Marina Piccinini

Widely recognized as one of the world's leading flute virtuosos, flutist MARINA PICCININI combines flawless technical command, profound interpretive instincts, and a charismatic stage presence—qualities which make each of her performances a memorable event.

In 2010 she released an album recording of the complete Flute Sonatas of J.S. Bach in collaboration with the Brasil Guitar Duo, who also won a scholarship at the Concert Artists Guild .

In September, 2001, Piccinini joined the faculty of the Peabody Institute and has made a name for herself as a teacher of flute. Piccinini is married to the pianist Andreas Haefliger; the pair have performed and recorded together,. Piccinin was performing with husband Haefliger at least as far back as 1992, when they put on a performance together on January 31, 1992 at the Sherwood Auditorium of the San Diego Museum of Contemporary Art. Piccinini permanently lived in New York City until 2002 when she relocated to Austria after being traumatized by the September 11 terrorist attacks, but still maintains a home in New York City. Piccinini has also requested flute concerto compositions from composers such as Paquito D'Rivera, notably The Bel Air Concerto Michael Colgrass (The Wild riot of the Shaman's Dreams (solo flute), A Flute in the Kingdom of Drums and Bells (flute and percussion quartet) and Crossworlds (Concerto for flute and piano)), Matthew Hindson (House Music) and others.

Marina Piccinini's career was launched when she won First Prize in the CBC Young Performers Competition in Canada, and a year later, First Prize in New York's Concert Artists Guild International Competition. She was cited by Musical America as a "Young Artist to Watch", and in 1991 she became the first flutist to win the coveted Avery Fisher Career Grant from Lincoln Center. She has been the recipient of numerous awards and grants including twice the NEA's Solo Recitalist Grant, the McMeen-Smith Award, the BP Artists Career Award, and various grants from the Canada Council. She was also the winner in the New York Flute Club competition and the National Arts Club Competition.

Piccinini was born in the United States to an Italian father and a Brazilian mother. Piccinini became interested in the operas of Mozart as a young girl at the age of 7, and began playing the flute at the age of 10. She grew up in Newfoundland, Canada and did not have formal flute lessons from a teacher until she was 16. In Toronto, she won First Prize in the CBC Young Performers Competition. She later moved to New York City to commence studying at the prestigious Juilliard School and won First Prize in New York's Concert Artists Guild International Competition. She was awarded a scholarship by the Concert Artists Guild in 1986, winning First Prize in their international competition. In 1991, she became the first flutist to receive an Avery Fisher Career Grant from the Lincoln Center. and was named Young Artist to watch by Musical America. She has studied under mentors such as Jeanne Baxtresser, Julius Baker.and Aurele Nicolet.

Marina Piccinini (born 1968) is an Italian American virtuoso flautist. She is noted for her performances of compositions by Mozart and Bach, and has performed with many of the world's top orchestras and conductors.

Ms. Piccinini's latest CD release is a double CD set of the complete Flute Sonatas of J.S.Bach (including the solo Partita) in collaboration with the Brasil Guitar Duo for the British label Avie. Other recent recordings include an acclaimed collaboration with pianist Andreas Haefliger of the Sonatas of Prokofiev and Franck (Avie), "Belle Époque (Paris, 1880-1913)", with pianist Anne Epperson, (Claves) and a disc with pianist Eva Kupiec of Sonatas by Bartok, Martinu, Schulhoff, Dohnányi, and Taktakishvili (Claves).