Marcello Abbado (7 October 1926 – 4 June 2020) was an Italian pianist, composer, conductor and academic teacher. His compositions include several orchestral works, two ballets, numerous pieces for solo piano, and chamber music. As a pianist, he played in major concert halls of the world. He taught composition at several conservatories, ultimately at the Giuseppe Verdi Conservatory. In 1989 he was awarded the gold medal for Meritorious Culture and Art (Medaglia d'oro ai benemeriti della cultura e dell'arte) by the Government of Italy.
Early life and education
Born in Milan into a family of famous musicians,[1] he was the son of violinist Michelangelo Abbado [de], brother of conductor Claudio Abbado, and father of conductor Roberto Abbado and digital artist Adriano Abbado. He studied piano at the Giuseppe Verdi Conservatory with Gianandrea Gavazzeni and Renzo Lorenzoni, graduating in 1944. He further studied composition with Giulio Cesare Paribèni and Giorgio Federico Ghedini, earning the diploma in 1947.[1]
In addition to his concert activity, Abbado was also a teacher of musical composition at the Conservatory of Bologna for twelve years, and also taught at the Parma Conservatory. He later taught and served as the director of the Giuseppe Nicolini Conservatory in Piacenza (1958 to 1966), at the Conservatory "Gioacchino Rossini" in Pesaro (1966 to 1972) and finally at the Giuseppe Verdi Conservatory in Milan (1972 to 1996).[3] He was also a member of the board at the Teatro alla Scala for twenty-four years.[4] In 1993, together with Vladimir Delman, he formed the Symphonic Orchestra of Milan "Giuseppe Verdi", of which he was the artistic director from 1993 to 1996.[3] He also taught masterclasses in Asia, Europe and the United States.[2]
His numerous compositions have been published by leading Italian publishers, including Carish, Curci, Ricordi and Suvini Zerboni.[2] Programs dedicated exclusively to his music have been performed in Japan, Russia and the United States.[2]
Abbado was the president and a jury member of international music competitions, including the Beethoven Competition in Vienna, Bösendorfer in Brussels, Maria Canals International Music Competition in Barcelona, Ciani in Milan, Min-On in Tokyo, Obraztosva in Saint Petersburg, Rubinstein in Tel Aviv, and Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in Fort Worth, Ettore Pozzoli International Piano Competition in Seregno, among many others.[2]
