BIOGRAPHY

Andrea Tofanelli, trumpet player, was born in Viareggio (LU) on July 26, 1965. Mentioned on Wikipedia in numerous languages and in numerous other music books and encyclopedias, he began studying music and trumpet in the band of Torre del Lago Puccini in 1975, led by his father Dino, by maestro Marino Peruzzi and by some amateur jazz musicians close to Dean Benedetti, the famous Italian-American jazz saxophonist mentioned in all Charlie Parker's biographies. Already in 1979, at the age of only 14, Andrea was noticed by the well-known arranger and conductor Luciano Maraviglia and began to be called to play as the first trumpet with many professional big bands from Versilia. In the same year he began to gain his first work experiences also in the field of classical music and in 1981 he entered to study trumpet at the Istituto Musicale Pareilato “L. Boccherini "of Lucca, where in 1987 he graduated with full marks, 10 and honors. In the same year he perfected with Armando Ghitalla (trumpet soloist of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and professor at the University of Michigan) and deepened his jazz studies with Oscar Valdambrini and Sergio Fanni (solo trumpets of the RAI Light Music Orchestra of Rome and Milan).

In the field of jazz, he has performed as a solo guest and / or as first trumpet with Maynard Ferguson and his Big Bop Nouveau Band (USA) in Italy, England and the United States, Peter Erskine, Randy Brecker, Gino Vannelli, Eric Marienthal , Claudio Roditi, Kenny Wheeler, Tom Harrell, Paul Jeffrey, Dave Liebman, Brad Leali, Butch Miles, Carmen Bradford, Dusko Gojkovich, Steve Swallow, Frank Foster, New York Voices, Till Brönner, Valery Ponomarev, Carl Anderson, Lee Konitz, John Taylor, Palle Daniellson, Denis DiBlasio, Lew Soloff and with the Italians Enrico Rava, Gianni Basso, Paolo Fresu, Massimo Nunzi, Bruno Tommaso, Stefano Bollani, Giorgio Gaslini, Gianluigi Trovesi, Paolo Fresu, Henghel Gualdi, Mauro Grossi, etc. ... He has also performed as a soloist with the Atlanta Seventeen Big Band, Joe Gransden Big Band, Rowan University Big Band, New England Jazz Ensemble, San Diego State University Jazz Band, RCC Wind Ensemble Honor Band, Upland HS Jazz Band, Deer Valley HS Jazz Band (USA), Sandvika Stor band (Norway), Yuzo Kataoka All-Star Big Band (Japan), Ralph Pyl's All-Star Big Band (Australia), Luxembourg Jazz Orchestra, Opus78 Big Band, Harmonie Bascharage (Luxembourg), Dani Felber Big Band, SMZ Big Band, ZHdK Big Band (Switzerland) and Jazzorchester Karlsruhe (Germany).

On September 20, 2006 he was invited as a soloist to the "Maynard Ferguson Tribute", an official concert for the commemoration of Maynard Ferguson organized at the Touhill Performing Arts Center in St. Louis (USA), from which the official dvd for the commemoration of the great Canadian trumpet player (2007). In 2014 he was called to be part of the authoritative "Board of Directors" of the American International Trumpet Guild, the first Italian trumpeter in history, and was officially elected in office by the members of the ITG until 2019. He performed as a soloist in the ITG Conferences of 2008 (Banff Center, Canada), 2010 (Sidney, Australia), 2012 (Columbus, Georgia, USA) and 2015 (Columbus, Ohio, USA). Since 2018 he has been part of the team of artists / clinicians of the prestigious "World & European Brass Association" founded by Otto Sauter, based in Germany and concerts all over the world.

In 2008, he received the Visa O-1 Work Permit for Outstanding Ability in the Arts as a recognition from the United States Government. He collaborated as 1st trumpet and soloist with the American orchestra of Paul Anka, with whom he performed the European Tours 2007 and 2008 and many other concerts both in the United States and in Europe, and was part of Gino Vannelli's band for the his Italian Tours 2012 and 2016.

In the last 25 years he has also participated in many television shows for RAI, MEDIASET, LA7, and SKY (currently about 100, including the "Sanremo Italian Song Festival", "Fiorello-Stasera pago io Revolution", "Frankly me I don't care "," 125 million caz ... e "and" RockPolitik "with Adriano Celentano, 2 years of" Maurizio Costanzo Show "and" Buona Domenica "with Demo Morselli," Panariello-But the sky is always bluer " , "Disco per l'Estate", "Pavarotti & Friends 2000 For Cambodia and Tibet", "Mezzogiorno in Famiglia", "La Notte Vola", "Passaparola" etc ...) and as a session man he has recorded countless soundtracks for important films Italians, in the most important engraving rooms, as well as countless commercials. In 2013 he also composed and recorded the soundtrack of the film “Il Segreto degli Alberi” (2012) together with the pianist Riccardo Arrighini.

