Niccolò Castiglioni
Italian composer, pianist, teacher and writer Niccolò Castiglioni was born on 17 July 1932 and grew up in Milan, where he took piano lessons from the age of seven and later studied composition at the conservatory.
His early work resembled the neo-classicism of Igor Stravinsky, but later he was influenced by twelve-tone music, the Second Viennese School and also structuralism, and then developed a freer, more personal musical style.
He had a short career as a concert pianist in the 1950s.
He taught at the State University of New York and at the Rockefeller Foundation in Buffalo (1966-70), at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor (1967), at the University of California at San Diego (1968), at the University of Washington in Seattle (1969-70), at Trent Conservatory (1976-7), Milan Conservatory (1977-89 and 1991-96) and Como Conservatory (1989-91). His many students included Matteo Silva and Esa-Pekka Salonen.
Niccolò Castiglioni died in Milan on 7 September 1996, aged sixty-four.
A selection of articles about Niccolò Castiglioni
Echoes of Oblivion by Robert McCarney - Sound Below Zero
CD Spotlight. Simplicity and Innocence - Robert McCarney listens to volume one of the complete piano music of Niccolò Castiglioni. 'Aldo Orvieto ... definitely has the measure of Castiglioni's unique universe and does this music proud.'
Ensemble. Back to the Future - Giuseppe Pennisi attends a gala evening in Rome dedicated to two experimental works