Sony Classical has signed the 20-year-old Italian-Serbian-French violinist Luka Faulisi, whose debut album, consisting of operatic arias and scenes arranged for violin and piano, will be released in spring 2023.
Born to a musical family - his father is a flautist and flute-maker - Faulisi started playing the violin at the age of three and was a student under Boris Belkin at the Conservatorium Maastricht, Netherlands. He is currently studying at the Academy Lorenzo Perosi, Biella, Italy with Professor Pavel Berman, who describes him as 'an incredibly gifted virtuoso violinist'. The leading flautist, Emmanuel Pahud has referred to Faulisi’s 'great instrumental abilities and strong musical expression'.
Recent debuts for Faulisi include performances at the Cité de la Musique, KKL Luzern with the Menuhin Academy Camerata Soloists, as well as Radio Television Serbia Symphony Orchestra at the Kolerac Hall in Belgrade.
In his new album, showcasing the violinist alongside the Lithuanian/Israeli pianist Itamar Golan, Faulisi explores opera repertoire by composers such as Bizet, Gounod, Rimsky-Korsakov, Szymanowski, Tchaikovsky and Verdi. In addition to arrangements by Leopold Auer, Paul Kochanski, Franz Waxman, Henryk Wieniawski and Efrem Zimbalist, Faulisi will also play his own arrangement of Verdi’s ‘Sempre Libera’ from La Traviata.
On collaborating with Golan for the recording, Faulisi says: 'My mother used to listen to recitals by Maxim Vengerov and Itamar Golan when she was pregnant with me. Eighteen years later and for my debut recording, no less, I get to collaborate with Itamar, who is a remarkable and unique artist. I have learned so much from playing with him and hope that I will have the opportunity to continue this wonderful musical partnership.'
Per Hauber, President of Sony Classical said: 'Luka Faulisi has an extraordinary musical gift and we are thrilled that he has recorded his debut album for Sony Classical. It is a privilege to work with such a talented young artist as Luka and with someone with such a clear vision for his future'.
Photo: Patrick Fouque
