Tofanelli CD cover

Professor Liliana Forti, Director of the Orazio Vecchi Institute of Music in Modena, Italy, writes to announce that Professor Andrea Tofanelli has been named Professor of Trumpet and Jazz Trumpet at the Institute, adding him to the roster of international big names who are already teaching there, Luciano Pavarotti being just one example.

Brief biography

Andrea Tofanelli (39) was born in Viareggio (Lucca, Italy), following in the musical footsteps of his father, Dino, a self-taught musician and Eb bugle player in the village band. His musical and trumpet studies began in 1976 with Prof. M. Peruzzi and Mr. I. Giannerini whilst also attending the Conservatory at the "Istituto Musicale Pareggiato L. Boccherini" in Lucca.  In 1979, aged 14, Andrea started working with local semi-professional big bands and commercial music groups, and in 1984 he began performing professionally in the classical music field while studying with trumpeters B. Franceschi (of the "Teatro Comunale del Giglio" in Lucca), V. Camaglia (of the "Accademia di S. Cecilia" in Rome), V. Globokar (brass section professor of the Orchestra Giovanile Italiana courses in Fiesole), and B. Campbell (of the "Maggio Fiorentino" in Florence). 

In 1987 Andrea finished his Conservatory studies with highest full marks, graduating cum laude.  That same year he attended a Master Class given by Armando Ghitalla (Boston Symphony Orchestra soloist and teacher at the University of Michigan) and started his first jazz studies with O. Valdambrini and S. Fanni, soloists of the RAI network Big Bands in Rome and Milan. In 1988 Andrea won the national auditions for the European and Italian tour of the "Orchestra Giovanile Italiana" (Italian Youth Orchestra) as well as the "Teatro Comunale del Giglio" of Lucca.  He also collaborated until 1990 with the "ORT Orchestra Regionale Toscana," "EUR Spettacoli," "Orchestra da Camera Lucchese," and was selected as a finalist in Rome for the ECYO (European Community Youth Orchestra).  In 1989/90 he fulfilled his military compulsory service playing in the Italian Air Force Band in Rome.

In the following years, after a short experience with popular dance music, Andrea turned definitively to jazz, Latin and commercial music, performing in many MEDIASET, RAI, TMC and SKY network TV shows (52 to date) and recording several cinema soundtracks and TV commercials for some of the top recording studios in Italy.

From jazz to classical to pop music, Andrea has performed in the USA, and many European countries. In Italy, Andrea has performed and/or recorded as lead trumpet and soloist with a rainbow of famous Italian artists and has also accompanied many famous musicians from all over the world including big names such as George Michael and Gloria Gaynor along with many others. He has worked with an impressive roster of talented directors and arrangers.

Andrea has performed in Italy with great jazz musicians like Maynard Ferguson and Peter Erskine (Italian tour 1996), and has played as lead and solo trumpet with many Italian big bands. Andrea performed as a special guest in Italy and in the US with the Big Bop Nouveau Band of Maynard Ferguson (Municipal Theatre of Casalmaggiore 2000, Vicenza Jazz Festival 2003 and during the 2003 US tour with 4 concerts at Blues Alley in Washington, DC), and as soloist with the Luxembourg Jazz Orchestra. His other playing experience includes theatrical shows, brass bands, acid jazz, salsa, soul and R&B.

In 1999 Andrea recorded his first solo CD entitled  "Mattia's Walk & Tribute to Maynard Ferguson" released by the Italian label Splasc(H) Records.  His second solo CD, "Ricordo di... Napoli" a tribute to Neapolitan Italian music, was released by the Italian label, Fonotecnice, in 2001.

As a teacher, as well as his new appointment at the "Orazio Vecchi" Institute he gives Master Classes on playing lead trumpet and performing in the high register at the "Istituto Musicale Pareggiato L. Boccherini" in Lucca, and he is also a board member for the trumpet and trombone graduating examinations.  Moreover, he was an assistant at Maynard Ferguson's seminar during the Vicenza Jazz Festival 2003.  Andrea, a Yamaha Artist, also gives seminars for Yamaha and collaborates with the International Campus of the Gallodoro Municipality, as well as Summer Seminars for the "Artemixta" Musical Association in Barberino Val D'Elsa, the "NCDM. School of Music" in Milan and the "Minale School of Music" in Naples.  Andrea is currently consulting with Clint "Pops" McLaughlin on the first American draft of "Embouchure - The Pros Talk." He is the Artistic Director of the "Dean Benedetti Jazz Festival" in Torre del Lago Puccini which has run five years so far, 2000-2004).

For the full version of Tofanelli's biography, links to other sites featuring him, and much more, please visit his website.

Website:
Andrea Tofanelli (in Italian and English)
Orazio Vecchi Institute of Music (in Italian, English under construction)