In the field of pop music, he was part of Jovanotti's band in the 1997 "L'Albero" Tour and had the opportunity to perform and / or record with Luciano Pavarotti, Fiorello, Adriano Celentano, Claudio Baglioni, Gianni Morandi, Renato Zero, Elio e le Storie Tese and Biba Band, Antonella Ruggiero, Toto Cutugno, YuYu, Irene Grandi, Fausto Leali, Article 31, Gino Paoli, Tullio De Piscopo, Francesco Baccini, Ivana Spagna, Andrea Mingardi, Rossana Casale, Dirotta su Cuba and Jenny B. He was part of Demo Morselli's Big Band for 2 years and accompanied the vast majority of Italian singers in live television performances, as well as foreign artists such as George Michael, Burt Bacharach, Joe Cocker, Tom Jones, Michael Bublè, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Gloria Gaynor, Amy Stewart, Donna Summer, Randy Crawford, Carl Anderson, Gibson Brothers, Matt Bianco, Kid Creole & The Coconuts, Samantha Fox, Imagination, Patrick Hernandez, Tony Hadley, Paul Young and Petula Clark.

From jazz to pop and classical music he has performed in the United States, Japan, Canada, Australia, Germany, Norway, England, Luxembourg, Malta, Finland, France, Russia, Liechtenstein, Austria, Switzerland, Holland, Belgium, Scotland, Poland, Greece, Spain, Portugal, Egypt, Serbia and the Principality of Monaco. He has participated in important international festivals, including the "Japan Band Clinic" in Hamamatsu, "North Sea Jazz Festival" in Rotterdam, "Pori Jazz Festival", "Autostadt Jazz & Blues Festival" in Wolfsburg, "Oulu Jazz Festival", "Escenica Festival" in Madrid, "Printemps Musical Festival, Luxembourg", "Rowan Jazz Festival" in Philadelphia USA, "Musek Am Syrdall, Saison Musicale, Mensdorf", "San Francisco Making Waves Festival", "Luxemburg Blues'n Jazz Rallye Festival "," Festival Internacional Jazz San Javier "," Winterthur Out in the Green Festival "," San Sebastian Jazz Festival "," Lichtenstein Little Big One Festival "," The Tower Music Festival "and" Four Seasons Festival "in London, "Malta Festival", "Wien Festival" and "Edinburgh Festival", "Umbria Jazz Festival", "Herr Nilsen" Jazz Club in Oslo, Villa Celimontana Jazz Festival "," Vicenza Jazz Festival "," Ascona Jazz Festival "Switzerland, "Western States Jazz Festival" USA, Scottish Festival of Trumpets, "Roma Jazz Festival", "Woodstock der Blasmusik ”, Blechbläsertag Schleswig-Holstein of Lubeck, CIMVO Curs Internacional de Musica Vila de L'Olleria and many others. He has performed in prestigious theaters and concert halls such as the "Opera House" in Vienna, "Concertgebow" in Amsterdam, "Radio France" and "Palais De Congrés" in Paris, "Usher Hall" in Edinburgh, Blues Alley in Washington-USA, "Touhill Performing Arts Center" in St. Louis-USA, "Heineken Music Hall" in Amsterdam, "Queen Elizabeth Hall" in Antwerp, "B1 Club" in Moscow, "Hartwell Arena" in Helsinki, "Tempodrom" in Berlin, "Philipshalle" in Dusseldorf, "Mohegan Sun Arena" USA, "Hala Sportova" in Belgrade, "Expo in Hannover", "Banff Center" in Alberta-Canada, "Kongresshaus" in Zurich, Ludwigshafen Theater, "Estoril Casino ”in Lisbon, Opole Philarmony in Poland,“ Sporting Club ”in the Principality of Monaco,“ Auditorium ”,“ Casa del Jazz ”and“ Auditorium del Foro Italico ”and“ Auditorium Parco della Musica ”in Rome and many others.

To date, he appeared as a trumpeter in the RAI film "The girls of San Frediano" (2007) and played in the videos "Maynard Ferguson Tribute Concert" in Saint Louis (USA, 2007), "Lorenzo, Harvest 1997" (Polygram), "Pavarotti & Friends 2000, For Cambodia and Tibet" (Decca) and "Ti Adoro" by Pavarotti, 2003. He performed as a soloist on the DVD "Jazz Instructions for Use" by Laterza Edizioni (2008) and in the series of 12 DVD "The Great History of Jazz" (2009) attached to Espresso-Repubblica, both edited by Massimo Nunzi.

In 1999 he recorded "Mattia's Walk & Tribute To Maynard Ferguson", his first jazz album as a soloist, published by Splasc (H) Records, and in 2001 "Ricordo di ... Napoli" was released, a tribute to Neapolitan music. published by Fonotecnica. During his 2005 tour in the United States he recorded for LMP Records of Clermont (California) with the Artisan Brass of Los Angeles the "Romantic Celebration" Suite for jazz solo trumpet and brass quintet, dedicated to him by the American Grammy-Nominated composer Brent Pierce . In 2008, the Italian composer Antonio Giacometti dedicated the solo trumpet part to him in the symphonic poem “Antarctica”. In 2010 the new album "Flamingo" was released produced by Jim Linahon's LMP Studios (Clermont, California) for the ACM label (American Creative Music, USA) and the "Earth Games 2012" suite (Summit Records, USA) with Joe Alessi, dedicated to him by the composer Nicola Ferro. The album "More Than Just Friends" recorded as first trumpet and soloist with the Dani Felber Big Band won the prestigious "Swiss Jazz Award" in 2010, while the album "Portrait of Dani" (2015) containing Andrea's solo performance on song "This is For My Friend Andrea Tofanelli" won Platinum in Switzerland.

