Concert June 20 and 21, 2026 - 5:00 PM

The upcoming concert weekend, June 20-21, will see the return to the Giardini la Mortella of a young duo, consisting of bassoonist Enrico Bassi and pianist Fabio Fornaciari.

Enrico Bassi, born in Parma in 2001, began his bassoon studies under Luca Reverberi at the Parma Conservatory, then continued his studies in Switzerland at the Zurich University of the Arts with Matthias Rácz. At just 20 years old, he won the competition at the Orchestra della Svizzera italiana in Lugano, and since 2025, he has been principal bassoonist with the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra in Hamburg. He has performed as principal bassoon with major international orchestras (the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Frankfurt Symphony Orchestra, the Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra, the RAI National Symphony Orchestra, the Orchestra of the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, and the Filarmonica della Scala). He has performed extensively as a soloist with the Accademia del Carmine in Parma, the Filarmonica Arturo Toscanini, the Argovia Philharmonic, and the Musikkollegium Winterthur. He has won three first prizes in prestigious international competitions: the 2019 Norma Hooks Young Artist Competition (Tampa, Florida); the 2021 Rossini International Bassoon Competition (Pesaro); and the 2023 International Muri Competition.

Fabio Fornaciari, born in 2000, earned his academic degrees with honors and special mention from the "B. Maderna" Conservatory in Cesena and the "L. Cherubini" Conservatory in Florence. He continued his studies at the Imola Piano Academy, the Fiesole School of Music with B. Canino, and the "Avos Project" in Rome, where he also serves as an assistant professor of chamber music and accompanist, collaborating with internationally renowned artists. Alongside his concert performances and accompaniment, Fabio also works as a repetiteur for opera and theater, and as an orchestral pianist. His orchestral collaborations include those with the Verona Arena Orchestra, the Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana, and the Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, for which he also serves as accompanist for competitions and auditions. He also served as stage director for the production of "The Valkyrie" with D. Harding. He also collaborates with the RAI National Symphony Orchestra.

The bassoon, a member of the orchestral woodwind family, has inspired the imagination of great composers—Mozart, Vivaldi, and Weber—since the 18th century, due to its distinctive timbre, who often used it as a solo instrument in compositions.

Fondazione William Walton e La Mortella
Via Francesco Calise 45, 80075, Forio (NA)
tel.: 081-986220, 081-986237