Biografia

RAFFAELE BELLAFRONTE (Vasto *1961) diplomato in pianoforte con Lucia Passaglia, ha studiato composizione ed analisi con Firmino Sifonia, Giampaolo Chiti e Fulvio Delli Pizzi.

Dopo anni di ricerca e sperimentazione negli studi di registrazione, la sua produzione si sposta progressivamente da un modello dove l’autore esprime le sue idee, le realizza e le propone in maniera definitiva attraverso un supporto audio, ad uno che riallaccia i fili con le strategie compositive dei secoli precedenti.

Le sue opere sono state pubblicate dalle case Editrici Rai Com, Curci, Carisch, Bongiovanni, Bèrben, Les Productions d’Oz, DaVinci Publishing e varcano i confini nazionali per approdare in sale da concerto e teatri tra i più importanti al mondo quali la Carnegie Hall di New York dove nell’ottobre ’96 viene commissionata ed eseguita Oasi alla mente in prima mondiale.

Da allora tantissimi gli altri appuntamenti di rilievo tra i quali:

Il 30 gennaio 2015 ritorna alla Carnegie Hall di New York con la prima americana di Tarantella per chitarra, e il 6 novembre 2016 al Musikverein di Vienna con la prima mondiale della Suite No.2 per fagotto, chitarra e orchestra d’archi.

Ha inciso per le case discografiche Brilliant Classics, Stradivarius, Tactus, Bongiovanni, Rai Com, Summit Records e Delos International.

Ideatore e direttore artistico dei Masterclasses – Seminari Musicali Internazionali, dal 1990, ne ha curato per vent’anni tutte le edizioni.

Direttore artistico della scuola Civica Musicale è dal 2007 direttore artistico del Teatro Rossetti di Vasto.

E’ docente presso il Conservatorio di Campobasso.

I suoi lavori discografici e le sue pubblicazioni sono inseriti nei maggiori cataloghi musicali mondiali.

Nel 2017 riceve il prestigioso premio “Chitarra d’oro per la composizione” nel 20° Convegno Internazionale per la chitarra in occasione della 50° edizione del Concorso Internazionale di Chitarra “Michele Pittaluga” di Alessandria.

After many years of research and experimentation in the recording studios, Bellafronte’s work has progressed from a model whereby ideas are expressed, achieved, proposed in their final definitive mode via audio supports to one wherein the composer re-traces and re-elaborates the compositional strategies of previous centuries into new and exciting music.

Much of his work has been published with Rai Com, Curci, Carisch, Bongiovanni, Bèrben, Les Productions d’Oz, DaVinci Publishing and Bellafronte has long been involved with , which publishes all his recordings and compositions.

His work continues to cross national borders; is indeed performed at many of the world’s most prestigious concert halls and theaters:

Oasi alla Mente was commissioned by and premiered at New York’s Carnegie Hall in October 1996;

other major venues include Vienna’s Konzerthaus with the world premiere of Il Labirinto dell’Anima, (or Labyrinth of the Soul), for piccolo and orchestra, in 2003;

Afrika, for trumpet and piano, premiered in Denver (Colorado) at the World Trumpet Convention in 2004;

San Diego and the World Flute Convention, 2005 saw the premiere of The Crazy Acrobat for piccolo and piano;

Frammenti d’Ombra e Luci, (Fragments of Shadow and Light), for solo clarinet, was first performed at Tokyo’s World Clarinet Convention in 2005;

at Flautissimo in Rome’s Parco della Musica, Arakathalama premiered for clarinet, guitar, bandoneon and doublebass, and Bellafronte’s Ave Maria for soprano and orchestra was performed before the Italian Government at its traditional Christmas concert, 2005;

the world premiere of Zeit, a new concerto for bassoon and orchestra, was performed in Vienna, April 22, 2009, during the official season of the Musikverein.

Of his recordings, for Bongiovanni, Raffaele Bellafronte recorded two monographic CDs (GB 5049-2/GB 5081-2).

Suite No. 1 for cello and guitar was recorded for the label DELOS Hollywood International (DE 3324) while Afrika, for trumpet and piano, was released by the American label, Summit Records.

For Rai trade and Ducale he recorded Icaro (RTC 008), and Arakathalama, a CD of chamber music was released by Stradivarius.

For Tactus he has recorded the last two record works: the first registered to Conzerthaus Vienna dedicated to the music for orchestra (TC 960202) and the second devoted entirely to the guitar (TC 960203).

Besides composing, Raffaele has been directing various venues.

From 1990 to 1996 Bellafronte was artistic director of the City of Vasto’s Masterclass Series.

Artistic Director of the Seminari Musicali Internazionali in Vasto, Italy, since 1999, he is also artistic director of Teatro Rossetti, Vasto’s municipal concert venue, and the Civic Music School, since 2007.

He has taught in several Italian Conservatories and today he teaches at the Conservatory of Campobasso.
His works and publications are available through most major music catalogues worldwide.

On April 7, 2014 at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan it was performed Midnight plays for clarinet, cello and piano.

In 2017 he received the prestigious “Golden Guitar” award for the composition from the 20th International Guitar Convention in Alessandria (Italy), on the occasion of the 50th edition of the “International Guitar Competition Michele Pittaluga”.