Massimiliano Monopoli

Massimiliano Monopoli began studying the piano at the age of six and continued his musical education at the Conservatorio Niccolò Piccinni. He graduated with highest honors, distinction, and special mention from the Conservatorio Umberto Giordano under the guidance of Maestro Alessandro Deljavan.

From an early stage in his career, he distinguished himself in numerous national and international competitions, earning First Prizes at the Mirabello in Musica International Piano Competition (jury president Bruno Canino), the Stravinsky International Piano Competition, and the Eratò International Piano Competition, where he was awarded the Absolute First Prize and scholarship.

In 2022, he received the Special Jury Prize at the Tchaikovsky International Piano Competition for Young Musicians, selected among more than 500 participants from around the world and distinguished as the only European pianist admitted to the final stages of the competition.

Monopoli has performed extensively across Europe, the Middle East, and the Americas, with appearances in Finland, Bahrain, the United States, Venezuela, Russia, and Portugal. He is regularly invited by the Association Tchaikovsky Competition Stars to perform in Moscow. His concert venues have included the Teatro Kursaal Santalucia, the Concert Hall of the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory, and the Tchaikovsky House Museum, where he performed on the composer’s historic piano.

As a soloist with orchestra, he has performed concertos by Mozart, Beethoven (Nos. 1 and 2), and Rachmaninov (No. 2). Recent highlights include his debut performances of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 2 and Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No. 2 with orchestra. He is also an active chamber musician, regularly performing in duo with cellist Mauro Paolo Monopoli and collaborating with the Teleion Piano Trio and other ensembles.

He frequently appears in international festivals, including the International Tchaikovsky Arts Festival and the Livorno Music Festival, among others.

In addition to his performing career, Massimiliano Monopoli is the Founder and Artistic Director of the Festival Pianistico Internazionale del Mediterraneo. Under his leadership, the festival has gained international recognition, presenting world-renowned artists such as Mikhail Pletnev, Marc-André Hamelin, Ivo Pogorelich, William Grant Naboré, Valentin Malinin, and Anna Fedorova. His artistic vision emphasizes excellence, international dialogue, and the support of emerging generations of musicians.

He has recorded works by Liszt and Moszkowski for the Italian label DIG Digressione Music.