Between pop, jazz, Latin music and soundtracks, Andrea has recorded more than 500 records, many of which have obtained Gold and Platinum records in Italy and abroad, collaborating with the most prestigious Italian and international artists.

He collaborates as 1st trumpet and soloist with many Italian big bands, including: Demo Morselli Big Band (Rome), Torino Jazz Orchestra (TO), Barga Jazz Big Band (LU), Operaia Orchestra and JIPU Orchestra of Massimo Nunzi (Rome) , Paolo Tomelleri, Big Band (MI), Antonella Ruggiero Big Band (PS), Big Band del FriuliVenezia-Giulia (UD), Vincenzo Genovese Big Band (PT), Guacamaya Big Band (FI), Paolo Tomelleri Big Band (Mi) , PMJO Parco della Musica Jazz Orchestra (Rome), PM Jazz Lab (Rome), Jazz Art Orchestra (RE), Sardinia Jazz Orchestra (SS), CB Band (RE), Evolution Big Band (MI), Reunion Big Band ( BO), Interart Band (VI), Millennium Bug Orchestra (FI), New Project Jazz Orchestra (TN), All Times Big Band (PG), New Sugar Kitty's Big Band (PC), Village Big Band (BO), NCDM Big Band (MI), Band IT (CO), JAM Big Band (LI), New Forties Big Band (MI), Keever Big Band (NO), Dino Siani Big Band (LC), Di Gregorio Big Band (PS), Bansigu Big Band (GE), Onda Sonora Big Band (MS), Mai Dire Band (MI), Lino Q uagliero Big Band (Rome), Biba Band (MI), National Youth Jazz Orchestra (SI).

In the field of classical music he won national competitions for the Italian Youth Orchestra of Fiesole (European and Italian Tour 1988) and for the Teatro Comunale del Giglio in Lucca, also arriving in the final in Rome in the selections for the ECYO (Orchestra European Youth). In 1989/90 he carried out his military service playing in the Italian Air Force Band in Rome. To date he has also collaborated with the ORT Orchestra Regionale Toscana, the Orchestra of the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, the Symphony Orchestra of Emilia-Romagna “A. Toscanini ”, the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Teatro Regio di Torino, the EUR Spettacoli and the Lucchese Chamber Orchestra.

As far as teaching is concerned, since 2004 he has been full professor of Trumpet and Improvisation Laboratory at the "O.Vecchi-A.Tonelli" Higher Institute of Musical Studies in Modena. In addition, he takes care of the Trumpet and Brass workshop at the Improvisation and Introduction to Jazz Course at the prestigious Fiesole School of Music. As an international lecturer he has held clinics in the United States at California State University Northridge in Los Angeles, San Diego State University (California), Oklahoma City University, Oklahoma Christian University (Oklahoma), Rowan University in Philadelphia (Pennsylvania), Riverside City College, Fullerton College (California), International Trumpet Seminar at Grand Valley State University (Michigan), First Baptist Church of Decatur in Atlanta (Georgia), Canton High School, Region 7 School District of Winsted, Southington High School, Manchester High School and Hall High School of West Harford (Connecticut), in Japan at the Japan Band Clinic, and in Europe in Norway (Norges Musikkhøgskole-Norwegian Academy of Music), Luxembourg (Musique Militaire Grand-Ducale Philarmonie), Germany (Musikhochschule di Lubeck, Hamburg, Schramberg and Offenburg), Spain (Teror Festival de Trompeta Canary Islands, CIMVO Curs Internacional de Musica Vila de L'Olleria), Poland (Academie Musi drops in Lodz and Poznań, Letnia Akademia-Summer Brass Academy in Opole) and Switzerland (Zurich, Mennedorf, Ermatingen). In addition, he has held master classes in Italy for many years at the Italian Brass Week, together with the first parts of the Chicago Symphony, Allen Vizzutti and Jens Lindemann, at the Baceno Brass Festival and at the Bosa Antica International Courses. He was the only Italian trumpeter consulted for the writing of the didactic book on the trumpet setting "Embouchure - The Pros Talk" (USA, 2002) by Clint Pops McLaughlin. In 2003 he was assistant to the seminar held by Maynard Ferguson at the Vicenza Jazz Festival.

From 2000 to 2010 he was also artistic director of the "Dean Benedetti Jazz Festival" in Torre del Lago Puccini (LU).

Since 2003 Andrea Tofanelli is an international YAMAHA artist and clinician.