Alessandra Volpi

 Italian Pianist Alessandra Volpi began her piano studies at the age of four under the direction of Maestro Gaeta in Carrara, Italy and with Busoni Competition Winner Daniel Rivera at the Livorno Conservatory, Italy. She had her orchestral debut at age ten playing Mozart K.488 Piano Concerto with the Boario Terme Orchestra in Lombardia and from there, furthered her studies at the Florence and Milan Conservatory in Italy. At sixteen, she was awarded a full tuition scholarship to continue her music education with Maestro Gary Amano of Utah State University where she graduated Cum Laude. Ms. Volpi then spent several months in Budapest, Hungary, learning from Liszt Academy Professor and internationally renowned pianist Endre Hegedűs.

During her career, Ms. Volpi has had the opportunity to participate in masterclasses with many legendary mentors such as Leon Fleisher, Stewart Gordon, Jerome Lowenthal, Olga Kern, Norman Krieger, Charles Rosen, Mitzuko Uchida, Marina Lomazov and Joseph Rackers. Ms.Volpi has also taken part in masterclasses at Carnegie Hall as well as Festivals at the Juilliard School in New York City, Summerfest at The Curtis Institute of Music and Piano Sonoma at Boston Conservatory.

Ms. Volpi was invited to play the inaugural concert for the opening season at Palazzo Cucchiari in Carrara, Italy where she collaborated with her long time friend and Nashville Symphony violinist, Alison Gooding Hoffman. 

Some of her most recent recordings include an avant-garde film adaptation of Weill's "Seven Deadly Sins" commissioned by soprano Rebekah Alexander which was presented internationally in 2021, Cristina Spinei’s Trio recorded for Minnesota Public Radio and Lukas Foss “Thirteen Ways of looking at a Blackbird” for the Nashville based alt-classical ensemble Chatterbird.

Ms. Volpi has played concerts with several Italian and United States orchestras including a recent performance of the Clara Schumann piano concerto with the Nashville Concerto Orchestra. She has appeared often on the 91 Classical Radio station in Nashville alongside many Nashville Symphony musicians and chamber music ensembles.

An avid chamber musician, Ms. Volpi performs often with Grammy nominated chamber ensemble Alias as well as Nashville alt-classical ensemble Chatterbird and contemporary ensemble Intersections.  As part of the 2021-2022 season of Sparks and Wiry Cries SongSlam, Ms. Volpi appeared alongside soprano Rebekah Alexander to present a new composition by German-American composer Ingrid Stölzel at the Blue Building in New York City. 

 Ms. Volpi’s accolades include several first prizes at National and International Competitions such as First Prize at the Pietro Napoli National Piano Competition; First Prize at the Mascia Masin International Piano Competition; First Prize at the National Competition for Young Pianists in Lucca,Italy; Second Prize at the J.S. Bach International Piano Competition; First Prize at the Citta’ di Camaiore National Piano Competition, First Prize at the F.I.D.A.P.A. National Piano Competition, First Prize at MTNA Regional Competition for Piano Solo and Chamber Ensemble, First Prize at Grand Junction Symphony Young Artist Competition.  

  Ms. Volpi is currently working as Staff Pianist and Coach at Belmont University, Rehearsal  Pianist for the Nashville Ballet and serves on the Faculty for the Opera Lucca Festival in Lucca, Italy. Through her work with the Nashville Ballet, Ms. Volpi has been able to premiere several works including Lizzie Borden, The Raven, A Streetcar Named Desire as well as a recent adaptation of Peter Pan arranged by British composer and pianist Philip Feeney. As orchestra musician, Ms. Volpi often collaborates as keyboardist for the Nashville Symphony Orchestra, Lexington Philharmonic and Buffalo Philharmonic.