SIMONIDE BRACONI
Born in 1971, he graduated first-class honour in Rome and in Freiburg (Germany), studying respectively with Prof. S. Esposito and K. Kashkashian.
He continued his training under the guidance of renewed soloists such as Y. Bashmet (Accademia Chigiana) and B. Giuranna (Acc. "W. Stauffer" in Cremona).
Winner of several competitions, prized in the 1994 Lionel Tertis Competition, he got in 1995 a special prize from the Kulturkreis der deutschen Wirtschaft in Koln.
As a soloist and chamber musician he has recorded for Vigiesse, Thymallus, Agorà, Tudor, Dad, Rhona, Stradivarius, Dynamic, Decca, Fonè for Italian Radio3, Sky Classica and for the classical reviews CD Classica, Suonare news and Amadeus (Brahms viola Sonatas) .
Principal viola in the Orchestre des jeunes de la Mediterranée, then member of the European Community Youth Orchestra (ECYO), in 1994 he was selected by M. Riccardo Muti as principal viola soloist at the Teatro alla Scala and for the Orchestra Filarmonica della Scala of Milan.
He often performs in duo with his brother pianist.
Together with other section's leaders of the orchestra, he  founded the Quartetto d' archi della Scala.
Invited as member of jury in several international competitions (Geneva), he currently teaches viola at the Milano Music Master and is regularly invited as professor to hold masterclasses and concerts at important festivals (Arts Academy in Rome, Accademia “Perosi” in Biella,  Festival delle citta’ in Portogruaro, Gubbio Festival, Accademia “T. Varga” in Sion, Associazione Napolinova).
In chamber music or as a soloist he performed with artist such as J. Rachlin, I. Faust, P. Vernikov, T. Brandis, A. Sitzkovesky, U. Ughi, M. Quarta, S. Accardo, E. Dindo, N. Gutman, I. Golan, E. Pahud, J. Carreras.
In 2003 he performed the Kammermusik N. 5 (concert for viola) with the Orchestra Filarmonica della Scala under the baton of M. W. Sawallisch and in 2005 the Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante with M. Riccardo Muti and the orchestra Cherubini .
He plays a “Giovanni Gagliano” viola (1800).

 

MONALDO BRACONI

Born in Rome, where he studied at the Conservatory Santa Cecilia, he graduated with top marks and honours. Then he specialized with Massimiliano Damerini, Oleg Malov (at the N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov Saint Petersburg State Conservatory), Riccardo Brengola (at the Accademia Chigiana in Siena), Sergio Perticaroli and Felix Ayo (at the Accademia Nazionale of S. Cecilia in Rome), by receiving significant recognitions everywhere.
He collaborates with important ensembles, including “Percussionisti dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia”, the “PianoFortissimoPercussionEnsemble”, “I Cameristi del Conservatorio di Santa Cecilia”, the “Solisti della Scala” and the “Quartetto della Scala”.
He was invited to participate to the 1° and the 2° Festival of Italian Contemporary Music in Beijing, where he obtained great success.
As soloist, he was recently protagonist of the “Grande Concerto commemorativo per la strage della stazione”, the concert at the “Europalia Festival” in Bruxelles and the concert in Rome, where he performed the “Piano Concerto for the Left Hand” by M. Ravel with the Ukrainian National Symphonic Orchestra of Kiev, broadcasted on Rai Uno and RadioTre.
He frequently collaborates with important orchestras across Europe, including the Saint Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra, the Saint Petersburg State Academy Orchestra, the  Rostov on Don Philharmonic and many others.
Recently he recorded a CD, dedicated to the Russian-Soviet music.
In 1998 he was invited to collaborate with the Accademia Nazionale of S. Cecilia.
Among the numerous recordings, the most recent examples include: a CD for  “Decca” with the clarinetist Alessandro Carbonare and another one for “Amadeus” dedicated to Johannes Brahms’ compositions for viola and piano with his brother Simonide Braconi, who is the principal viola at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan.
He is professor of piano at the Istituto Musicale Pareggiato “G. Paisiello” in Taranto.