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Andrea Saffirio
BACKGROUND
He began playing piano at age seven, studying classical music and ragtime with Maestro Barbara Martellini. He started studying jazz initially as a self-taught musician and later under the guidance of several teachers.
He studied jazz with, among others, Ramberto Ciammarughi, Claudio Colasazza, Antonio Faraò, Maurizio Giammarco, Aaron Goldberg, Eric Legnini, Dado Moroni, Pierpaolo Principato and Glenn Zaleski.
He has performed at the Auditorium Parco della Musica and Casa del Jazz in Rome, at the Fara Music Jazz Festival, and regularly plays in the top jazz clubs in Rome as well as in several European cities such as Brussels, The Hague, Leiden and Maastricht.
He attended masterclasses and advanced courses with Kenny Barron, Kevin Hays, Greg Hutchinson, Joe La Barbera, Shai Maestro, Aaron Parks, John Patitucci, Danilo Pérez, Reuben Rogers, Ameen Saleem, Mark Turner, Sam Yahel and others.
In addition to his work as bandleader with No Trio for Cats and his solo-piano project Sogni Acidi, he is very active as a sideman in various groups, including trumpeter Antonello Sorrentino’s quartet and Eugenio Renzetti’s Group Zero.
He composes and arranges for diverse ensembles, from small groups to big bands such as the Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra and the Youth Jazz Orchestra.
Since 2017 he has been a faculty member in both academic and pre-academic courses at the Saint Louis College of Music in Rome.
Since 2025 he has been a Yamaha® endorsed artist.
In the academic year 2021–2022 he was a lecturer in Jazz Composition at the G. Nicolini Conservatory of Music in Piacenza.
In the academic year 2023–2024 he was a lecturer in Jazz Composition at the G. Puccini Conservatory of Music in La Spezia.
He is currently a lecturer in Jazz Composition at the L. Refice Conservatory of Music in Frosinone.
AWARDS
2010 | “Giovanemusica” Competition – Rome
2013 | Two-year scholarship at the Saint Louis College of Music – Rome
2014 | “Fara Music Jazz Live” Award (with No Trio for Cats) – Fara in Sabina (RI)
2014 | Finalist, “Chicco Bettinardi” Award (with No Trio for Cats) – Piacenza
2014 | Finalist, European Jazz Contest (with No Trio for Cats) – Maastricht
2016 | Finalist, “Vittoria Rotary Jazz Award” – Vittoria (RG)
2025 | Saint-Saëns International Music Competition — Gold Medal (Composition category)
2025 | Saint-Saëns International Music Competition — Silver Medal (Orchestra category)
2025 | Vivaldi International Music Competition — First Prize (Composition category)
2025 | Vivaldi International Music Competition — First Prize (Orchestra category)
2025 | World Artistry Music Award — Gold Prize (Orchestra category)
2025 | World Artistry Music Award — Silver Prize (Composition category)
Tags
INTERNATIONAL ENDORSEMENTS
Glenn Zaleski (international piano player - liner notes "Thelonious Monk Reframed", 2025)
"Andrea and his trio have put together a brilliant new album with 'Thelonious Monk Reframed'. The trio glides through tricky arrangements of these classic themes... Without ever abandoning the essence of Monk's original compositions, Andrea's trio invites us to hear this music in a new light, and you will be certain to enjoy the ride."
Larry Grenadier (international double bass player - liner notes "Colors Factory", 2019)
