Claudio Santangelo (Marimbist / Percussionist and Composer)
He is considered by critics to be one of the youngest and most brilliant talents in the world of solo percussion, gifted with a musical sensibility and compositional and interpretative creativity which place him at the top of young marimba virtuoso soloists. A true œmade in Italy artist with a solid piano technique on the Marimba which allows him to have a virtuoso performance and an inspired and original compositional ability. Born in 1987, he belongs to a family of fourth-generation percussionists. Having been started off on musical studies at the age of six by his parents, both Conservatoire percussion teachers, very soon Claudio showed a great technical and musical mastery. A child prodigy, for his bravura on the xylophone and with pieces of remarkable technical difficulty for his age he has won over numerous Juries of National and International Competitions, winning numerous First Prizes. In 1995, he received the œSilver Medal from the President of the Republic as a special acknowledgment of his talent. At 13 years of age, the Yamaha Foundation awarded him a prize in the edition dedicated to the best Italian percussion students. At the age of 18, he recorded the Concerto for Marimba and Orchestra by T. Procaccini for EDIPAN with the Ukrainian National Symphonic Orchestra and pieces for Marimba, Vibraphone, and Piano in a Duo with the Authoress. In 2011, he presented his first CD in Lithuania, œMusic for You, which has aroused much admiration even in the United States, where it is transmitted regularly on the Percussion Radio Channel. Because of the brilliant nature of the repertory carried out in his Concerts and because of the particular bravura highlighted in every performance, he obtains wide public and critical success everywhere. Despite his youth, Claudio is invited to carry out Recitals and Master Classes in: France, Croatia, Spain, Lithuania, Poland, Germany, Romania, Bulgaria, China. In 2011, he obtained his diploma with full marks under the direction of his father, Antonio, at the œG. B. Pergolesi Conservatoire in Fermo and won the œArts Prize, a national competition organized by MIUR, awarded to the best students at the Italian Conservatoires. He has composed numerous pieces for marimba, vibraphone, timpani solo and two Concert for Marimba and Orchestra published by œItaly Percussion Edition and Studio 4 Music/Marimba production (USA). His compositions are easily usable by his listeners, although they present remarkable technical difficulties, much appreciated by performers. In 2012, in the œCulture Seventh, organized by the Ministry of National Heritage and Culture, he made a DVD of the Concert Live, dedicated to the tragedy in Japan. Claudio is an Adams and Vic Firth Artist and as of 2016 is a percussion teacher in conservatory of music in Italy. Since 2017 he has been Artistic Director to International Festival œDays of Percussion “ Italy.
