For decades, the compositions of Ennio Morricone and Nino Rota have provided an array of incredible experiences for both fans of Italian cinema and countless music lovers. Morricone’s 2016 Oscar win provided recognition of his ambition to reach the very highest level of film score composition. In this concert, a quartet formed from the cream of the Italian jazz scene will play a selection of famous themes composed by Morricone and Rota. Their creativity and virtuoso improvisations will conjure up new and exciting forms of these wonderful melodies.

Fulvio Sigurta gained admission to the Conservatorio Luca Marenzio aged 15, before graduating in 1998 in the classical trombone department . He subsequently won a scholarship to the prestigious Berklee College of Music Boston, before returning to Brescia to obtain a degree in jazz. He has performed with some of the most prestigious figures on the English jazz scene.

Luciano Biondini began playing the accordion at ten years of age. He won several awards as a classical accordion player before turning to jazz in 1994. Among others, Biondini has played with Rabih Abou-Khalil, Michel Godard, Enrico Rava and Tony Scott.

The most senior member, Enzo Pietropaoli, first gained serious recognition after founding Trio Di Roma in 1975. He has played along legendary musicians such as Chet Baker, Art Farmer, Michael Brecker, Lee Konitz, Pat Metheny and Joe Pass. He can be heard performing on nearly 100 different albums.

After studying in Turin, Michele Rabbia also studied in the United States under Joe Hunt and Alan Dawson. He has played alongside Matthew Shipp, John Taylor and Eivind Aarset, as well as almost every talent on the Italian jazz scene, while he has also performed in various theatrical and literary productions.

Bridging Europe festival is the joint production of the Budapest Festival Orchestra and Müpa Budapest.