Daniel Pezzotti

DANIEL PEZZOTTI, known as one of Europe's most creative cellists, was born in 1962 in Zurich (Switzerland) and began his musical studies at the age of five. Completing his studies with Professor Claude Starck in 1981, he graduated „summa cum laude“ from the Zurich Music Conservatory. Since then, Pezzotti has built up a brilliant career as a soloist and as a member of various chamber music and jazz ensembles. Performances of Concerti for violoncello and orchestra include Haydn, Dvorak and Villa-Lobos under the direction of Edmond de Stoutz, Matthias Aeschbacher, Howard Griffiths and many south- and latinamerican conductors. Chamber music concerts have led him throughout Europe, North and South America. Mr. Pezzotti has also participated in many international music festivals such as: „Warschauer Herbst“ (Poland), „Int. Festival Cervantino“ (Mexico), „Zürcher Junifestwochen“ (Switzerland), “Santander Int. Music Festival“ (Spain) „Performing Arts Festival of Ouro Preto“ and „International Music Festival of Rio de Janeiro’s Federal University - UFRJ“ (Brazil). As a member and founder of the „Palladio-Ensemble“ (inspired by exploring and revealing the profound relation between sound and performing environment) and the „Arara Trio“ (created to promote Brazilian music composers), he has toured extensively and has been invited to perform at many renowned music „temples“ such as: Carnegie Hall (New York), Sala Cecília Meireles (Rio de Janeiro), Teatro Amazonas (Manaus), Philharmonie (Berlin) and Tonhalle (Zurich). Pezzotti's enormous versatility brought him to the international jazz scene. In collaboration with the outstanding Swiss jazz composer Daniel Schnyder, who presently resides in NY, he has recorded several CDs: „Winds“, „Decoding the Message“ and „Mythen“, which includes the „Sonata for cello and piano“ dedicated to Daniel Pezzotti and the Russian pianist Simon Nabatov. One is aware of Pezzotti's flexibility as a musician in jazz productions with Lee Konitz, Steve Swallow, Lew Soloff, Ray Anderson, Ted Rosenthal, Mike Mossmann, Vladislav Sendecki, Michael Formanek, Franco Ambrosetti, Wagner Tiso, Guinga and from his performances at jazz festivals in Den Haag (NorthSea), Berlin, St. Petersburg (“Sound Ways”), Vienna („Incident in Jazz“), Montreux, Schaffhausen, Zurich (“Jazznojazz”) and Mulhouse. A member of the „Stephan Kurmann Strings“ since 1988, Daniel Pezzotti is featured also on recordings with the harpist and composer Andreas Vollenweider. After meeting Brazil’s jazz genius Hermeto Pascoal in 1992, he was invited by Pascoal to play with his group on an extended tour with performances in Brazil, Italy, France and Switzerland. Between 1996 and 1999 Daniel Pezzotti was featured as soloist in Heitor Villa-Lobos’ „Grande Concerto" for cello and orchestra in Brazil as well as in a recording of Lee Konitz’s new CD in New York („A Tribute to Billie Holiday“) and a new release with Andreas Vollenweider in Switzerland („Kryptos“). A concert tour in the US with Daniel Schnyder’s quintet and troughout Brazil and Europe with Carlos Malta belong to his accomplishments. Presently Pezzotti performs with the classical groups “ensemble Kontraste”, the piano trio “Il Trittico” and “Ensemble Zero”. He also appears with several jazz and crossover projects such as the “Thierry Lang Quintet”, the African percussion-band “Schlagart”, in duo with the leading European bass-player Heiri Känzig and in trio with the Australian pianist Peter Waters and the legendary trumpet-player Franco Ambrosetti. In addition, he is member of the „Zurich Opera Orchestra“ and appears as solo-cellist of the „Swiss Chamber Orchestra“ and the „Zürcher Streichersolisten“. Daniel Pezzotti performs on a beautiful sonorous instrument made by Carlo Antonio Testore (Milan, 1748), as well as on a custom - made, 5-string, electric cello. Pezzotti has recorded over 60 CDs for the labels EMI/BlueNote, BMG Ariola, Koch Schwann, Enja, TCB, Colomba, Arte Nova and Leblon Records.