Raffaele Fiengo

Raffaele Fiengo was born in September 1998 and, from a very young age, was immersed in music—particularly jazz—thanks to his father.

After acquiring his first musical foundations in his local town band, he began studying saxophone at the Civica School of Music L. Piseri in Brugherio, attending professional courses in Jazz Saxophone and History of Modern Music under Antonello Monni, Jazz Piano with Marco Detto, and Modern Theory with Barbara Gervasoni, earning a Diploma in Jazz Saxophone in June 2016.

He later studied at CEMM (Centro Educazione Musica Moderna) in Milan, deepening his knowledge of jazz language, improvisation, composition, and arranging through masterclasses and workshops led by internationally renowned musicians including Walter Donatiello, Tiziano Tononi, Bruno Chevillon, Roberto Gatto, Giovanni Tommaso, Enrico Pieranunzi, and Antonio Faraò.

In 2017 he was invited as a special guest by jazz pianist Sante Palumbo for the concert “…un’impronta jazz John Coltrane and friends” at the Accademia Musicale Castellanza, Villa Pomini (VA).

In 2018 he won first prize at the “Palco Aperto JAZZMI 2018” competition, receiving the award at the Teatro Triennale in Milan.

In 2020 he was selected as a finalist at the “Chicco Bettinardi” competition, performing with Attilio Zanchi, Massimo Manzi, and Roberto Cipelli at the Milestones Jazz Club in Piacenza.

That same year he was admitted to the Jazz Department of the Giuseppe Verdi Conservatory of Milan, studying with Tino Tracanna, Pino Jodice, Antonio Zambrini, Riccardo Luppi, among others.

He joined the Verdi Jazz Orchestra (VJO), participating in several major events, including “Visioni. Note per la Shoah” broadcast on Rai5, conducted by Pino Jodice with Tino Tracanna and Peppe Servillo. With the orchestra, he shared the stage with vibraphonist Joe Locke and Andrea Dulbecco in the concert “Acoustic and Electric Miles”, dedicated to Miles Davis, and also performed with the National Jazz Orchestra (ONJ) at the Auditorium Parco della Musica in Rome for the project “Kings of Pop in Jazz”.

In 2021 he won first prize at the National Arts Award – 15th edition, jazz section, dedicated to the memory of Pino Daniele, and was invited to perform in Naples at the event “Pino Daniele Alive – La Mostra”. On May 1, 2022, he appeared live on RAI Uno, interviewed on Unomattina in Famiglia as a new talent in Italian jazz.

In 2024 he completed his bachelor’s degree at the Milan Conservatory, earning a First-Level Academic Diploma in Jazz Saxophone with highest honors, distinction, and special mention.

With his own project, the Raffaele Fiengo Quartet, he is actively performing on the Milanese scene and at major festivals such as GaiaJazz Musica & Impresa, JAZZMI, La Grande Notte del Jazz, Cernusco Jazz, Bergamo Jazz 2024, Gezziamoci 2024, and opened the concert of Ethan Iverson Trio at Villa Reale in Monza within the PRODJGI project curated by Musicamorfosi.

He also performed at JAZZMI 2022 with Antonio Faraò, Gigi Cifarelli, Max Furian, and Piero Orsini, and currently plays in Antonio Faraò Quintet – “It’s Time: Tribute to Jackie McLean.” 

Awards

Palco Aperto JAZZMI 2018;

National Arts Award 2021;