San Marino. Cellist Francesco Stefanelli awarded in Belgrade
“Another recognition for the young cellist who in recent years has represented, with excellent results, the Republic of San Marino in international musical competitions dedicated to classical music”.
A press release reports it. “With his 1700 cello (on loan from his uncle who was also a cellist), on Tuesday 24 March he thrilled the audience of the Korala Foundation Hall in Belgrade, with the performance of the Symphony Concertante by Sergei Prokofiev accompanied by the Serbian Radio-Television Symphony Orchestra .
An extremely complex piece the one presented by Francesco in the final round, the cello is in fact reserved for passages that require considerable technical skill alternating with interventions of great momentum and emotional emphasis where the melodic song of the instrument becomes poignant.
The San Marino cellist thanks to his talent, his tenacity and his persevering study, won the final (six candidates admitted) after a long selection, overcoming the admission, elimination and semifinal with different musical programs.
The experience, says Francesco, was very formative and stimulating given the precious opportunity to perform for the first time one of his favorite concerts with a symphonic orchestra of great staff and to win the third prize in an international context of great importance such as is the “International Jeunesses Musicales” competition in Belgrade, now in its 50th edition. The performance was streamed on YouTube and is visible at https://youtu.be/MJte2UFGINA
Hoping to be able to repeat soon, in San Marino, the performance of Prokofiev’s Sinfonia Concertante, next Francesco is preparing for his concert commitment which will be, on Sunday 2 April, within the “Next Generation” season of the Unione Musicale in Turin the Vittoria Theater, where he will perform in duo with the pianist Claudio Berra with a program dedicated to Chopin and Prokofiev.