Giorgio Pacchioni (1947-); ITA

Giorgio Pacchioni was born in Soliera, Modena, Italy, on July 16, 1947.

After the normal course of studies at the Conservatory, he has a brief but significant activity as clarinetist. During those years he collaborates with and conducts some vocal groups such as the Chorale "O. Vecchi" of Mirandola, the "Almæ Matris" Choir of the University of Bologna, and the Chorale Gazzotti of Modena, with whom he produces several concerts.

He plays with several musicians and chamber music groups, performing with a wide number of renaissance and baroque instruments (recorder and transverse flutes, bombarda, crumhorns, cornetto, bass trombone, viola da gamba, lira da gamba, and several percussion instruments).

Currently, he holds the chair of Recorder at the Conservatory "G.B. Martini" of Bologna, Italy.

As a polyhedrical concert performer, he has performed in the most important Italian theatres. He went on tour to many European countries, where he also made recordings for TV and radio broadcasting stations.

His study of renaissance and baroque counterpoint through a consideration of the contemporary sources led him to repeat the creative experiences of well known composers of the past (composing them again in his own hand, following the same technical criteria), including:

• 110 Canoni & oblighi sopra Ave Maris Stella by F. Soriano
• Canoni alla mente e contrappunto alla mente according to L.Zacconi
• Contrappunti con obblighi varii by A.Berardi and L.Zacconi

He also composes a lot of works of different types, in a the baroque and Classic style, such as:

• Psalms, cantatas, fugues and motets using the 18th-century techniques of A.F. Vallotti
• Instrumental Concerts for various soloist instruments and orchestra
• Numberless sonatas for several instruments (duos, trios, and quartets)

For several years, he has intensely devoted himself to musicological studies concerning the theory and practice of fenaissance and baroque music. On this subject, he has published essays and works of a didactical/instrumental character, as well as a manual on the composition of fugues in the baroque period according to the techniques of F.A. Vallotti, whose anastatic edition of the well-known Dies Iræ (1756) he also edited for S.P.E.S.

He devoted particular studies to the professional didactics of music and to the study of "historical" compositions, led by the aim of retrieving the didactic techniques of the past for use by present and future professional musicians.

He is the author of several didactic publications, well known in the early music field:

• Anthology of the various precepts (Ut Orpheus)
• 28 Preludes for solo Recorder (Ut Orpheus)
• Canons to the mind and to the Folder, 1st vol. "senza tenor", 2nd vol. "su tenor" (Ut Orpheus)
• Reconstruction of manuals of diminution, from the works by J. van Eyck, A. Corelli, G.Ph. Telemann (Ut Orpheus)
• Instrumental counterpoints for 1, 2, and 3 flutes, on Ground Basses (Ut Orpheus)
• Didactical Duets, 2 vols (Ut Orpheus)

Moreover, he teaches Canto Figurato and Historical Counterpoint at the courses of ancient music "Antiqua Musica" organized by the Musical Cultural Centre "Niccoló Vicentino", with the collaboration of the Veneto Region, of the European Economic Community (European Social Fund) and of the Italian Ministry of Labour.

He is one of the leading figures among the performers of and the researchers on the composer A.F. Vallotti (1697-1780) whose compositional precepts he aims to champion in our century by means of his own activity both as a teacher of historical counterpoint and as conductor of vocal and instrumental groups specialized in reproducing Vallotti's sacred music. The latter groups include the Baroque Orchestra of Bologna and the Vocal Ensemble Michelangelo, with whom he has recently produced several concerts of relevant works by Vallotti, such as Dies Iræ 1756) and Gloria in D major (1749).

Recently he has completed the full reconstruction of the part of the (missing) tenor of the "Secondo libro de Madrigali a Cinque Voci con i Passaggi" of Girolamo Dalla Casa (1590) requested by the "Associazione ANTIQUA," Italy. This work has generated a CD which was also highly recommended by the Jury of the "Premio Internazionale del disco Antonio Vivaldi."

Giorgio Pacchioni
Via sant'Alberto, 323
San Pietro in Casale 40018 (Bologna)
Italy
telefax: +39 547-27526
email: giorgiopacchioni@hotmail.com