BIOGRAPHY
Chiara Cattani is maestro al cembalo, harpsichordist, pianist and fortepianist, and conductor.
She graduated with honours both in piano at the Conservatorio 'B. Maderna' in Cesena under the guidance of Maestro Denis Zardi and in harpsichord at the Conservatorio 'G.B. Martini' in Bologna, under the guidance of Maestro Silvia Rambaldi. Then she obtained a Second Level Degree in Harpsichord with 110, cum laude and honourable mention. She also graduated at the International Piano Academy in Imola in chamber music and fortepiano respectively with Maestro Pier Narciso Masi and Maestro Stefano Fiuzzi and graduated, again with honours, in Choral Conducting with Maestro Leonardo Lollini at the Conservatory of Bologna. She completed her harpsichord training at the Mozarteum University in Salzburg, where she obtained a Post Graduate Harpsichord Degree in the class of M° Florian Birsak.
Prize-winner at various national and international competitions, she has an intense concert activity that has already shown her perform in numerous concerts in major Italian cities and abroad, in France, England, Denmark, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Russia, Albania, Macedonia, Montenegro, Spain, Israel, Palestine and Japan, as harpsichord, piano and hystorical piano soloist, harpsichordist in chamber ensembles and soloist with orchestra.
She already published more then 20 cds for Tactus, Brilliant, Concerto Classics, Dynamic, CPO, Movimento Classical, Glossa. Among her discographic works are the complete Sonatas composed in Italy in two CDs by Johann Adolf Hasse, published by Concerto Classics, the complete Sonatas for historical keyboards and in duo with flute and violin by Giuseppe Sarti for Tactus in six CDs, together with Roberto Noferini and the flautist Silvia Moroni and the Sonatas op. II for violin and basso continuo by Giovanni Battista Somis. Together with Roberto Noferini, the publication for the italian magazine “Amadeus” and for the label Movimento Classical of Johann Sebastian Bach's Sonatas for violin and cembalo concertante was of great discographic value. Together with mezzo-soprano Arianna Lanci and baroque cellist Verena Laxgang, he published the CD 'Sul filo di Arianna' for Movimento Classical. Her latest record release for Tactus is as maestro al cembalo, with the recording of Torelli's Twelve Concerti grossi together with Ensemble Locatelli. All of her CDs have received wide critical acclaim, and in particular Hasse and Torelli were awarded CD of the Month and rated 5 stars by the magazine “Musica”.
She wrote and published the book 'Giuseppe Sarti: cantabilità operistica nelle sonate per clavicembalo e violino' edited by Associazione Jervolino in Caserta.
She worked as conductor’s assistant, maestro ai recitativi, continuo player from harpsichord and organ of the Festwochen Innsbrucker Orchestra and collaborates with Accademia Bizantina, Freiburger Baroque Orchestra, Academia Montis Regalis, and orchestras of prestigious European theatres, including the Hamburg and Berlin Staatsoper, Odense Symphony Orchestra, Theater Basel, Semperoper Dresden, performing for important festivals, such as Musikfestspiele Potsdam Sanssouci, Handel Festspiele in Halle, Festspiel Baden-Baden, etc.
After combining her role as assistant with that of conductor with chamber ensembles,she took up the activity of maestro al cembalo and was invited to conduct various orchestral ensembles. In August 2022, she made her international debut as conductor for the concert of the finalists of the Cesti Competition on the stage of the Festwochen der Alten Musik in Innsbruck and has just conducted Vivaldi's opera 'La Fida Ninfa' for the same festival, receiving rave reviews.
She has just been appointed as Academia Montis Regalis Orchestra's permanent Music Director for the three year period 2025-2027.
In 2009, she founded Duo Sarti with violinist Roberto Noferini, with whom she is the protagonist of a brilliant concert activity, alternating the three instruments and gaining unanimous acclaim from the public and critics.
In the artistic field, she boasts musical collaborations with Enrico Onofri, Ophelie Gaillard, Olivia Centurioni, Gloria Banditelli, Cristiano Rossi, Sonia Prina, Stefano Montanari, Dorothee Oberlinger, Lorenzo Cavasanti, Liana Mosca, Eleonora Bellocci, Arianna Vendittelli, etc.
Together with Silvia Rambaldi, she delves into the repertoire for two harpsichords: soon to be published will be the recording of J.S. Bach's Art of Fugue.
She is permanent teacher of harpsichord at the Conservatory of Cosenza and of Performance practice on Harpsichord and Clavicord at the Conservatory of Bologna, as well as accompanist for the Baroque department of the Conservatories of Bologna and Bolzano. She is the artistic director of the 'Marco Allegri' Summer Musical Masterclasses in Faenza.
She holds a degree in History of the Ancient World with honours and a thesis in Papyrology.
