Oboist, Composer

Arnaldo de Felice

The oboist

Foremost Italian oboist and composer, born in Florence 1965. He started his oboe studies at the age of 13 years with Harold Gomberg, principal oboist of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, and gave his first solo recital two years later.

In 1984 he became principal oboist of the Symphony Orchestra “Arturo Toscanini” in Parma, Italy.

He obtained his Diploma with highest mention from the Conservatory “G.B. Martini” in Bologna in 1986, after which he continued his studies with Lothar Koch at the “Mozarteum” in Salzburg.

He held teaching positions at several Italian Music Conservatories. Since 1989 Arnaldo de Felice has been Professor of Oboe at the Music Conservatory “C. Monteverdi” in Bolzano.

As soloist, DE FELICE  has appeared at Carnegie Hall in New York, in the Tonhalle Zürich, at the Nuremberg State Theatre, at the Teatro Comunale in Modena and the Teatro Farnese  in Parma, in the Verdi Hall of the Società dei Concerti in Milano, at Ferrara Music in the “Teatro Comunale” in Ferrara, at the Accademia Filarmonica di Bologna, as well as in Bolzano at the Società dei Concerti, Fondazione Teatro Comunale di Bolzano, Auditorium Haydn di Bolzano.

DE FELICE’S  chamber music partners include Gustav Kuhn, Enrique Mazzola, Johanna Carneiro, Kurt Widmer, Olga Pasichnyk, Machiko Takahashi, Sabine von Walther, Michael Martin Kofler, Ingolf Turban, Conrad Steinmann, Patricia Kopachinscaja, Yves Savary and Anna Kravtchenko.

He has recorded for the ORF (Austrian Radio), RAI (Italian Radio), BR (Bavarian Radio), SDR2 (Swiss Radio) and Radio Belgium.

Since 2009 DE FELICE is giving annual Masterclasses for advanced oboe studies at the Musikforum Viktring, Klagenfurt,  Austria and since 2011 annual Masterclasses for advanced oboe studies and chamber music at the Casalmaggiore Festival, Cremona, Italy.

Concerts and Masterclasses in 2011 led him to the International Beijing Oboe Festival, Royal Northern College of Music Manchester and the prestigious Tchaikowsky Conservatory of Music.

De Felice is regularly giving solo recitals at the annual conventions of the International Double Reed Society (IDRS), (Oxford, Ohio in 2012, New York in 2014 and at forthcoming convention in Tokyo in 2015) and at the Asian Double Reed Society (ADRA), in Bangkok and Taiwan.

In conjunction with the Fondazione Teatro Comunale di Bolzano Arnaldo de Felice has been founder of the Accademia Neue Music Bolzano in 2005 and its artistic director (2005-2009) as well as principal oboist of the ensemble. With DE FELICE as artistic director, the Accademia Neue Musik Bolzano inaugurated the International Festival of Contemporary Dance at the Biennale in Venice in 2006 collaborating with the re-known choreographer Ismael Ivo.

In 2011 Arnaldo de Felice was invited by Jürg Kussmaul and the Academy G. Mahler to give a chamber music course in Bolzano.

Arnaldo de Felice debuted at the Poly Theater in Beijing in 2013, as a soloist with the “Beijing Strings Trio” (Zhe LI, violin, Su Zhen, viola, Chu Yi-Bing, cello).

In 2012 and 2014 he toured Argentina and Brazil giving solo concerts with the Symphony Orchestra of Riberao Preto, Mar del Plata, Philarmonica de Mendoza, the Double Reed Festival Buenos Aires and Masterclasses at the Universities of Buenos Aires, Belo Horizonte and Sao Paulo. In December 2014 he appeared as soloist at the didactic project ALMA at the Theatre San Pedro of Riberao Preto, Brazil.

December 2015, he was invited to be present in the jury of the prestigious Tchaikovsky Competition, Moscow.

The composer

Arnaldo de Felice studied Composition with Roland Moser at the Music Academy of the City of Basel, Switzerland.

