CONCERT BY CLARINET-PLAYER MAURA MARINUCCI

The Italian Cultural Institute of Sydney is pleased to present Maura Marinucci, a world-class clarinet player who will soon be in Sydney to take part in some projects produced by the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. Currently Principal Clarinet at the London Philarmonia Orchestra, Marinucci will perform for the public of the Institute in a recital which will be held at the York Street premises on March 21st starting from 6.00 pm.

The artist will be accompanied at the piano by Alexander Yau, a young but already established pianist on the local scene. Together, they will perform the Sonata FP 184 for clarinet and piano by Francis Poulenc, the Sonata op 120 n 2 in Eb major by Johannes Brahms and the Fantasia on the themes of Cavalleria Rusticana by Carlo Della Giacoma.

After earning her bachelor's degree in Italy at age 17, Maura Marinucci studied with Alessandro Carbonare at the Accademia Santa Cecilia in Rome and earned her Master's degree in Musical Performance in François Benda's class at the Conservatory of Italian Switzerland in Lugano in 2016. She has played with many youth orchestras such as the Gustav Mahler Youth Orchestra, the Swiss Youth Symphony Orchestra in 2015 and 2016, and the Orchestra Animato on their European tour in 2016. She is regularly invited as guest principal clarinet with many orchestras, including the London Symphony Orchestra, Royal Opera House Orchestra, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Ulster Orchestra, Welsh National Opera, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Orchester Symphonique de la Monnaie (Brussels), Theater Orchestra of Opera of Rome, Orchestra of the Teatro di San Carlo (Naples) and many others. In September 2023, after four years as Principal Clarinet at the Brussels Philharmonic, she joined the London Philharmonia Orchestra. In addition, Marinucci has been a clarinet teacher at the conservatories of Novara and Pescara, in Italy, and has been invited to hold masterclasses in Italy, Belgium, Wales and the United States. She is an ambassador for clarinet manufacturer Henri SELMER - Paris and currently plays two "Selmer Muse" clarinets.

Alexander Yau is a young and eminent Australian pianist who grew as a versatile classical musician incorporating his many musical talents as a chamber musician, vocalist, clarinettist, conductor, composer and music arranger. His major concerto appearances as soloist include the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Queensland Symphony Orchestra and a major tour with the SBS Youth Orchestra in Australia. He was the winner of Sydney Conservatorium Concerto Competition and has been awarded numerous prizes notably at the Hastings International Piano Concerto Competition, Teresa Carreno International Masters Piano Competition, Australian International Chopin Piano Competition, Sydney Kawai Piano Scholarship, Australian National Piano Award, and Lev Vlassenko Piano Competition. Yau has performed in Australia at the Canberra International Music Festival, Government House, the Polish Embassy of Australia and City Recital Hall in Sydney and internationally at prestigious venues such as Troldhaugen at Grieg's home in Norway, Yamaha Ginza in Tokyo, Alice Tuly Hall in New York, Australian Pavilion at Shanghai Expo, Villa Reale in Monza and Villa Mosconi Bertani in Verona. He has worked as a collaborative pianist at the Juilliard School, now holds position at the collaborative faculty of the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.