Artists

Antonio Artese, piano

Antonio Artese – Italian pianist, composer and educator – bridges the worlds of jazz and classical music through a refined balance of composition and improvisation. His West Coast Trio explores this fusion in projects like Bartokiana, a suite inspired by Béla Bartók’s rhythmic and harmonic language. Artese’s solo piano album My Blond Girl and the trio recording Two Worlds (Abeat Records) reflect his lyrical touch and harmonic sophistication, influenced by the Bill Evans Trio and the European minimalism. Based between California and Italy, he performs internationally, creating music that blends his Mediterranean roots with contemporary jazz expression.

Luca Alemanno, bass

Italian-born bassist, composer, and educator Luca Alemanno, originally from Lecce, is regarded by critics and fellow musicians as “among the finest young and modern jazz musicians that Italy has to offer.” Winner of the 2009 European Bass Day, he holds diplomas in Classical Double Bass (T. Schipa Conservatory, Lecce) and Jazz Electric Bass (G. Martucci Conservatory, Salerno). In 2016, he became the first Italian accepted into the prestigious Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Performance in Los Angeles (Class of 2018), selected by a panel including Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter. Now based in Los Angeles, Luca tours worldwide and performs with artists such as Dee Dee Bridgewater, Joe Lovano, Stanley Jordan, and Nicola Conte.

Mark Ferber, drums

California-born drummer Mark Ferber has appeared on more than 200 recordings and is acclaimed for his versatility and creative range. His ongoing collaborations include Ralph Alessi’s “This Against That” (ECM), the Marc Copland Quartet, the Brad Shepik Organ Trio, and his twin brother Alan Ferber’s Grammy-nominated Big Band and Nonet. Based between Los Angeles and New York, he maintains an active schedule performing in major jazz venues, studios, and international festivals. Ferber has worked with artists such as Lee Konitz, Gary Peacock, Fred Hersch, Tony Malaby, Anna Webber, and Billy Childs. An experienced educator, he has taught across the U.S. and Europe and is Professor of Drumset at California State University, Fresno. He is an endorsing artist for Istanbul Cymbals.

Alvise Pascucci, piano

Italian pianist Alvise Pascucci has been defined by music critics as an outstanding young pianist who possesses a virtuoso technique as well as musicianship of the highest order. His repertoire covers a wide range from Baroque to contemporary music. To date, he has been awarded over 60 prizes in National and International competitions, recently including his First Prize in the 2nd International Franz Liszt Center Online Piano Competition, and the Budapest Concert division at the 2022 Los Angeles International Liszt Competition.

Alvise has performed in various venues, including Steinway Hall in London, UK, Military Circle Hall in Ploieşti, Romania, Teatro degli Industri of Grosseto, Italy, Dar Sebastien in Hammamet, Tunisia, and the Gnessin Academy of Music concert hall in Moscow, Russia. He has played as a soloist with several orchestras, including Orchestra Città di Grosseto, the Taipei Philarmonia Orchestra, and the Philharmonic Orchestra of Ploiesti. Recently, he performed concerts in New York at the Weill Recital Hall of Carnegie Hall, Taiwan, Italy, California, Florida, the UK, and Hungary.

Demonstrating his musical versatility, in addition to the piano, Alvise started to learn the violin at the age of nine. After graduating in September 2006 from St.Cecilia Conservatoire in Rome in violin, Mr. Pascucci decided to concentrate on his piano studies. He completed his degrees in the R. Franci Conservatoire and the Chigiana Academy of Siena, P. Mascagni Conservatoire of Livorno, International Piano Academy of Imola, and Trinity Laban Conservatoire of London studying with Martino Tirimo. In 2017 he relocated to Indiana, obtaining a Performer Diploma from the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University, studying with Roberto Plano. He is currently working towards his DMA at UC Santa Barbara with Paul Berkowitz, where he has been awarded the prestigious Chancellor’s Fellowship.

Jacopo Giacopuzzi, piano

As a soloist and chamber musician, Jacopo has performed recitals at major festivals, venues, and concert halls throughout the United States, Europe, and Japan. He is the winner of 14 international competitions, including the International Piano Competition San Donà di Piave, Ibiza International Piano Competition, International Liszt Competition in Los Angeles, and the Beverly Hills National Auditions.

Jacopo has performed under the direction of world-renowned conductors such as Dian Tchobanov, Robert Wills, and others. His teaching credentials include a position at the Conservatory of Verona E.F. Dall’Abaco and work as a collaborative pianist at the Royal Conservatoire of Brussels. Additionally, he has been invited to serve on competition juries and to give presentations, masterclasses, and concerts throughout the United States.

Born in Italy to a family of pianists, Jacopo completed his studies in Piano Performance at the Liszt Hochschule in Weimar, the Conservatory of Verona, the International Piano Academy of Imola, and the University of Southern California under esteemed mentors including Virginio Pavarana, Mauro Graziani, Leonid Margarius, and Kevin Fitz-Gerald.
Jacopo’s recent musical engagements include appearances every summer at the iPalpiti Festival in Los Angeles, Pianofest in the Hamptons, the Maui Chamber Music Festival in Hawaii, and performances in Japan.

Since 2023, Jacopo has served as the Director of the Tramonto Festival, which will hold its next season on July 18-20, 2025, in Encinitas. The festival has become a cherished platform for celebrating artistic excellence and fostering community through music.

