Giovanni Podera, born in Bergamo in 1960, studied
the guitar and composition with Giorgio Oltremari and Claudio Galante
respectively,
graduating from the Bergamo Conservatory with top marks.
He emerged as
winner of the Simon Mayr prize, with the best diploma from the Bergamo
Conservatory and subsequently won, as a composer and player (as a soloist,
in duets and trios), the first prize in six national and international
competitions and also two second prizes (in both cases no first prize was
awarded). He has attended various courses both for the guitar and for composition
with the maestros György Ligeti, Angelo Gilardino, Dusan Bogdanovic, Ruggero Chiesa,
etc.
He has also published his own compositions, musicological texts, arrangements
and transcriptions from the publishing houses Bérben, Sinfonica
and Ottocento. His works are performed by various musicians both in Italy
and elsewhere.
Critics consider him to be "a complete and extremely
refined artist, one of the most prolific and interesting composers of the
new generation. The modern guitar repertoire is not complete without his
works" (Strumenti e Musica); "one of the most interesting exponents
of the new generation of guitar players and composers" (Guitart); "one
of the most active representatives of the generation of guitar players
and musicologists" (Il Fronimo); "one of the most prolific guitar
composers, active also as a player, who once again confirms his great talent"
(Seicorde).
He is heavily involved in many musical events, in particular
with the Donizetti Trio and the Terzi Orchestra with whom he makes records for the publisher Atlas. He has
performed compositions by Vittorio Fellegara, Angelo Gilardino, Nilo Peraldo-Bert,
Emilio Piffaretti and many others for the very first time, both as a soloist
and in other formations. Moreover many composers have published works dedicated
to him. He is constantly asked to give courses on the guitar, on composition
and on musicology for the major Italian musical institutions. He has published
articles and essays for the most important specialized European magazines.
He is a member of the scientific committee of the Italian Guitar Convention
which is held every year in Alessandria. His students have also been
successful, winning many prizes, and he has also participated on
the jury of many important competitions.
He is a founder member and president
of the Benvenuto Terzi
Guitar Association. |