The 21-year-old Venetian pianist is intensively studying the masterpieces of German Romanticism.
«Brahms attracts me his great inner strength». He is expected in New Orleans to play the Cajkovskij Concerto n. 1 and last March he reached the final at the prestigious “Rubinstein” Competition in Tel Aviv.
At 21, the pianist from Treviso Elia Cecino is one of the new faces of the piano in Italy. Venice Prize 2019, gold medal at the competitions of New Orleans, Manchester and the “Viñes” of Lleida, Spain, the path of Cecino led him to debuts with great orchestras (Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Orchestra della Fenice, Sinfónica de Galicia) and in some of the most important halls in the world. A successful path that Cecino describes with serenity.
⌈ Your success would be remarkable for a musician twice his age, yet you casually talk about it. Why? ⌋
I have been fortunate to grow in a context where my times have always been respected. I don’t come from a family of musicians, I approached the piano at nine years old by chance and by game and I could acquire awareness of my qualities without pressure. Competitions and concerts were simple educational activities.
⌈ In addition to the family, does the credit also go to your teachers? ⌋
Definitely. I was lucky to have at my side Maddalena De Facci, with whom I studied from the beginning, who is still a guide and a point of reference and who has always fueled my passion for music.
⌈ In your path there are the names of two great pianists and teachers of our time, Andrzej Jasinski and Elisso Virsaladze. What did you learn from them? ⌋
They are two very different personalities. With Jasinski I worked on the more technical aspect of the piano, in the wake of the great pianists of the past. In Virsaladze I found an open-minded and familiar with the needs of the stage and gave me a great energy and a desire for new challenges.
⌈ What challenges does a pianist face today? ⌋
For me, being an interpreter means being a conduit for spreading the timeless language of music and bringing it to our society. Music allows you to live with more meaning and empathy. I want to communicate this sense of contentment to the listener.
⌈ Can you communicate that to your peers? ⌋
Yes, although I think many of my former classmates don’t really understand what I do in life (laughs). But they sense my commitment and they often heard me play live.
⌈ Are there authors or directories that work better with them? ⌋
I see that the romantic repertoire and especially Chopin easily create a connection, while the most impressive or violent pieces, such as Prokofiev’s Seventh Sonata, jump to the eye and break the most common stereotypes about classical music.
⌈ Is there a repertoire you’re interested in now? ⌋
I am very interested in German Romanticism, Schumann and Brahms in particular. With Schumann I feel free, while Brahms attracts me this great inner strength. I can’t wait to face his Concerto n. 1 next year.
⌈ Do you remember what your first time with an orchestra was like? ⌋
Adventurous! They asked me at the last minute to play Mozart’s Concerto K 491 with Concentus Musicus Patavinus, I was 14 years old and it was a very important commitment. At the first test I felt out of my mind, as if I were part of a great instrument. It was different from everything I had done up until then, it took me a while to get the hang of it.
⌈ What are your next projects? ⌋
I have some pretty intense trips planned. I’ll have to play Cajkovskij’s Concerto No. 1 in New Orleans, then more concerts, a recording project, chamber music… There’s so much to do. One thing at a time, step by step.
Alessandro Tommasi
Amadeus
May 2023