CHIARA OPALIO

PIANO

Young Venetian pianist Chiara Opalio is the first prize winner of several prestigious prizes such as “Rahn Wettbewerb 2016” in Zürich and Solistenwettbewerb in Zofingen, and more recently she is prize winner at the Kiefer Hablitzel Musikpreis.

In September 2011 she was the only European amongst the six semifinalists at the International “Clara Haskil” Competition.

Ms. Opalio has performed with many orchestras including Sinfonieorchester Basel, OSI, Aargauer Sinfonie Orchester.

She has performed at the Auditorio Stelio Moro RSI in Lugano and the Tonhalle in Zurich and worked with conductors such as Kristiina Poska, Marc Kissoczy.

After a Masterclass in Gstaad Ms. Opalio had the honour of being chosen by Sir. Andràs Schiff for the 2019-20 season of his “Building Bridges” concert series, with performances throughout Europe in venues such as “Konzerthaus” in Berlin, the Chapel in Gstaad for the Matinée des Jeunes Etoiles and for “Lugano Musica”.

Ms. Opalio has given recitals and open chamber music performances at many important festivals and halls such as the Schubertiade in Schwarzenberg, “Beethoven-Haus” in Bonn, Salle Cortot and Polish Library in Paris, Rigi Musiktage, Gstaad Menuhin Festival, Davos Festival, Mondsee for Musiktage Mondsee 2015, in Wien at the Wiener Konzerthaus.

As an active chamber musician Ms. Opalio is the co-founder and pianist of the “Opalio Quintet ensemble”. The ensemble has racked up numerous prizes at international competitions and they have performed recitals internationally, and have been invited for festivals such as Engadin Festival, Musikdorf Ernen, Adelboden Swiss Chamber Music Festival, Davos Festival, Music for Galway and Spotlight Chamber Music Series amongst many others.

Opalio Quintet ensemble have studied chamber music with international renowned musicians such as Rainer Schmidt, Anton Kernjak, Ferenc Rados, Gábor Takács, Denes Várjon and many others.

Ms. Opalio also has an official Duo with Irish violinist Eoin Ducrot (Opalio Quintet), with whom she won 1st prize in the HSM Duo-Wettbewerb. They have also been personally invited by Sir. András Schiff for the Beethoven festival in Bonn in June 2019.

Chiara has performed with renowned musicians including Leonidas Kavakos, Jean Guihen Queyras, Diemut Poppen, Alexandra Conunova, Laura Marzadori, Julia Hagen, the Quatuor Terpsychord, Kebyart Ensemble among many others.

She has worked with teachers like Ferenc Rados in Vienna, Sir. András Schiff at the “International Musicians Seminars” of Prussia Cove (UK) , Matti Raekallio, Jeffrey Swann, Benedetto Lupo, Hamish Milne.

Chiara is assistant for the class of Prof. Claudio Martinez Mehner for piano solo and Prof. Jan Schultsz for chamber music, sightreeding and korrepetition at the Hochschule für Musik in Basel. She teaches Specialized Course in Classical Piano Technique for Jazz Pianists at the Jazzcampus Hochschule für Musik Basel. Chiara’s also coach accompanist for the cello class of Thomas Demenga and she taught keyboard skills on the B.A programme for degree students at the Hochschule für Musik in Basel.

Since 2024 Chiara is official coach accompanist for the string department at the Hochschule für Musik Freiburg and founder and Co-Artistic Director of the “Vittorio Veneto Chamber Music Festival” since 2022.