Anna Bignami

Anna Bignami is an Italian composer, big band leader and conductor based in Copenhagen, Denmark. Born in the northern italian town of Brescia, she moved to Dublin at the age of 18 to study in the BA in Jazz and Contemporary Music Performance at Dublin City University. There, she had the opportunity to study with the leading jazz musicians on the Irish scene, such as Ronan Guilfoyle, Greg Felton, Chris Guilfoyle, and Patrice Brun. After the conclusion of her studies in jazz guitar, she moved to Denmark to attend the master’s in Rhythmic Composition at the Royal Academy of Music Aarhus, which she completed with the highest grade. During the past few years, Bignami has collaborated with Aarhus Jazz Orchestra on projects featuring well known local bands such as Kalaha, Abekejser and Athletic Progression, and collaborated with string ensembles in Denmark and abroad. Her projects Epitaphs from the Hill and Childhood Memories saw the beginning of a collaboration with composer Laura Veltri on the creation of  the jazz nonet Bignami Veltri jazz ensemble and her lates debut Nocturnes saw her writing also for a smaller constellation like the jazz sextet. Recently Bignami has  also been awarded first prize in the open category of the Sophie Desmarais International Composition Competition for Large Jazz Ensemble (open category) for her piece “The Blue Fairy”, which was performed in a world premiere on november 8th 2023 in the Cinquiemme Sal de la Place des Artes in Montreal. Moreover she was awarded the prestigious Aarhus Jazz Festival talent prize 2023, and the 2nd place award in the Big Band composition contest for young baltic and nordic composers 2024. In 2025 she debuted a Suite for Aarhus Jazz Orchestra titled “Sehnsucht: Life longings and the Pursuit of Happiness” and she is scheduled to present her work again with the orchestra in 2026 with the project “Hun Drømte I Toner”. 

Awards

Prizes and Special Mentions 

1st prize (open category) in the Sophie Desmarais International Composition Competition for Large Jazz Ensemble (2022)

2nd place prize in the 2024 Big Band Composition Competition for Young Baltic and Nordic Composers

Aarhus Jazz Festival talent prize (2024)

Special Prize with Special Mention in the ISE Shima International Popular Music Composition Competition 2025 

Special Mention in the NBA Young Composers Jazz Composition Contest (2025)

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