The Programme
Edvard Grieg (1843–1907)
Suite Op. 46 from “Peer Gynt”
– Morning
– Åse’s Death
– Anitra’s Dance
– In the Hall of the Mountain King
Franz Schubert (1798–1828)
Fantasy in F minor, Op. 103 – D940
– Allegro molto moderato
Gioachino Rossini (1791–1868)
Overture from La Gazza Ladra
Arrangement by Richard Kleinmichel (1846–1901)
– Maestoso marziale
Giacomo Puccini (1858–1924)
La Bohème
Potpourri by Bernhard Wolff (1835–1906)
The Artists
Sugiko Chinen and Luca A.M. Colombo – four-hand piano
Coming from countries and cultures as diverse as Italy and Japan, Sugiko Chinen and Luca Arnaldo Maria Colombo have developed a unique and original approach to four-hand piano playing that is highly regarded by both audiences and critics alike. The richness of their tonal palette, the elegance of their phrasing and the subtlety of their nuances are the defining features of their pianistic style.
Sugiko Chinen and Luca Arnaldo Maria Colombo began performing as a piano duo in 1995 and, from the outset, devoted particular attention to works for four-hand piano written by French and Italian composers in the first half of the 20th century, before broadening their interests to encompass the entire repertoire written for this chamber ensemble, honing their skills under the guidance of, including, among others, Alfredo Speranza. The duo has won prizes in several international competitions: – ‘Liburni Civitas 1998’ Competition – ‘Etruria Classica 2000’ Competition – ‘Città di Cortemilia 2000’ Competition – ‘Rome 2000’ International Competition – ‘Città di Moncalieri’ European Music Competition (1st Prize).
Throughout his career, he has given concerts in Italy, France, Spain, Austria, Poland, the Czech Republic, Norway and Japan for leading organisations and festivals, such as the Grieg in Bergen Festival, Concert Clàssics in L’Escala Empuries, the Atrium in Prague, the Festival Muzyki Odnalezionej in Tarnów, the Monday Concerts in Montagnola, Ai no Kai in Okinawa, Japan, the Armonie della Sera Festival in Bergamo, the Autunno Musicale in Caserta, Concerti in Villa in Seriate, the Araba Fenice in Terni, Tempovivo in Asti, Amici di Casa Verdi in Milan, Piano City in Milan, the Ponchielli Society in Busto Arsizio and many others.
Having devoted themselves to performing 19th- and 20th-century Italian and French scores for four-hand piano, they have expanded their repertoire to include Viennese Classicism (Mozart, Schubert and Czerny), Northern European Romanticism (Schumann, Grieg, Rachmaninov and Tchaikovsky) and the great composers of the second half of the 20th century (Busoni, Poulenc, Rota, Nakada and Piazzolla), focusing on the greatest masterpieces of each of these composers to achieve the finest interpretative results. Deeply influenced by their diverse cultural backgrounds—Italy and Japan—they have developed a unique artistic sensibility that has consistently been acclaimed by critics and audiences alike.
Through a rigorous and meticulous study of the musical score, they seek a deep understanding of the music, which translates into beautiful sound, original yet precise phrasing, and a wide range of dynamics, from ‘pianissimo’ to orchestral ‘fortissimo’. This richness of tone, elegant musical phrasing and wealth of nuance are the most distinctive features of their pianistic style. They have released two CDs on the Da Vinci label: Four Seasons Four Hands in 2018, featuring music by Y. Nakada and A. Piazzolla, and Histoires à quatre mains in 2020, featuring music by M. Ravel, C. Debussy, G. Fauré, E. Satie and F. Poulenc.
In 2000, they founded the Notturno association, through which they organise chamber music seasons, and since 2011 they have been the resident ensemble of the ‘MusicaPoesia’ season, for which they regularly give concerts as a duo and in various chamber music formations at the Luciana Matalon Foundation in Milan. Alongside their piano work, they also serve as artistic directors, collaborating with institutions such as the Kyoto International Music Student Festival, the Nihonjinkai Association in Milan, the Italian Touring Club and the Municipality of Milan.
