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Luca Luciano

“Masterful Clarinet! Luca is a noted Italian composer and performer who now makes his home in London, having developed an enviable reputation as an instrumental virtuoso around the UK and overseas via recordings and concert hall appearances” (Musicians’ Magazine). Internationally recognized for his ground-breaking contributions to contemporary clarinet music (as a scholar, a composer and a performer), he starts his career at the age of twelve performing at one of the most established halls of his home town Naples and appears on television nationwide live aged twenty-one. Introduced as “the new voice of the clarinet” on the front page of De Klarinet magazine, Luciano receives a Master’s Degree in Italy, is awarded the Fellow status of the Higher Education Academy of Great Britain, and, according to BBC Radio, he is also “one of Europe’s leading exponents of jazz clarinet”. Praised by the International Clarinet Association for his “bold and unique” interpretations, his repertoire also embraces Brahms, Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Schumann, Weber including recordings of music by Stravinsky, Berio, Cage, Malcolm Arnold and Poulenc.

Luciano has defined himself as a solo artist, not solely as an instrumentalist, but a complete musician in line with the tradition set by the great maestri of the past. A former clarinet professor in the UK (Leeds College of Music), he is esteemed for his interest in philosophy and, most of all, for his commitment towards bringing contemporary art to unusual venues or underfunded organisations. He is frequently invited by some of the most prestigious universities and colleges of the UK and overseas and his research focuses on extended techniques (the subject of his new book) along with new compositions for solo clarinet regularly premiered at St Martin in the Fields in London, Cambridge University and other established venues in the UK, Europe and South America. He has performed at venues as diverse as: the South Bank Centre, Barber Institute of Fine Arts, Edinburgh Festival, St George’s Bristol, King’s Hall, SESI International Series and the Centro Cultural in Sao Paulo, European Clarinet Festival in Belgium, St David’s Cathedral Festival in Wales, Festival Internazionale del ‘700 Musicale Napoletano, American Cathedral in Paris.

Aside from his solo clarinet work and research, Luciano has appeared on programs nationwide (SKY Brazil, RAI Television Italy, RTE Ireland), has collaborated with orchestras also as a soloist (Italy, Brazil, Republic of Ireland) and with chamber music ensembles (also recording live for BBC Radio 3 at the Royal Festival Hall).

Luca Luciano: Partenope

Read "Partenope" reviewed by Ian Patterson

by Ian Patterson
May 2, 2011

Italian composer/clarinetist Luca Luciano holds a unique position as the only fulltime jazz-clarinet/classical music professor in the UK, a chair he holds at Leeds College of Music. His previous recording, Neaopolis (Redkite Records, 2004)--a suite accompanied by pianist Franco Piccino--was a thrilling exploration of the relationship between composed and improvised music, and highlighted Luciano's facility in drawing together diverse musical idioms quite seamlessly. Partenope follows a similar approach, minus piano, as part of the clarinetist's ongoing exploration of extended techniques ...

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Take Five With...

Take Five With Luca Luciano

by AAJ Staff
January 13, 2009

Meet Luca Luciano: Luca is a noted Italian clarinetist and composer who now makes his home in London, having developed an enviable reputation as an instrumental virtuoso around the UK and overseas via recordings and concert hall appearances (Masterful Clarinet, Musician Magazine).Professor of both jazz and classical clarinet, he started his career at a very young age (only twelve) performing at one of the most prestigious concert-halls of his home town Naples, appeared on television nationwide ...

401

Take Five With...

Take Five With Luca Luciano

by AAJ Staff
March 13, 2007

Meet Luca Luciano: Clarinetist and composer Luca Luciano is a “classically trained Italian virtuoso resident in London" (Jazz UK) who is also visiting lecturer of both jazz and classical clarinet at the Leeds College of Music and very much appreciated in the UK and overseas for his unique style (Jazz Journal International wrote about avant-garde) and the quality of his compositions. He is also quoted in books about the clarinet repertoire. He started his career at a very young age ...

Recording

Clarinettist Luca Luciano's new album "Partenope" is now out!

Source: Chang Management
March 5, 2011

The new album , contemporary music for solo clarinet, by the Italian clarinettist/composer Luca Luciano is now out (“Masterful Clarinet!" by Musician Magazine). Continuing the journey started with the album “Neapolis" (Red Kite Records, 2005) and “Clarinet" (MCPS, 2008-2010), the compositions (all Luciano's) included in this release are also part of an on-going academic research that focuses on extended techniques for the contemporary repertoire and new music for solo clarinet that Luciano has also presented during the masterclasses and workshops ...
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Interview

Luca Luciano: The New Voice of the Clarinet

Source: Chang Management
February 14, 2010

Clarinetist/composer Luca Luciano is a champion of contemporary music and his compositions, part of his academic research, have been premiered at the Bristol Cathedral and the prestigious St Martin in the Fields in London, England. They've also been presented at workshops and master classes in the U.K. and overseas. Luciano came to the U.K. completely alone and with no logistical support whatsoever, starting from the very bottom (first as a part-time barman to make a living)--despite a promising start in ...
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Radio

The Music of Clarinettist Luciano at the BBC Radio!

