After winning the Critics’ Prize at the Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow in 1990, Pietro De Maria received First Prize at the Dino Ciani International Competition – Teatro alla Scala in Milan (1990) and at the Géza Anda in Zurich (1994). In November 1997 he was awarded the Mendelssohn Prize in Germany for his performance of Concerto No. 1 with the Hamburg Philharmonic conducted by Ingo Metzmacher. Pietro De Maria performs extensively as a concert artist, a guest of major European and American music centers and as a soloist with prestigious orchestras, with conductors such as Roberto Abbado, Gary Bertini, Myung-Whun Chung, Vladimir Fedoseyev, Daniele Gatti, Eliahu Inbal, Marek Janowski, Ton Koopman, Peter Maag, Gianandrea Noseda, Corrado Rovaris, Yutaka Sado, and Sándor Végh. Born in Venice in 1967, De Maria began studying piano with Giorgio Vianello, demonstrating an early talent that led him, at just 13 years old, to win First Prize at the Alfred Cortot International Competition in Milan. He graduated under Gino Gorini at his hometown conservatory, later perfecting with Maria Tipo at the Geneva Conservatory, where he won the Premier Prix de Virtuosité with distinction in 1988. From March 2007 through the end of 2009, Pietro De Maria is engaged with the performance of Chopin’s complete piano works at major Italian music institutions. The integral is recorded for Decca and has been enthusiastically received by critics: “…these are among the best Chopin CDs ever, far superior to recordings by almost all the most celebrated names in the catalog.” Bryce Morrison, International Piano. “…a dream version of Chopin’s Etudes…. a consistency of thought that is the mark of the great Chopinists.” Etienne Moreau, Diapason. “As Pietro De Maria puts his hands on the piano, an old definition comes to be drawn out as new: he is a poet pianist.” Lorenzo Arruga, Il Giornale. Pietro De Maria devotes many projects to chamber music and is particularly attentive to contemporary composers: he recently performed the Italian premiere of Ivan Fedele’s Concerto for two pianos and three orchestral groups in Milan. He recorded Clementi’s three Sonatas op. 40 for the Naxos label, a recital recorded live at the for VAI Audio, and the complete works of Beethoven for cello and piano with Enrico Dindo for Decca. Pietro De Maria teaches at the Scuola di Musica di Fiesole and at the International Engadin Summer Piano Academy held in Switzerland every two years.