Originary from Alcamo, in the Province of Trapani, he started the study of piano when aged only six and got his secondary school diploma, with honours, at the Liceo ScientificoGiuseppe Ferro in Alcamo. In 1988, when aged only eighteen, he received a Diploma in Piano from the 'Vincenzo Bellini' Music conservatory in Palermo", magna cum laude. He studied pianoforte with Jörg Demus, Maria Tipo, Franco Scala, Boris Petrushansky, Aldo Ciccolini, composition with Eliodoro Sollima, analysis with Piero Rattalino. He was awarded in "Ibla Grand Prize International Piano Competition", 1st prize at "Città di Roma" Competition. 2nd prize at Enna "F. P. Neglia" International Competition. Specialized in piano transcription repertoire, he discovered and interpreted piano transcriptions by famous and unknown musicians. He also composed piano transcriptions, like La Valse by Maurice Ravel and Scaramouche by Darius Milhaud. His brilliant concert career took him throughout the world: Alice Tully Hall, New York City; New York University; Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall; Französischer Dom, Berlin; Auditorium S. Cecilia, Rome; Eglise Saint-Merri and Centre Européen des Activités Artistiques, Paris; Tübingen University; Keizersgrachtkerk, Amsterdam; SofiaNational Theatre; Zernezer Musikwochen Festival ; Internationales KammerMusikFestival am Gendarmenmarkt. Among his musical partners, tenor Pietro Ballo, soprano Arpiné Rahdjian, violist Demetrio Comuzzi, cellists Luca Pincini and Giorgio Gasbarro, dancer Oriella Dorella. With the Italian pianist Nina Gallo he has formed the Duo Excentrique. He is the favourite interpreter of the Italian contemporary composer Andrea Ferrante to whom he dedicated a trilogy of CDs. He graduated in Lawcum laude at Palermo University, with the thesis on Artistic Creation and Interpretation in Law. He is a pioneer of the studies of Entertainment Law in Italy. He writes for Arnoldo Mondadori Editore and Rugginenti, Milan, Italy. He is professor of Pianoforte and Law at the PalermoNational Conservatory of Music, and former Vice Director and Coordinator of the legislative Bureau at the Trapani National Conservatory of Music. He is currently Expert for Italian National Agency for the Evaluation of the University System The Italian television series "Tutta la musica del cuore" was inspired by the battles for legality he conducted at the Conservatory of Music in Trapani, Sicily.
Recordings
Eros e Thanatos. Love and Death. Domenico Picciché, Phoenix classics, Montebelluna, Italy, 1999, PH99501
Andrea Ferrante. The Sensual Style. Domenico Picciché et al., Videoradio, Milan, Italy, 2011, VRCD000786. Introduction by Giovanni Sollima.
Andrea Ferrante. Free Emotion. Domenico Picciché et al., Videoradio-RAI Trade, Milan, Italy, 2011, VRCD000795. Introduction by Ennio Morricone.
Andrea Ferrante. Mare. Arpinè Rahdjian, Domenico Picciché, Giorgio Gasbarro, Undici07 Records, Palermo, Italy, 2012. Introduction by Marco Betta.
Piano transcriptions
La Valse. Concert transcription for solo piano from the original orchestral score by Maurice Ravel, ASAP, Italy, 2008.
Scaramouche. Concert transcription for one piano, four hands, from the original two pianos score by Darius Milhaud, ASAP, Italy, 2011.