Source: Chang Management
March 12, 2009

The BBC Radio 6 show “Fresh on the Net" by Tom Robinson has featured Divertimento #8 “Thamon" from the CD “Clarinet" by Luca Luciano and you have the chance to listen to Sunday show again till this end of the week on BBC.co.uk clicking on the “listen again" section on the right. Those were the words Tom Robinson used to describe Luca's music:

“Something I have been dying to share with you all week......such a virtuoso musical performance ...
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Performance / Tour

Luca Luciano in Concert at the National Portrait Gallery

Source: Chang Management
March 10, 2009

The Friday Evening concert series at the National Portrait Gallery of London is one of the most established and long-running series in the UK and on March 6th the Luca Luciano Duo amazed the audience with an outstanding performance of improvised music.

Luca Luciano specialises in small ensembles and performs in duo with piano featuring Mark Donlon and presenting a programme completely different from what is generally proposed by other jazz ensembles. The performance presents new and challenging music, unique ...
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Recording

Download Luca Luciano's Music!

Source: Chang Management
February 17, 2009

" >Luca Luciano</b> is very much appreciated in the UK and overseas for his unique style and the quality of his compositions (“Masterful Clarinet" by Musician Magazine) and this latest project keeps faith to his uncompromised and sometimes controversial approach to jazz and the will to experiment and promote contemporary music.

Luciano strongly believes in the “internet revolution" and the chance it gives to independent artists. His latest recordings Clarinet", in fact, are available to the public in limited edtion ...
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Recording

"Clarinet", the New CD by Luca Luciano

Source: All About Jazz
January 30, 2008

We are pleased to introduce “Clarinet", the latest album by the clarinetist/composer and Professor of Clarinet Luca Luciano “classically trained Italian virtuoso resident in London" ("Jazz UK").

Luca is very much appreciated in the UK and abroad for his unique style and the quality of his compositions and this latest project keeps faith to his uncompromised and sometimes controversial approach to jazz and the will to experiment.

Luciano's sound has been built on a vintage “Bb" Buffet clarinet which bears ...
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Performance / Tour

The Clarinettist Luca Luciano at the National Theatre of London

Source: All About Jazz
August 29, 2006

The Maestro Luca Luciano is back at the National Theatre after the overwhelming appretiation of his last recital. The performance is held at the “Djanogly Concert Pitch" on September 5th from 6pm to 7.20pm and features the pianist Frank Harrison. Luciano is going to perform his own compositions published in the album “Neapolis" produced by the Red Kite Records (more on www.redkiterecords.co.uk). Here is what the journalist Jo Laverty wrote about the recital on “Musicians": “We saw skilled Neapolitan clarinettist/composer ...
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Recording

"Neapolis": the unique music of Luca Luciano

Source: All About Jazz
July 27, 2006

Luca Luciano, clarinettist and composer, is a “classically trained Italian virtuoso now resident in London" ("Jazz UK") who is much appreciated in the UK and overseas for his very unique style and the quality of his compositions. He began his career at a very young age (only 12), performing at one of the most prestigious and ancient concert-halls of his home town Naples and at only 21, appeared on television nationwide live. He has accumulated experience in both the jazz ...
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“Luca Luciano is one of Europe’s leading exponent of jazz clarinet.” (BBC Radio)

“Remarkable the Fragment #4 and #5. Bravo!” (Gianluigi Trovesi, ECM artist)

“They have made genuine impressions on the London improvisational scene and this album shows their technical assurance, creative ability and natural versatility” (Jazz Journal International)

“A 360–degrees compositional approach that embraces the music production form Gershwin to Ligeti as much as the popular tradition form Southern Italy to klezmer music” (Musica Jazz)

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Primary Instrument

Clarinet

Location

London

Willing to teach

Intermediate to advanced

Credentials/Background

Fellow of the Higher Education Academy in the UK and former clarinet professor at the Leeds College of Music (UK's largest conservatoire) where he has held the only existing position of jazz clarinet lecturer in the UK, Luciano has been invited by universities and colleges in the UK and overseas for master-classes, workshops and lecture-recitals. His solid private tuition experience includes learners of all levels from beginners to professionals. More on www.lucaluciano.com including scores, information on the educational events he holds and some educational videos.

Clinic/Workshop Information

Primary Instrument

Clarinet

Location

London

Willing to teach

Intermediate to advanced

Credentials/Background

Clinic/Workshop Information

“Master-class on the Contemporary Clarinet"

The event is the part of a on-going research on sound effects and repertoire for solo clarinet made by Luciano during his experience as an academic and as a performer of contemporary music. Luca is one of the few at HE Level who specialise in both classical and jazz music giving him the chance to design a masterclass for both classical and non-classical (jazz, world music, etc.) clarinet- players who want to enhance their technique and gain the skills necessary to play contemporary music. Full details on www.lucaluciano.com .

"Lecture-Recital / Demonstration of the Possibilities of the Clarinet"

An appendix of the ”Clarinet Solo Project”, his lecture-recital and demonstration of the potential of the clarinet are also informed by his research on extended techniques for the contemporary repertoire and new music for solo clarinet. The event (also held in Portuguese and Italian) is aimed at musicians, composers and music enthusiasts of all level and of all walk of life. Whilst spreading Luca’s research and findings, the main idea of this event is to inspire young musicians and get them familiarised with the contemporary clarinet techniques and their potential within the music of today. Full details on www.lucaluciano .com.

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