Maffeiana and Auditorium della Gran Guardia in Verona, Sala degli Affreschi of Società Umanitaria and Spazio 89 in Milan, Bolzano Conservatory, Roussel Hall in New Orleans, Centre Cultural in Terrassa, Auditori Enric Granados in Lleida, Gesellschaft für Musiktheater in Vienna, Norden Farm Centre for the Arts in Maidenhead, Palatul Culturii Iași. In 2016 he took part in a concert tour in the USA.

Elia has also an intense chamber music activity in string duo, trio and quintet. In December 2020 he collaborated with cellist Mario Brunello on the occasion of 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birth. 2022 saw him engaged in projects for piano quintet and performed in different halls including the Sale Apollinee of Teatro La Fenice in Venice and Teatro Comunale di Monfalcone.

In October 2020 the label ➤ Suonare Records released his debut CD dedicated to Beethoven, Chopin and Skrjabin and a monographic Chopin album is published in April 2021 by ➤ OnClassical. Some of his recitals and interviews have been broadcast on ClassicFM, Radio Catalunya, Rai Radio 3, Radio Popolare, Rai Friuli Venezia Giulia and Radio MCA.

His 2021 and 2023 recitals at Cappella Paolina del Palazzo del Quirinale in Rome have been streamed live on Rai Radio 3. He participated in the TV show “Prodigi” for Unicef on air on Rai 1.

Born in Italy in 2001, Elia began his studies at 9 with Maddalena De Facci and at 17 graduated Summa cum Laude from Cesena Conservatory.
The following year Elia won the XXXVI Premio Venezia, competition reserved for the best graduates of the Italian Conservatories. Later he studied with Andrzej Jasinski achieving in 2021 the Master Diploma at Accademia del Ridotto di Stradella. He is currently specializing with Eliso Virsaladze and Boris Berman.

Since 2019 Elia is artist in residence at the “Luigi Bon” Foundation.