Sandra Conte

Sandra Conte
Born in Brindisi (Italy), she began her piano studies at six and achieved a full-score Conservatory graduation at “Tartini” Conservatory of Trieste (Italy) in 1990, guided by Luciano Gante.

During her university engineering studies, from 1990 to 1995 at the Milan Polytechnic University, she regularly kept receiving piano lessons from Ilonka Deckers, who transmitted her Russian piano school technique and teachings.
After achieving her civil engineering master graduation, Sandra Conte participated to many masterclasses and courses with Vitaly Margulis, Franco Scala, Charles Rosen, Simone Pedroni, Piero Rattalino and Lev Naumov, who defined her as “a true musician”.
In 2007 she achieved the master degree in piano performing at “G.Verdi” Conservatory of Milan, studying with Leonardo Leonardi and Edda Ponti. In the same period she applied herself to ancient instruments practice, attending Ruggiero Laganà’s class and she improved her musical improvisation skillness with Danilo Macchioni.
She took part to many national and international piano competitions, gaining prizes and nominations, including a second place at the “Concourse Musical de France” (Paris).
She performed for several musical seasons and festivals such as “Scuola Normale di Pisa” Concert Season, “Società dei Concerti” of Milan, “Festival di musica da camera” of Cervo, “Kyoto International Students Music Festival”, “Amici del loggione” of Teatro alla Scala, “Mito Festival”, “Festival Liszt” of Bellagio, “Ravello Festival”, "Accademia Chigiana" of Siena, “Ravello Festival”, Italian Cultural Institutes of Paris and Budapest, “Società del Quartetto” of Milan. In june 2008 she played the first Beethoven Concerto at the Milano Auditorium, conductor Matthieus Manthanus. In 2008 and 2009 she collaborated, as soloist, with the Orchestra Arteviva directed by Matteo Baxiu.
Since 2009 she has played with the cellist Luca Colardo, who became her husband in 2018.
In 2010 the Duo Colardo-Conte was awarded with the Rancati price of the Conservatory of Milan and in 2011 with the “Premio Nazionale delle Arti”, the most important national competition for the students of italian Conservatories. In 2014 the Duo gave a concert at Quirinale Palace in Rome at the presence of the Italian Republican President, broadcast live on Rai Radio 3 and in 2017 they made their debut at Carnegie Hall in New York in the “New York International Artists Competition” winner concert.
In 2018 italian music magazine Amadeus published a cd of the Duo with complete works for cello and piano by Chopin and Debussy.
Sandra Conte studied composition with Fabio Vacchi, Sonia Bo and Gianni Possio in the Conservatory of Milan, achieving a “magna cum laude” degree in 2011.
She is author of chamber music pieces, incidental music for theatrical representations, and Two Operas.
She is author of chamber music pieces, incidental music for theatrical representations, and Two Operas: La Strega Bombolona, (The Krapfen Witch), performed at the Ariosto Theater of Reggio Emilia in spring 2005 and La Gatta Bianca, (The White She Cat), awarded with the first prize in the Fedora Chamber Opera Competition and performed at the Teatro Coccia of Novara in september 2013.
She taught Piano for children at “Luca Marenzio” Conservatory of Darfo and Complementary piano at “Giuseppe Verdi” Conservatory of Turin. Now she is professor in Elements of music composition at “Antonio Vivaldi” Conservatory of Alessandria.