Tommaso Benciolini, flute

Winner of the 2017 New York Respighi Prize, he made his debut on the stage of Carnegie Hall in New York in 2018 and is now the protagonist of an intense and passionate career.

His concert activity has led him to perform as a soloist in many of the most prestigious venues including the Suntory Hall in Tokyo, the Philharmonie in Berlin, the Musikverein in Vienna, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the Tonhalle in Zurich, the Mozarteum in Salzburg, the Seoul Arts Center in Korea, the Herkulessaal in Munich, the Gran Teatro La Fenice in Venice and many others. He has performed as a guest soloist with the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra of New York, Berliner Symphoniker, Nürnberg Symphoniker, Munchener Kammerphilharmonie, OSI Orchestra Svizzera Italiana, North Czech Philarmonic, State of Mexico Symphony Orchestra, Thueringen Philharmonie Gotha-Eisenach, La Habana Chamber Orchestra, Hungarian State Symphony Orchestra, Armenian State Symphony and many others.

Tommaso is also the dedicatee of many contemporary works including the flute concerto “The Garden of Delights. A Flute Concerto after Bosch” by Andrea Battistoni, which he premiered in 2020 on the occasion of his debut at the Großer Saal of the Philharmonie of Berlin.

In 2021 his debut CD was released for the SONY Classical label: a world premiere monograph dedicated to Antonio Vivaldi together with the chamber orchestra L’Appassionata which he founded and which was unanimously acclaimed by journalists, critics and radio . His recordings have been broadcast by RAI, Swiss National Radio, Japanese National Radio NHK, Radio Classica, Venice Classic Radio and many others.

In 2012 he became the youngest teacher of the Music Conservatory “E. F. Dall’Abaco ”of Verona, and he is currently a position as full professor for flute at the Conservatory of Music “F. A. Bonporti “ in Trento. He has also been invited to hold masterclasses as a guest professore in USA (University of Central Florida), in Cuba (International Festival of Contemporary Music and Instituto de Bellas Artes), Finland (Tampere Music Academy and Suomitaly Music Festival), Estonia (Tartu Eller Music Academy), Malta (Malta Music University), Dubai (Middle-East Music Academy).

Also very active as a researcher, Tommaso is the author of the first absolute recording of Mendelssohn’s Trio in D minor Op. 49 in the version for flute, cello and piano by the composer himself; and he also rediscovered a trio for flute, cello and piano by Nino Rota giving its first performance in modern times at the Teatro La Fenice in Venice in 2015. He also brought to light some pages by Antonio Vivaldi for flute, recording them for the first time time, and he also edited some world premieres by the same author on modern instruments.

In 2026 Tommaso will tour in USA, Portugal, Switzerland, Cuba, Spain, Germany, Finland, Hungary, France.

Jessica Guideri, violin

American violinist Jessica Guideri is a compelling soloist whose performances combine technical brilliance, expressive depth, and a wide-ranging musical imagination. Equally at home in the concert hall, chamber setting, and recording studio, she brings a distinctive voice shaped by experience at the highest levels of performance.

A familiar presence in Santa Barbara, she serves as Concertmaster of the Santa Barbara Symphony and, beginning in September 2025, as Assistant Professor of Violin at the University of California, Santa Barbara, while maintaining an active national and international performing career.

Guideri has appeared as a soloist with orchestras throughout the United States and abroad, including performances at the historic Granada Theatre and on the main stage of Carnegie Hall. Her repertoire spans from Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, and Brahms to contemporary and crossover works, and her playing is noted for its clarity, warmth, and dramatic sweep.

She has held orchestral leadership positions with the Los Angeles Opera Orchestra, Pacific Symphony, Phoenix Symphony, California Philharmonic, and Eastern Music Festival Orchestra, and performs regularly with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra.

A dedicated chamber musician, Guideri was first violinist of the prize-winning Fry Street Quartet and is the founder of Music Above the Clouds, a bespoke chamber music series in the Santa Monica Mountains. A longtime recording artist, she has appeared on more than 500 film, television, and video game soundtracks, including Star Wars, Frozen, La La Land, Oppenheimer, Avatar: The Way of Water, The Mandalorian, The Simpsons, and Family Guy.

Camille Miller, violin

Violinist Camille Miller is an active performing and recording musician based in Los Angeles. Making her solo debut with the Santa Barbara Symphony, she has since performed at venues such as the Hollywood Bowl, National Cathedral, Japanese Embassy, Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, and the Oscars.

Camille has contributed to numerous soundtracks for film and television such as Avatar II, Ghostbusters Afterlife, Star Trek Picard, and The Flash. She has recorded and performed with artists like Selena Gomez, Kelly Clarkson, Michael Bublé, Billie Eilish, Danny Elfman, Andrea Bocelli, and Elton John. A Santa Barbara native, Camille spent her formative years at the Music Academy of the West MERIT program and as concertmaster of the Santa Barbara Youth Symphony.

She studied with dear teachers Nina Bodnar, Movses Pogossian, and Guillaume Sutre and was a full scholarship recipient of the Falk Memorial Grant at the University of California, Los Angeles. Camille looks forward to playing the 2023 subscription series with the Santa Barbara Symphony.