Giovanni Scarpetta

Giovanni Scarpetta began his trombone studies with his uncle, Professor Germán Díaz, and his theory studies with his grandfather, Luis María Díaz, at the Young Symphonic Orchestra of Colombia, where he played for seven years as principal trombone.

In 1992, 1997, 1999 and 2000, he won the Colcultura (Ministry of Culture) ‘Roberto Mantilla’ national contest for young performers. In 1997 he also won the Republic Bank „Young Performers‘ Mondays“ competition. In 1996 and 1999, he won the Bogotá Philharmonic Orchestra’s national contest for young performers.

Mr. Scarpetta has appeared as a soloist with several orchestras including the Young Symphonic Orchestra of Colombia, the Symphonic Orchestra of Colombia, the Bogotá Philharmonic Orchestra, the National Symphonic Orchestra of Colombia, the Santa Fé Symphonic Orchestra (Argentina), the Santa Fe Symphonic Band (Argentina), the Antioquia Symphonic Orchestra (Colombia), the Caldas Symphonic Orchestra (Colombia), the Barcelona University Orchestra (Spain), the Young Philharmonic Orchestra (Colombia), the Philharmonic Orchestra of Venezuela, with whom he had the honour of performing the Venezuelan premiere of Henry Tomasi’s trombone concerto and the Young Symphonic National Orchestra of Guatemala.

He has received formation from Germán Díaz, Scott Terry, Jacques Mauger, David Loyd, Sebastien Larrère, Martín Göss, Pia Bucher, Branimir Slokar, Gaspar Licciardone, Ricardo Casero, Domingo Pagliuca, Jean-Jacques Herbin, David Maquet and Denson Paul Pollard, among others.

In 1996 he studied at the Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst “Mozarteum” in Salzburg (Austria), with Professor Friedrich Unterberger.

In 2010, he took a specialization course in interpretation at the Liceu Conservatory (Spain), under the direction of Professor Gaspar Montesinos.

He was invited to play as principal trombone with the Symphonic Orchestra of Colombia, the Bogotá Philharmonic Orchestra, the Orchester der Kirchenmusik Teissendof (Germany), the Staatskapelle Halle (Germany), the Mozarteum Hochschule Orchester (Austria), the Universitätsorchester Salzburg (Austria), the Kammerorchester Salzburg Kammervirtuosen (Austria), Pro Musica Salzburg (Austria), I Musici Montreal Orquestra (Canada), The City of London Orchestra (UK), the Barcelona University (Spain), the Liceu Conservatory Orchestra (Spain), the Catalan Ensemble Conjunt XXI (Spain), the Barcelona Philarmony, the Philarmonic Orchestra of Minas Gerais (Brazil) and the Santa Fe Symphonic Orchestra (Argentina).

He also has played as solo trombone in Colombia’s major opera, operetta and ballet companies.
In the chamber music field, he has notably been member of the Brass Quartet 37-42B, the Symphonic Orchestra of Colombia Brass Quintet, the Bogotá Philharmonic Orchestra Brass Quintet, the Santa Fe de Bogotá Trombone Quartet, the Colombian Trombone Quartet, ‘4 BONES’, Cuprum Trombone Ensemble (founder and director), Cuprum Brass Ensemble, Cuprum Trombone Duet and the ‘Minstrils of the New Granada’.

As a teacher, Mr. Scarpetta has been wholeheartedly dedicated since 20 years to forming a new generation of trombonists, teaching in Colombia´s most recognized faculties of music, such as the Javeriana University (Colombia), the Central University (Colombia), the Caldas University (Colombia), the Young Symphonic Orchestra of Colombia Music School, the Batuta Foundation (Colombia), the Tolima University (Colombia), the Atlantic University (Colombia), the Antioquia University (Colombia), the Nariño University (Colombia) and the Cauca University (Colombia).

Since 2007 he is regularly invited to play and teach at the ‘Trombonanza’ festival in Santa Fe, Argentina. In 2013 he was invited to give a master class and a trombone recital at the Liceu Conservatory in Barcelona (Spain) and at the inauguration of El Sistema’s National Trombone Academy in Caracas (Venezuela). In april 2014, he was invited as a teacher at the UNAM’s (Autonomous National University of Mexico) 4th National Trombone Week in Mexico City, DF. In 2016 was the tenor professor in the 1sth Festival ‘Trombon GT’ in Guatemala City.

Mr. Scarpetta is since 2015 a founding member and the president of the ‘Colombian Association of Trombonists’.
He has represented the Conn-Selmer Inc. brand from 2008 to 2012, the German brand Kromat from 2012 to 2016, A. Courtois in 2016 and actually the B&S brand from Buffet Crampon.

He was a member of the Bogotá Philarmonic Orchestra from 1994 to 2003 as trombonist and euphonist. Since 2003, he is the group leader and principal trombone of the National Symphonic Orchestra of Colombia.