In July 2001 he was awarded first price at the International Opera Competition Teatro Minimo of the Theatres of the Bavarian State Opera House Munich and the Opera House Zurich (members of the jury included Sir Peter Jonas, Alexander Pereira, Luciano Berio, Manfred Trojan, Zubin Metha, Franz Welser-Most) with his Chamber Opera (Opera Lirica da camera) Akumu.

Masterclass at the University of Belo Horizonte, Sao Paulo, concert and masterclass in Goiania, Royal Northern College of Music Manchester and Zaragoza, Spain.

Arnaldo de Felice’s compositions and world premières:

MaChiko for flute solo (1996) in Tokyo (Bunka-Kaikan) and Osaka (Izumi Hall), Japan;

Judith for soprano and Renaissance treble recorder in G and F;

Bellarmin for treble recorder, oboe and cello (1997) at the International Festival for Treble Recorder in Zurich;

Bellarmin for oboe and piano (1999) at the Teatro Comunale in Ferrara;

Le linee della vita… for soprano, string trio and piano (1999) in Weimar and Toblach;

Notturno (2001) for string trio in Liestal, Switzerland;

Percussioni d’ombra for treble recorder quartet at the European Music Months 2001 in Basel, Switzerland;

Akumu, Chamber opera (2001) Opera House Zurich and Bavarian State Opera House Munich;

Medusa for alto flute solo (2002) in Amsterdam and Sapporo (Hokkaido), Sapporo Concert Hall;

Tre Canti for soprano, violoncello and piano (2003) at the Konzertverein Bozen and at the Pinakothek der Moderne

in Munich (Ernst von Siemens-Auditorium);

Angoli d’Ombra for Symphony Orchestra (2003) in Merano at the Meraner Musikwochen (Conductor S. Sondekis);

Medusa for oboe solo (2004), State Theatre House Nuremberg;

In November 2005 world premiere of the Opera Medusa

at the Bavarian State Opera House Munich;

In June 2006 opening performance of the Biennale Danza in Venice with music to the ballet Illuminata, choreographer Ismael Ivo (world premiere);

Pezzo Fantasioso (world premiere) at the Tiroler Festspiele Erl in July 2006;

Performances of the opera Medusa at the Munich Opera Festival during summer 2006;

Den for cello and piano, at the Munich Opera Festival in

July 2008;

Frammenti tratti dal Gigante Egoista di Oscar Wilde (Wilde: The Selfish Giant) for soprano, bass and orchestra, world-premier at the Festival of Haydn's 50th Anniversary in Bolzano with Haydn Orchestra Bolzano (Conductor Gustav Kuhn) in 2010;

In July 2010, Viktring (Klagenfurt, Austria) “…nach Erinnerungen und Briefen von Alma Mahler…” for soprano and flute (cello ad libitum) - world premiere;

2013, Adagio Liquido for bassoon, oboe and orchestra, world-premiere at the IDRS Congress in Redlands, USA

CD with De Felice’s composition Mu  for flute and percussion released in March 2010 (recording company Camerata Tokyo).

March 2014, Auditorium National de Espana, Madrid Cello concerto, world premiere with the Spanish National Orchestra under Kent Nagano, solo cello: Yves Savary.

June 2014 “Illuminata for Harald” ballet  with Ismael Ivo choreographer and dancer, Sabina von Walther Soprano, Gian Maria Romanenghi Conductor, Bolzano, Italy

August 2015, Tokyo “Den” for Oboe, English horn and Piano. IDRS Tokyo

November 2015, at the Society of concerts of Bolzano, "String Quartet" with the Quartet "Novus"

Festival di Musica Sacra di Bolzano e Trento, May 2016 “Sguardi” on Dante Alighieri's lyrics, for Sprano and Strings Quartett.

In March 4, 2018 it is planned the world premiere of “Musica Concertante”, under the direction of the Conductor Andrew Manze  with Helsingborgs Symfoniorkester in Helsingborg, Sweden.