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← Artists · Seoul Winter Music Festival 2027

Giovanni PunziClarinettist

ClarinetItaly2027 Nova Lux Main Artist

Italian-born Giovanni Punzi is one of Europe's leading clarinettists, an artist whose work spans three fields: orchestral principal, soloist and educator

Since a solo debut at 14, Punzi has served as principal clarinet of the Copenhagen Philharmonic and the Teatro Massimo in Palermo, embracing a wide repertoire with refined technique and a singing tone

Pitch is never an issue, and phrasing certainly not.

— The WholeNote, review of the Bruch “Double Concerto” recording

Profile

Born1989, Salerno, Italy
EducationAccademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Rome → Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris (CNSMDP) → Soloist Diploma, Royal Danish Academy of Music (RDAM)
TeachersCalogero Palermo · Alessandro Carbonare · Philippe Berrod · John Kruse

Career

  • Age 14Solo debut with the Bulgarian National Orchestra
  • Age 20Solo clarinet, Orchestra 'I Pomeriggi Musicali', Milan
  • LaterPrincipal clarinet, Orchestre Symphonique de Bretagne
  • 2016–2020Principal, Copenhagen Philharmonic – while in post, won principal auditions for both the London Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO) and the Royal Northern Sinfonia (2017, officially announced by the academy)
  • PresentPrincipal clarinet, Orchestra of the Teatro Massimo, Palermo

Competitions & Awards

  • 20091st Prize, Mercadante International Clarinet Competition
  • 2010 · 2011Prizes at numerous competitions including the Claude Debussy Competition (Paris), the Jacques Lancelot Competition (Rouen) and the Jeunesses Musicales Competition (Belgrade)
  • 2017Gladsaxe Music Prize, Denmark – the first non-Scandinavian recipient in its history

On Stage

Copenhagen PhilharmonicOrchestre de Chambre de ParisFreiburg Philharmonic OrchestraSerbian Chamber OrchestraOdense Symphony OrchestraRoyal Academy of Music, LondonOpéra de RouenRoyal Danish Academy of MusicParma Chamber Orchestra

Regularly invited to major European festivals – performing in leading concert halls across Europe, the USA, South America, Mexico, Russia, China and Australia

Discography

  • 2018Bruch: “Double Concerto for Clarinet and Viola, Op. 88 & Eight Pieces, Op. 83” – with the Copenhagen Philharmonic (Brilliant Classics)
  • 2019Brahms: “Clarinet Sonatas, Op. 120 · Trio, Op. 114” / Schumann & Glinka: “Fantasiestücke · Trio pathétique” / “Operatic Fantasies” / Mozart & Brahms: “Clarinet Quintets”, live (Aulicus)

Teaching

  • 2017–presentArtistic Director and principal teacher, Mediterranean Clarinet Academy
  • Professor of clarinet, Royal Danish Academy of Music (RDAM), Copenhagen
  • Regular masterclasses across Europe, including Italy, Spain (Conservatori del Liceu) and Slovenia