City of residence : Livorno
Michelle Candotti obtained her piano diploma from Verona’s Dell’Abaco Conservatory at the age of 14. She also obtained, with distinction, the Master’s in Performance and Artist Diploma at the Royal College of Music with Dmitri Alexeev, and the Diploma with “Master” at the Imola Academy with Enrico Pace.
Michelle won the 2nd prize and Audience prize at the International Piano Competition A. Scriabin, the 2nd prize at Hastings International Piano Concerto Competition, and the 2nd prize at XXIII International Competition Chopin Rome. She was recently a semifinalist at the 18th Chopin International Competition in Warsaw, prize winner at the important 5th Maj Lind Competition of Helsinki, 2nd prize at the German Piano Award 2022, and winner of the Steinway & Sons Förderpreis Klassik 2023.
Michelle has played with the Philharmonic Orchestra of Bacau, Orchestra della Toscana, Orchestra Sinfonica Città di Grosseto, Royal Philharmonic Concerto Orchestra, and Orchestra of the Goldoni’s Foundation.
She is currently studying under the supervision of Carlo Palese and she is attending the Konzertexamen course at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater of Hamburg with Hubert Rutkowski.
Principal teachers
- Carlo Palese
- Hubert Rutkowski
Major Competitions
- 1st prize, Steinway Förderpreis Klassik, 2023
- 2nd prize, German Piano Award, 2022
- 5th prize, Maj Lind International Competition of Helsinki, 2022
- Semifinalist, 18th Chopin International Competition of Warsaw, 2021
- 1st prize, International Music Competition “Città di Firenze-Premio Crescendo,” 2020
- 3rd prize, Brescia Classica International Piano Competition, 2019
Program
FIRST ROUND: RECITAL
Frédéric Chopin
Barcarolle in F-sharp major, Op. 60
Franz Liszt
Paraphrase de concert sur Ernani II, S. 432
Béla Bartók
Sonata
Allegro moderato • Sostenuto e pesante • Allegro molto
SEMIFINAL: CHAMBER MUSIC
Robert Schumann
Quartet in E-flat major, Op. 47
Sostenuto assai – Allegro ma non troppo
SEMIFINAL: RECITAL
Barbara Assiginaak
Mzizaakok Miiniwaa Mzizaakoonsak (Horseflies and Deerflies)
Franz Liszt
‘Après une lecture du Dante, fantasia quasi sonata’ (Années de pèlerinage, deuxième année, S. 161 : No. 7)
George Enescu
Suite No. 2 in D major, Op. 10
Pavane
Hélène de Montgeroult
Études
No. 111 in G minor
Sergei Prokofiev
Sonata No. 7 in B-flat major, Op. 83
Allegro inquieto – Andantino • Andante caloroso • Precipitato
FINAL: CONCERTO
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Concerto No. 1 in B-flat minor, Op. 23
Allegro non troppo e molto maestoso – Allegro con spirito • Andantino semplice – Prestissimo • Allegro con fuoco
Adopt a Musician
The presence of Michelle Candotti in Montreal
is generously supported by Claude Rouleau
