LORENZO DELLA FONTE

CHAIRMAN

Winner of the First Prize at the International Conducting Contest “Prix Credit Suisse” at the Internationale Musikwoche Grenchen 2000 (Switzerland), Della Fonte was born in Sondrio (Italy) in 1960. He received degrees in Clarinet, Band Composing and Jazz Music at the Foggia, Parma and Brescia Conservatories. Then he followed specialized studies for conducting, in particular with J. Conjaerts, R. Reynolds, H. van Lijnschooten, E. Corporon, J. Cober, G. Gelmetti, A. Spörri.

Della Fonte has conducted wind orchestras in Italy, Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany, France, Ireland, Canada, Spain, Portugal, Latvia, USA, Japan, Argentina, Brasil, Taiwan. He was guest conductor, among others, at: Murray State University, North Texas Wind Symphony, Northern Iowa University, WIBC Seattle (USA); Senzoku Gakuen Wind Orchestra (Japan); Banda Municipal de Vitoria-Gasteiz, Banda Municipal de Villena, Banda Simfònica Conservatori Moncada (Spain); Symphonisches Jugendblasorchester Stuttgart, Blasorchester Südwind (Germany); Royal Irish Academy of Music Wind Ensemble (EIRE-Ireland); University of Saskatchewan Wind Orchestra (Canada); Banda Sinfonica de Cordoba (Argentina); State of São Paulo Symphonic Band (Brasil); Banda Sinfónica da Bairrada, Loureiros Palmela (Portugal); Lemmens Instituut in Leuven, Fedekam Band in Gent (Belgium); Orchestra di Fiati della Svizzera Italiana, Civica Filarmonica di Balerna, Internationale Blasorchester St. Moritz and Stadtmusik Zürich (Switzerland); Taoyuan Symphonic Band (Taiwan); JVLMA Riga (Latvia).

As a composer, Della Fonte wrote several arrangements and original music, performed and recorded from bands all over the world and published from Molenaar, Mitropa, Scomegna, Boario, Animando, Mulph, Wicky and Eufonia. His compositions were awarded at International Contests and chosen as compulsory piece for contests. He is often requested for meetings, adjudicator (Italy, Switzerland-Eidgenössisches Musikfest, Spain-Valencia Certamen, Hungary, Poland, France) and lectures about Band Music.
From 1992 to 1998 Della Fonte was President of the Italy National Section of WASBE (World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles), and 1993 to 1999 served as member of the Board of Directors in the same Association.

He conducts Bands professionally since 1986: more than 700 concerts conducted in career, working with very well-knowed artists as (among others) Steven Mead, Patrick Sheridan, Gabriele Cassone, Fabrizio Meloni, Jaques Mauger, Giorgio Gaslini, Maurizio Giammarco, Fabrizio Bosso, Leonhard Westermayr, Roger Webster, Ingo Dannhorn. He conducted many premieres of prominent composers as Corigliano, Daugherty, Botti, Hagen, Husa, Andriessen, Gaslini, Boccadoro, Wilson, Woolfenden.