In 1997, Andrea Lucchesi successfully graduated in Saxophone from the Luigi Cherubini Academy in Florence, under the guidance of Maestro Roberto Frati… a traditional resume would start like this, but then again this is the truth! You say “successfully” when you didn’t graduate with honours.
But in ’97, Andrea couldn’t care less about marks, since he was already involved in the “Quartetto di Sassofoni” from Florence, in competitions, Master Classes or whatever, travelling around Italy and more.
But let’s go back a little.
His love for the saxophone started when he was 9, when his parents enrolled him in the town-band music school upon the advice of his primary school teacher, and after a whole year studying solmisation without even touching the instrument (this is how things were at that time!), he chose the saxophone among the other instruments, and since then his love has never faltered.
His course of classical studies – first thing at the Cherubini Academy in Florence and then a Master degree from the Mascagni Musical Institute in Livorno – sort of accompanied Andrea on his real job with music.
Indeed, he is currently a saxophone teacher at the “Vincenzo Galilei” Cultural Association in Santa Maria a Monte, at the Filarmonica in Santo Pietro Belvedere, at the “Artemide” Cultural Association in Crespina Lorenzana (where he also is art director), at the Peccioli Foundation for Art, at the “Accademia Musicale Toscana” in Pontedera, and at the “Bonamici” Musical School in Pisa.
With the “Quartetto di Sassofoni” from Florence, he won (at a very young age) several national and international competitions, such as: the “1997 W. Kandinsky” Prize in Avellino, the “1997 Perugia Classico” prize, the “1998 Dino Caravita” prize in Fusignano, the “Città di Gravina in Puglia” prize, the “Contessa Tina Orsi Anguissola Scotti” prize in Pianello V.T., the “Rovere d’Oro” prize in S. Bartolomeo al Mare, the “St. Maximine en Provence” prize, standing out among the best Italian and European chamber music ensembles.
Later on – since 20 years now – he has become the tenor sax of the Steelwind Quartet, founded by his teacher at the Music Academy in Florence, Roberto Frati.
With Steelwind, he recorded several CDs ranging from classical to contemporary music, from rock music to cartoons themes; he personally saw to the editing and the mixing.
He is the founder and the baritone sax of the New Generation Street Band e Second Line Street Band, with whom he plays at street festivals around Italy, and much more.
He’s Giacomo and Gemma’s father, and since his children started to watch cartoons, especially Disney’s ones, Andrea has approached the Disney soundtracking world and, together with some musicians, he created a musical show entitled “Art Disney Cartoons in Orchestra”, personally arranging each piece for a classical/modern orchestra on a Sanremo-like style. Besides musicians, there are singers, actors, choir members and dancers on stage, in a sensational artistic mixture that intrigues grown-ups and children. This show had several runs in theatres and open-air locations around Tuscany.
Andrea Lucchesi is entrusted with the art and music direction of this show.
