Francesco Attesti is gifted pianist. He is also a Rotarian from a club in Cortona, Italy. Years ago, planning a trip to California with his friend, organist Matteo Galli, he sent an offer to perform fundraising concerts to all of the Rotary presidents in California. Current Hartnell College President Dr. Willard Lewallen, then a Rotary president in another city, was on the receiving end – and wasted no time.
“I was one of the first to say yes,” Lewallen says, and he’s been hosting them for nearly a decade.
This week marks the duo’s fifth annual appearance to benefit the college’s music program, and the visit has morphed into a week-long event with master classes and children’s matinees at Hartnell, culminating in a first-ever outing at storied Carmel Mission on Saturday night.
Each player will perform solo, but of particular interest is the collaboration of piano and organ, an unusual instrumentation for which there are not a lot of extant works.
As such, the duo often arranges and transcribes pieces they want to perform together, their most significant effort being a 2007 re-write of Verdi’s classic Requiem.
“It’s quite a unique thing – these are two world-class, internationally acclaimed musicians,” Lewallen says. “They’ve published music together and they have a number of CDs, but they both have separate, successful careers as well.”
Attesti is internationally recognized and has become well-known from playing solo recitals and chamber concerts throughout Italy and Europe.
Galli, a graduate of Italy’s prestigious Conservatoire of Piacenza, is also principal organist and music director at two of Milan’s most historically significant cathedrals, the Basilica di Santa Maria presso S. Satiro and the Basilica of San Giorgio al Palazzo.
The program will offer works by Strauss, Schubert, Chopin and Gershwin. A VIP ticket upgrade includes a 6pm pre-concert reception with the artists.
“Over the years, we have become friends,” Lewallen says. “Their performances are a feast for the senses. And although they are both internationally acclaimed musicians, you will find them to be very warm and engaging on a personal level.”
FRANCESCO ATTESTI and MATTEO GALLI 6pm reception, 7:30pm show Saturday, Feb. 18. Carmel Mission, 3080 Rio Road, Carmel. $50; $75 VIP. 755-6810, give.hartnell.edu/concert
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.