aggiornato al 1° novembre 2022
updated to November 1st, 2022
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Ilio Barontini è considerato un pianista controcorrente per la scelta di programmi spesso monografici e per la realizzazione di elaborazioni pianistiche volte a creare cortocircuiti tra diversi linguaggi musicali. Ha registrato per emittenti radio-televisive nazionali ed estere e di recente per Sifare Classical. Ha inciso numerosi album sia da solista (Platti: Keyboard Sonatas, Ilio Barontini Plays Muzio Clementi, Mozart: Fantasias, Bartók: For Children, Voll. 1 & 2) sia in duo pianistico con la figlia Caterina (quattro album che esplorano il repertorio per pianoforte a quattro mani da Mozart a Satie). Recentemente ha registrato vari album di propri arrangiamenti pianistici (Franco Battiato Live Piano Tribute, The Golden Age Italian Songs Played by Ilio Barontini, ParthenoPiano, Merry Christmas All over the World) e ha dato una veste pianistica classico-romantica agli album Life Is Love (2018) e Love Is Life (2022) di Francesco Digilio con grande successo online.
In attività come didatta e concertista dal 1972, dopo aver conseguito brillanti affermazioni in concorsi pianistici nazionali e internazionali nel 1975-1978, ha tenuto concerti pianistici e clavicembalistici come solista e in varie formazioni cameristiche sia in Italia (Teatro Petruzzelli di Bari, Teatro Comunale di Treviso, Teatro Verdi di Trieste, Estate Fiesolana, Teatro Eliseo di Roma, Amici della Musica di Roma, Milano, Firenze, Taranto, Bologna ecc.) che all’estero (Spagna, Portogallo, Svizzera, Austria, Germania, Marocco, Egitto, Tunisia, Algeria ecc.) e recentemente con le figlie Ilaria, flautista, e Caterina, pianista.
Docente di Pianoforte e di Lettura della partitura dal 1972 al 2015 presso l’Istituto Superiore di Studi Musicali “P. Mascagni” di Livorno, continua ad affiancare l’attività didattica a quella concertistica e compositiva.
Nel 2019 ha pubblicato Renaissance, otto composizioni originali per pianoforte. Nel 2017-18 ha inciso le proprie composizioni pianistiche in duo con Caterina: Back to Beat (una grande opera in due parti, per due pianoforti, registrata live al Teatro Goldoni di Livorno), Bartókiana, Cinque Filastrocche e Little Suite & Gershwiniana; da solista, Back to Beatles, Experience e Musings.
Tiene regolarmente corsi di perfezionamento e masterclass presso importanti Istituzioni e Associazioni musicali. È spesso chiamato in giuria in concorsi nazionali ed internazionali. È Direttore Artistico di Sifare Classical.
Ilio Barontini is considered a countercurrent pianist for his frequent monographic concerts and for his piano versions aimed at creating short circuits between different music languages. Awarded of prestigious prizes in Italian and international piano competitions during the years 1975-1978, he has recorded for Italian and foreign radio-TV companies and recently for Sifare Classical. He has recorded several albums as a soloist (Platti: Keyboard Sonatas, Ilio Barontini Plays Muzio Clementi, Mozart: Fantasias, Bartók: For Children, Voll. 1 & 2) and in piano duo with his daughter Caterina (four albums exploring the repertoire for piano four hands from Mozart to Satie).
Recently he has recorded various albums of his piano arrangements (Franco Battiato Live Piano Tribute, The Golden Age Italian Songs Played by Ilio Barontini, ParthenoPiano, Merry Christmas All over the World) and he has composed a classical-romantic piano version of Francesco Digilio's Life Is Love (2018) and Love Is Life (2022), with great success online.
He has been giving piano and harpsichord concerts since 1972, as a soloist or in various ensembles, in Italy and abroad (Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Morocco, Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria). Recently, he has centred his chamber performances on playing in duo with his daughters Ilaria (flautist) and Caterina (pianist), at a single or at two pianos.
Professor of Piano and of Score Reading at the "Pietro Mascagni" Superior Institute of Musical Studies in Livorno (Italy) from 1972 to 2015, he is currently complimenting his concerts with other activities, that is to say composing and teaching.
In 2019 his first album as a composer was released: Renaissance, a collection of eight original piano pieces. In 2017-2018 he recorded his piano music in duo with Caterina: Back to Beat (a great work in two parts for two pianos, recorded live at Teatro Goldoni, Livorno), Bartókiana, Five Nursery Rhymes, Little Suite & Gershwiniana; as a soloist, he recorded Back to Beatles, Experience and Musings.
He is regularly giving masterclasses and courses for various Institutions and Musical Associations and is often called to take part in judging some of the most important piano competitions. He is the artistic director of Sifare Classical.