“... a dashing account of Schumann’s Piano Concerto, with Giulia Contaldo as the last-minute replacement soloist."

The Guardian

 

Italian and American pianist Giulia Contaldo came to international attention when she stepped in for Elisso Virsaladze to play Schumann’s Piano Concerto with the BBC Philharmonic conducted by Omer Meir Wellber at the Bridgewater Hall (Manchester) live broadcasted by BBC Radio3. 

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Giulia has received numerous prizes, including top first prizes at the 28th J.S. Bach Italian National Competition, the 15th International Maria Giubilei Piano Competition, prizes at the International Competition Prémio Internacional de Piano Figueira da Foz (Coimbra), 32nd Concours Européen de Musique de Chambre organized by FNAPEC (Paris), Massarosa International Piano Competition, Third Prize and Audience Prize at the James Mottram International Piano Competition, Second prize and Classical Sonata Special Award at the Verona International Piano Competition. She won the Concerto Competition, the Piano Duo Prize and was awarded the prestigious Gold Medal at Royal Northern College of Music (UK), its most prestigious award for instrumental performance. 

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As a soloist, Giulia has performed with leading orchestras such as the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Manchester Camerata, Nottingham Philharmonic Orchestra, Stockport Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra dell' Arena di Verona, RNCM Symphony Orchestra, Young Musicians European Orchestra, Giovane Orchestra di Abruzzo, Orchestra del Carmine di Firenze. She has performed throughout Italy, Europe, Switzerland, UK and USA for many festivals and venues including Teatro Alighieri (Ravenna), Teatro Filarmonico (Verona), Teatro Verdi (Firenze), Teatro della Pergola (Firenze), Festival dei Due Mondi (Spoleto), Festival delle Nazioni (Città di Castello), Steinway Society (Verona), Festival Internazionale di Musica da Camera (Asolo), Emilia Romagna Festival, Amici della Musica di Padova, Amici della Musica di Modena,Oratorio del Gonfalone (Roma), Sale Apollinee (Teatro la Fenice), Lucca (Musica a Palazzo Pfanner), Bridgewater Hall (Manchester), Wigmore Hall (London), Steinway Hall (London), Musica Insieme (Bologna) etc.

Furthermore, Giulia has had broadcasts of her performances on BBC Radio and Classic FM and has collaborated with musicians such as world-renowned violist Bruno Giuranna and cellist Mario Brunello. 

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Born on the outskirts of Florence, Italy, Giulia began her piano studies at the age of 5. She completed her undergraduate and graduate degrees with highest honors and special mention in piano performance, studying with Giovanna Prestia at Cherubini Conservatory Florence, Italy, whilst also studying at Imola International Piano Academy with Jin Ju since 2012, where she completed her artist diploma in 2019.  Giulia continued her studies while supported by the Helen Mackaness Trust for the Advanced Postgraduate Diploma in Piano Performance at Royal Northern College of Music with Graham Scott and Dina Parakhina, graduating with distinction; Giulia was then accepted into the highly selective International Artist Diploma at the RNCM.

A dedicated teacher, Giulia is a tenured piano professor at the Conservatorio "Jacopo Tomadini" in Udine, Italy and continues her studies with Ricardo Castro at the Haute Ecole de Musique de Geneve. 

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Giulia is supported by the Keyboard Charitable Trust (UK), Fondazione Cecilia Giraldi (Torino) and she is a scholar of the Imogen Cooper Music Trust (UK).

She is set to release her debut CD, METOPES, with Da Vinci Publishing in 2025, along with a chamber music CD featuring works by Giorgio Ghedini under the label Dynamic Records.

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