Luca Pianca
Lutenist and conductor
Born in Lugano, Pianca pursued his musical studies in Milan and Salzburg, where he was a student of Nikolaus Harnoncourt in the “Historical Performance Practice” class. At an early age, he began his artistic collaboration with Concentus Musicus Wien on the invitation of Maestro Harnoncourt, making his debut in the Golden Hall of the Musikverein in Vienna at the age of 22.
He co-founded the ensemble Il Giardino Armonico in Milan at the age of 28, leading it for over 25 years alongside Giovanni Antonini and Enrico Onofri. The group became a global benchmark for the performance of Italian Baroque music, setting an example for virtually the entire subsequent generation.
He has undertaken countless tours and performed over 3,000 concerts at the world's most prestigious venues, both with Il Giardino Armonico and as a soloist and chamber musician. He has recorded over 100 CDs and won numerous major international awards, including eight Diapason d'Or awards, two German Record Critics' Awards (ECHOs), two Gramophone Awards, and an American Grammy with Cecilia Bartoli for their best-selling album "Viva Vivaldi".
In 2008, he was invited to direct the Bach cycle at the Wiener Konzerthaus with his "Ensemble Claudiana", the Vienna Boys' Choir, and renowned soloists. To date, 120 cantatas, the Christmas Oratorio and the St John Passion have been performed to great acclaim from audiences and critics alike.
Owing to the recent concert hiatus caused by the pandemic, Luca Pianca has devoted himself to the immense repertoire of his instrument, recording three CDs in the process. Two of these focus on Italian repertoire from the Renaissance to the Baroque: "Nobilissimo Istromento" features the Renaissance lute, while "The Art of Resonance" showcases the archlute and theorbo.
The third album is dedicated to the refined French repertoire of the "Grand Siècle", performed on a Baroque lute and theorbo.
In 2018, Luca Pianca received the Swiss Music Prize, a highly prestigious award granted by the Swiss Federal Office of Culture.