Biography (English)
“Masterful Clarinet! Luca is a noted Italian clarinettist and composer who now makes his home in London, having developed an enviable reputation as an instrumental virtuoso around the UK and overseas via recordings and concert hall appearances” (Musician Magazine). Internationally recognized for his groundbreaking contributions to contemporary clarinet music, he starts his career at the age of twelve performing at one of the most established concert-halls of his home town Naples and appears on television nationwide live aged twenty-one. Extremely appreciated by the International Clarinet Association, he receives a Bachelor in Music from the Conservatoire of Salerno (Italy), is awarded the Fellow status at the Higher Education Academy (UK) and “has established himself as the friendly face of contemporary clarinet” according to the Clarinet and Saxophone Society of Great Britain. His repertoire embraces Weber, Brahms, Stravinsky, Poulenc, Berio and jazz music.
For the past few years he has been the only jazz clarinet professor active in the UK (Leeds College of Music) and one of the few musicians to be a specialist of both classical and jazz at HE level. His research focuses on extended techniques for the contemporary repertoire and new compositions for solo clarinet also presented at the master-classes and educational events he holds (UK, Brazil, Italy, etc) and premiered at St Martin in the Fields in London and the Cathedral of Bristol. Luca is very much active as soloist/composer, touring extensively the UK and overseas and in the past few years he has been focusing primarily on his own music performing at: the South Bank Centre, the Edinburgh Festival, St James’s Church Piccadilly, Cambridge University, the King’s Hall in Newcastle, recording live for BBC Radio 3 at the Royal Festival Hall, University of Sao Paulo in Brazil, Politeama Theatre in Naples.
His technique and knowledge of both the jazz and the classical repertoire has allowed him to experience TV performances (recording for RTE national TV broadcast of Ireland, live nationwide at RAI2 in Italy as guest soloist and arranger, local TV programs); solid studio sessions experience recording for several productions and also for Amnesty International; orchestra (Republic of Ireland, Italy) and chamber music.
His discography includes: “Passione” (MAP 2000, Italy) with original compositions together with the third movement of Poulenc’s Sonata for clarinet and pianoforte; “Neapolis” (Red Kite Records 2005, UK) which includes only original material organized in two suites for clarinet and pianoforte or for clarinet trio/quartet; “Clarinet” (MCPS 2008-2010, UK) including new music for clarinet ensemble together with the Stravinsky’s “Three Pieces for Clarinet Solo”; “Partenope” (MCPS 2011, UK), contemporary music for solo clarinet part of Luciano’s academic research.