Enrico Elisi

Back to Faculty Page

Born and raised in Bologna, Italy, Enrico Elisi has established himself as one of the most passionate Italian pianists on the concert scene today and has been hailed for his mastery of elegance, refinement, and fantasy (La Nueva España). He regularly performs to acclaim throughout the Americas, Europe, and Asia and his interpretations reveal “remarkable sensitivity, imagination, and polish,” (Baltimore Sun). Highlights of recent seasons include a Mozart album recording (with a forthcoming new recording dedicated to J. S. Bach) and recitals at the Banff Centre for the Arts, Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall, the New York Public Library, New York’s Morgan Library, Washington’s National Gallery of Art and the Italian Embassy, and the Centro Cultural de España in Lima, Peru. He performed in historic settings such as La Fenice Theatre, Venice; Palazzo Vecchio, Florence; Bibiena Theatre, Mantua; Pavarotti Opera House, Modena; Teatro Comunale and Sala Bossi, Bologna. He also appeared with various ensembles including the Florence Symphony, Italy; Orchestra Classica de Porto, Portugal; Bay Atlantic Symphony, Greeley Philharmonic, and Williamsport Symphony, USA. First prize winner in many competitions in Italy and the US, among Elisi’s awards, are top prizes in the Premio Venezia (Italy) and the Oporto International Competition (Portugal). Radio and television broadcast include Via Classica (Germany), Montebeni Classica FM (Italy), WCLV Cleveland, UNC, KCNV Nevada Public Radio, KGCS, WPSU (USA) and RTP-TV (Portugal). As a champion of new music, he commissioned and premiered works from composers of many nationalities and performed at the University of Toronto New Music Festival during Sciarrino’s residence. He premiered Paul Chihara’s Two Images, at Weill Hall—a composition he later recorded for Albany Records. An avid chamber musician, Elisi performed at the Taos and Ravinia Festivals and collaborated with renowned soloists and principal players of the Chicago, Baltimore, and American Symphony orchestras. He is frequently sought after in such festivals as Cincinnati “Art of the Piano,” Montecito, Lee University, Interlochen Center for the Arts, Texas State University, American Liszt Society, and the Chautauqua Institution (USA); Todi International Music Masters, Amalfi Coast, AmiCa Fest, Norcia (Italy); Valencia International Performance Academy and Festival (Spain); AmeriChina Foundation and Sichuan International Piano Festival (China). Along with being an active concert pianist, he continues to be a dedicated teacher at the University of Toronto, having previously served on the faculties of the Eastman School, Penn State University, and UNLV. Elisi presented lecturerecitals and a myriad of master classes, both with his performing engagements, at most major universities and conservatories in the Americas, Europe, Singapore, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Korea, where he has been teaching an annual workshop since 2012, and China, where he also held a guest professorship at the China Zhejiang Art School. He served on the juries of several competitions in Italy, China, USA, and Canada. The rich tradition of his musical roots can be traced to the Conservatories of Bologna and Florence, the renown Imola International Academy, and the Peabody Institute. His teachers included mentors such as Leon Fleisher, Lazar Berman, Alexander Lonquich, Boris Petrushansky, Franco Scala, and Giuseppe Fricelli. Enrico Elisi is a Steinway Artist.

[:it]

Back to Faculty Page

Born and raised in Bologna, Italy, Elisi has appeared in historical settings such as La Fenice Theatre, Venice; Palazzo Vecchio, Florence; Bibiena Theatre, Mantua; Pavarotti Opera House, Modena; Teatro Comunale and Sala Bossi, Bologna. He has also given recitals in France, Germany, Slovak Republic, Portugal, Spain, South Korea, China, Taiwan, and Singapore. Recent engagements include recitals at the Banff Centre for the Arts, Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall, the New York Public Library, New York’s Morgan Library, Washington’s National Gallery of Art and the Italian Embassy, and the Centro Cultural de España in Lima, Peru. Elisi has been a soloist with various orchestras including the Florence Symphony, Italy; Orchestra Classica de Porto, Portugal; Bay Atlantic Symphony, Greeley Philharmonic, Williamsport Symphony, USA.

Among Elisi’s awards are top prizes in the Premio Venezia (Italy) and the Oporto International Competition (Portugal). After winning nine first prizes in competitions in Italy and the US, and having garnered a dozen of other top prizes and awards, Elisi performed in Toulouse, France, and New York’s Weill Recital Hall as a La Gesse Foundation Fellow. Via Classica, a German radio station, offered a two-hour broadcast of Elisi’s live recital in Hamburg followed by an interview. Additional radio broadcasts include Montebeni Classica FM (Italy), WCLV Cleveland, UNC, KCNV Nevada Public Radio, and KGCS (USA). He also appeared in a TV broadcast for WPSU and Portuguese national TV.

An avid chamber musician, Elisi has performed at the Taos and Ravinia Festivals. As a champion of new music, Elisi has commissioned works from composers of many nationalities and premiered Paul Chihara’s Two Images, at Weill Hall—a composition he subsequently recorded for Albany Records. He also performed music by Sciarrino, Berio, and Fedele at the University of Toronto New Music Festival during Sciarrino’s residence (2017).

Elisi is a frequent guest at music festivals in the USA, China, and Italy. In 2017 he will be the featured artist at the Oklahoma Music Teachers Association State Conference and will also be in residence at the Valencia International Performance Academy and Festival, in Spain. Elisi has presented hundreds of master classes, both in conjunction with his performing engagements, at most major universities in the USA, Canada, Singapore, Hong Kong, Korea, and China. Elisi also held a guest professorship at the China Zhejiang Art School in Hangzhou, China and has been teaching an annual workshop in Seoul.

As an adjudicator, he has taken part in the Tremplin International and the Concours de Musique du Canada, the Nuova coppa pianisti (Osimo, Italy), the Dallas International Piano Competition, the Iowa Competition, the Peabody Yale Gordon, the Julia Crane International, the Fite Young Artist competitions (USA), as well as the Ameri-China Foundation Competition (Chengdu, China).

Elisi recently joined the distinguished Faculty of Music of the University of Toronto as an associate professor, having previously served on the faculties of the Eastman School, the Pennsylvania State University, and the University of Nevada. Elisi’s former students include prizewinner in competitions; hold teaching posts; performed with orchestras (including the Rochester Philharmonic and Dallas Chamber Symphony); and gave debut recitals from New York to Caracas, Paris and Seoul.[:]