Sergio Azzolini
Sergio Azzolini (Bolzano, 1967) is an Italian bassoonist and music conductor.
He studied from 1978 to 1985 at Conservatorio Claudio Monteverdi in Bolzano with Romano Santi and then at Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover, under Klaus Thunemann, with whom he studied until 1989. At this time, he was already a soloist in the European Union Youth Orchestra.
Considered one of the greatest bassoonists of our time, an awarded musician on some of the greatest music competitions like "Prague Spring", "C.M. von Weber" Competition and "ARD Münich", he has recorded many productions of chamber music and soloistic performances for EMI records, Naïve, Sony, Chandos, etc. He focuses his artistic activity with his ensemble Il Proteo and is a member of Ma'alot Quintetts, Sabine Meyer Bläserensemble, Maurice Bourgue Trio and several ensembles of Early music on period instruments - Parnassi Musici, Sonatori della Gioiosa Marca, Kammerakademie Potsdam, Collegium 1704, Ensemble Capriccio, etc. Azzolini regularly appears as a soloist on authentic historical bassoons with ensembles L'Aura Soave Cremona, La Stravaganza Köln, Sonatori della Gioiosa Marca.
Currently focusing on Antonio Vivaldi's music for the bassoon, he's working on recording all 39 bassoon concerti of the great baroque master and has, so far, recorded four volumes of Vivaldi's bassoon concertos for the "Vivaldi Edition" of the French recording company Naïve playing with ensembles L'Aura Soave Cremona and L'Onda Armonica.
“Like many, Azzolini makes bold strokes...but there is never a hint of gratuitousness or bad taste. In music that everyone knows can sound routine, he shapes and characterises every movement, seeks out hitherto unremarked beauties, makes it speak...This is music-making to cherish.” -- Gramophone Magazine, September 2010
“Azzolini is one of the most brilliant players of the baroque bassoon these days...it is not just his virtuosity which is impressive. In the slow movements he shows his capabilities in the realm of expression. The ensemble L'Aura Soave Cremona operates on the same wavelength.” MusicWeb International, 24 July 2013
He has been music professor at Hochschule in Stuttgart, and since 1998, is a professor of bassoon and chamber music at the Hochschule für Musik in Basel. He is regularly giving masterclasses in Europe and the world.