Armando Ghidoni Composer Interview by Patricia Lazzara
Italian by origin but French by adoption, Armando Ghidoni brings together in his music the spirit of Italy and that of France. An eclectic composer, his melodies reveal the sensitivity and tradition of "bel canto". His harmonic writing evokes both French impressionism and the captivating rhythms of jazz, giving his works a unique and very personal character.
Announcing The Armando Ghidoni Flute Composing Consortium! The new piece for flute, piano, violin, viola, and cello is entitled The Arc of Light Tryptich. The World Premiere of this piece and other music by Armando Ghidoni will be on Sunday, October 6, 2024, at 4pm at the Society Café Series at the Unitarian Society, 13 Cottage Place, Ridgewood, NJ.
To be part of the creation of this amazing piece and recording project with a contribution and to purchase tickets to the concert, please follow this link.
Interview with Armando Ghidoni
Please tell us about your early musical training and your journey with the flute.
I started to play the flute when I was about 12 years old and became very proficient at it, but I always had the dream to be a composer. Music was always present in my home growing up. My parents loved classical music - Mozart, Italian opera of
course, Verdi, Puccini and my brother loved jazz music - Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker - so the influences of both these styles surrounded me all the time. In that time period in Italy, it was very hard to be a classical and a jazz player, one had to choose only one path. I found this to be true also when I started to work as a composer, it was not done to say that one composed both classical and jazz-influenced music, or did arrangements for Big Band.
Who were some of your favorite composers when you were a young student?
I didn’t have just one favorite, I went through different periods when I listened to
Mozart, Verdi, Puccini, then another time, Rachmaninoff, Stravinsky, Ravel, Mahler,
Copland, and another great influence was Leonard Bernstein. I listened to understand their styles of composing, their language of music and how to develop my own language of music.
You moved to France in your 20s to work as a composer, please tell us about your time there.
It was a fantastic time in my life, although in the beginning it was very difficult. As fledgling composers, we are nothing. I felt like I was in competition with composers of the past and with composers of the day. There are so many beautiful pieces of music and specifically works for flute by Ibert, Jolivet, Mozart, I thought, why would a flutist want to play a piece by Armando Ghidoni? This is the big problem for a composer! We must find our own musical language, our own voice, to be true and authentic to who we are as composers and to the musicians who will play our music. I do not copy the style of another composer, I write in my own authentic style. Today, I can truly say, I have realized my dream. I never follow a fashion, I follow my heart and my soul.
An important moment for me was when I was accepted as a composer by the distinguished publishing house Alphonse Leduc. I had an important career for Leduc, with about 80 pieces published, my catalogue is extensive for all woodwind instruments. Michel Crichton, 5th generation owner and Artistic Director of Leduc, and I became good friends. In France, I continue to compose for French TV and film and my music is also on the prestigious Cristal Group Publishing.
What has been your greatest professional challenge?
Composing is always a challenge, whether the piece will be appreciated by the performers and the audience. But I believe that a piece of music is alive when the person plays it. I am honored that my chamber music, my opera Minou e Gurmolon, my sacred music, my concerto Magical Concert for flute, piano and string orchestra are continuously performed all over the world in respected venues. In fact, this past June, my Olympic
Concert for flute, French horn and string orchestra was performed in a concert in France in tribute to the Olympic Games.
It was an honor for me to be a winner of the National Flute Association Newly Published Competition for my wind quartet Swinging Counterpoint (2015). Other pieces of mine that have been winners in the NFA competitions are Badaluk Concerto for wind quintet (2006), Adagio for flute and harp (1996) and Jazzy Flute Challenge (2014), which has become an important piece in the flute repertory performed all over the world.
Jazzy Flute Challenge
Tell us about your recent commissioned flute works by Patricia Lazzara.
The Old Years – I Vecchi Anni was commissioned by Steve Markoff and Patricia Lazzara in 2023. I was very happy to compose this piece for flute, alto flute and piano. This piece describes the story of a life, from birth to the old years. It begins with a sweet, beautiful melody signifying the innocence of the newborn baby, a transition to
the wild teenage years, a sweeping alto flute melody and finally we hear the piano imitating the bells of heaven, with the flutes in a rising melody, this is the elevation of the soul to eternal light. Here is a recent performance by Patricia in Assisi, Italy.
The Arc of Light Tryptich for flute, piano, violin, viola and cello. I have deep gratitude in my heart to Patrizia, who has commissioned this piece from me. She gave me her trust in my music, and I have composed a new piece that I am sure will be very popular with flutists for years to come.
When we were thinking of the instrumentation for this piece, I wanted to compose something different rather than just a flute and piano piece so we decided on flute, piano, violin, viola and cello. Dave Malyszko, the pianist in Ensemble Bella Luce along with Patricia, are both fantastic musicians. I wanted to compose a piece that would showcase their talents, a piece that was unique for them, so was born The Arc of Light Tryptich. The 3 movements are – Yellow Inside which is full of joy, the pleasures of life, sunshine and happiness. The Adagio is Blue Night, a beautiful melody like bel canto Italiano, it is very emotional, ethereal and other worldly. The 3rd mvt is Arc of Light – it has a different color but it is also filled with light, joy, brightness, happiness, the sentimental and beautiful aspects of life. I am very proud of this piece and I composed it with all of my heart and soul. It blends classical, bel canto Italiano, French impressionismo, and a jazzy language, all totally in the Armando Ghidoni style.
Please tell us about the Flute Composing Consortium for The Arc of Light!
I thank Patricia for starting this composing consortium for the Arc of Light Tryptich. It is so gratifying to see contributions come in from all over the world to fund our project, for the composing fees, for the World Premiere concert and for the recording project so we can share this beautiful music with the flute world and the rest of the world!
Please click the links at the top of the article to hear excerpts of the piece, to donate to our project and to purchase tickets to the concert.
Thank you so much Armando for sharing your time with us, we look forward to hearing your beautiful music at the World Premiere performance of the Arc of Light on Sunday, October 6, 2024.
LINKS TO ARMANDO GHIDONI'S MUSIC:
Alphonse Leduc Music Sales Group
Cristal Publishing
Armando Ghidoni Music Collection scores available for purchase
YouTube
Soundcloud
Patricia Lazzara is the Artistic Director of Ensemble Bella Luce and performs regularly in Italy. She is a founding member of Uptown Flutes, and has recorded 11 CDs. Patricia is the lead commissioner of the Armando Ghidoni Composing Consortium.