Vivaldi Academy of Music : Matteo Napoli

Matteo Napoli

Director of Vivaldi Academy of Music

Matteo Napoli, Pianist and Director of Vivaldi Academy of Music, was born and bred in the City of Salerno, the beautiful Italian region of Campania. Matteo Napoli studied piano with some of Europe’s most famous pianists including Aldo Ciccolini, Nikita Magaloff, Alfredo Speranza and Yvonne Lefébure.

Matteo Napoli taught in Italian conservatories for over 30 years and worked as a repetiteur and language coach for singers and as a piano lecturer. He is often invited to take master classes for pianists and singers. A very interesting experience in this sense was in China, at Cheng Du Conservatorium, where he spent over a month coaching opera singers and introducing his “Physiology of learning” to many pianists: students and teachers.

Matteo Napoli has developed a special, sophisticated study methodology for pianists based on the knowledge of the neurophysiology of the learning processes. The methodology is based on a rational use of the practice time and a differentiate way to work on each instrumental and musical issues. The method is been experimented and incredibly successful for over 25 years.

Matteo is very successful as a Vivaldi Academy teacher: his students regularly win prizes and prestigious scholarships, even to universities overseas.

>>CLICK HERE<< To see past student achievements

Matteo's Philosophy of Teaching

Matteo's teaching follows some basic but strong principles. It is the result of many years of studying researching and playing.

Often a young pianist finds very hard to find answers to simple questions like: what is wrong, why it is wrong, how it should be , why it should be so and how do I practice to get to the best result in the smallest amount of time? Answers like “Because... is better and …I prefer it” are not really considered professionally acceptable in his opinion. A teacher “thinks, plans and follow” a unique programme which he discusses with each student and has always a “ Plan B”. A mentor provides guidance that opens up a path in a students mind, well before teaching them how to play.

The growth of a young musician is given by a good balance of 3 elements: Technique, Music/musicality/ musicianship, Methodology

Technique

How to use the right muscles in the right way, avoiding unwanted tensions. Single articulations, combined articulations, weight dropping, finger staccato, hand staccato, arm staccato. Legato scales and arpeggios, double stops, octaves.

Musicianship

Shaping a phrase accordingly with the architecture/shape of the piece.

Building details functional to the full piece and not self standing.

Creating, managing and showing musical tension and distention.

Understanding and managing physiology of phrases.

Methodology

Practice methods and tools to achieve the wanted result.
Different technical problems have different practice methods solutions to be resolved.

Achievements

Upon completion of his studies, Matteo embarked on a very distinguished international career as a pianist. Some highlights include:

Honours graduate of the Giordano Conservatory, Foggia, Italy
Winner of the prestigious International Liszt Piano Competition held in Lucca, Tuscany in 1989
Recording artist for international label Naxos: 7 CDs including several world-first recordings
Matteo has performed in some of the major centres of Europe, South America, Asia, Australia and New Zealand, both as a recitalist and concerto soloist, e.g. with the Symphony Orchestra of Malaysia, and the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, Manukau Symphony Orchestra
Soloist in the world premiere of Piano Concerto No 6 by Ferdinand Ries (1784-1838), conducted by Uwe Grodd (Auckland, 2003)
Extensive university-level teaching experience, notably at the Conservatorio di Musica Giuseppe Martucci di Salerno where he taught for 30 years and the University of Auckland
He has given master classes for pianists and singers all over the world.
In 2013, Matteo was awarded a Certificate of Excellence from Forte International Music Competitions & Festivals .