The conductors of the National Youth Choir
Davide Benetti and Petra Grassi: the conductors of the National Youth Choir for the years 2020-2022
Davide Benetti
He is graduated in organ and organ composition at the Istituto Musicale Pareggiato of Aosta and at the Music International Academy in Milan. Then he obtained Le diplôme de soliste in organ and organ improvisation at the Haute École de Musique in Geneva with A. Corti. After graduating in music at the DAMS of Turin, he obtained a specialist degree in choral composition and choir conducting at the G. Verdi Conservatory of Turin with P. Tonini Bossi and D. Tabbia. He attended master classes in choir conduction with important conductors such as P. Broadbent, J. Busto, N. Corti, G. Graden, B. Holten, R. Rasmussen, A. Thomas, M. Berrini, L. Donati and L. Marzola and in 2013 he won first prize in the national competition for choir conductors Le mani in suono in Arezzo. He was artistic director of the Vocal de Si de La Ensemble and of the Arcova Vocal Ensemble while since 2017 he directs the Torino Vocalensemble with which he carries out an intense concert activity in Italy and abroad. In 2014 and 2016 he conducted the pilot choir of the European Seminar for composers, organised by Feniarco, ECA-EC and Arcova, collaborating with P. Lawson, V. Miškinis and Z. Randall Stroope. He currently teaches organ and choral exercises at the SFOM (Music Training and Orientation School) in Aosta and, since 2014. He is a teacher of the School for choir conductors in Turin Il respiro è già canto as well as of several other courses and stages for choirs and conductors.
Petra Grassi
She is graduated in piano and music teaching at the G. Tartini Conservatory in Trieste. She specialized in conduction and composition at the Academy of Music in Ljubljana and then she graduated in choir conduction with honors at the F.A. Conservatory. Bonporti di Trento with L. Donati. In 2015 she won the first prize in the national competition for choir conductors Le mani in suono in Arezzo and she obtained the third prize in the International competition for young choral conductors organised by ECA-EC and Feniarco in Turin. In 2016 she won the first prize in the Zvok mojih rok Conductor competition in Ljubljana and in 2019 she reached the final and won the choir prize at the World Choral Conducting Competition in Hong Kong. She conducted the female choir Kraški slavček-Krasje and currently conducts the Vikra Choir of the Glasbena Matica of Trieste; with these choirs she obtained several first prizes at national and international choral competitions. From 2016 to 2019 she conducted the Friuli Venezia Giulia Regional Youth Choir and from 2017 she is artistic director of the semi-professional Chamber Choir Dekor with which she won the first prize at the Slovenian national choral competition Naša pesem in Maribor, also obtaining the award for best director. She is also guest conductor of the Slovenian Philharmonic Choir professional choir in Ljubljana. She teaches choir conducting at the Glasbena Matica in Trieste and for JSKD in Ljubljana and Nova Gorica. She is a masterclass teacher for choir conductors and singers in Italy and Slovenia. In 2020 she will conduct an atelier at the Europa Cantat Junior Festival in Vilnius and in Ljubljana at Europa Cantat Festival 2021.