The musicologist
Roberto Prosseda feels that a 21st Century artist should find multiple paths to share his experience in the contemporary society and culture. His interest in rediscovering unknown repertoires led to his “Mendelssohn discoveries” project, including the ongoing complete recording of Mendelssohn’s piano works for Decca. A recent further step in this field was reached last year, when Mr. Prosseda made his debut on piano-pédalier, giving the modern Premiere of Charles Gounod’s Concerto for piano-pédalier and orchestra.
Mr. Prosseda keeps a close collaboration with many contemporary composers. Recently Michael Nyman and Ennio Morricone wrote pieces for him for the piano-pédalier. In 2005-2007 he also commissioned and performed 12 new piano works based on some unpublished Mendelssohn fragments, a project that involved some of the most prominent Italian composers (including Aldo Clementi, Paolo Castaldi, Alessandro Solbiati, Carlo Boccadoro). His interest in Contemporary music also led to several radio broadcasts (including a 12-hour cycle on Italian Contemporary Piano Music) and articles. His recent essay “The Piano Works of Aldo Clementi” was published in the Contemporary Music Review (no. 30, pp. 299-315).
Besides his concert activity, Mr. Prosseda often works on Italian Radio and Television for programs and documentaries to share the value of classical music with a wider audience. His three TV documentaries about Mendelssohn, Chopin and Liszt are now distributed worldwide by Euroarts.
In 2013 he published his first book: “Lezioni di musica - A Listening Guide to Piano Repertoire” (Curci Editore).
An enthusiastic piano teacher and divulgator, Mr. Prosseda has taught piano in several Conservatories and Superior Music Institutes in Italy (Ancona, Piacenza, Ravenna, Vicenza) and is often invited for piano master classes by several American and European Universities and Conservatories (Stanford, Georgetown, Pepperdine, Haverford, NEIU, UBC, UC, Glasgow Conservatoire, Stockholm Royal Music Academy).
Roberto Prosseda is founder and artistic director of Donatori di Musica, a network of doctors and musicians organizing concert seasons in Italian Hospitals. He is also president of the Associazione Mendelssohn Italia and artistic advisor of Cremona Musica International Exhibitions. In 2015 he launched "iMendelssohn", the first app for iPhone and Android dedicated to Felix Mendelssohn.
