Biography
Stefano Sciascia was born in Turin, on 7th September 1960.
He began studying double bass at the age of sixteen.
He soon began playing with various orchestras, including Turin Orchestra della RAI,Claudio Scimone’s Solisti Veneti and “Orchestra da Camera di Padova e del Veneto”,
performing throughout Europe and North America ,at the Edinburgh Festival, Wien Musikverein, Amsterdam Concertgebouw, Milano Teatro La Scala and in Boston, New York, Washington, Los Angeles, San Francisco,....
At the same time he devoted himself to researching new music and transcribing it for double bass, enriching thus his instrument’s solo repertoire.
In 1994 he recorded his first CD for the record label Rivo Alto:
1994 Opere per contrabbasso e pianoforte G. Bottesini.
In the few following years more records were released:
1996 Rivo Alto – Gran Quintetto in do minore
Sonate a Quattro G.Bottesini, G.Rossini
1998 Rivo Alto – Quella Fiamma
G.B. Pergolesi, A. Vivaldi, N.A. Porpora, B. Marcello
Arie del ‘700 per contrabbasso e pianoforte
1999 Rivo Alto – Concerto
D.Dragonetti, S.Koussevitzky ,G.Bottesini
2000 Rivo Alto – Elegie
E. Bloch, G. Faurè, F. Poulanc, C. Debussy, …
2002 Rivo Alto – Songs of the World
2004 Stefano Sciascia Production – Mantra 22.22
Meditazione per contrabbasso solo.
In 1999 King Records Japan includes two tracks from “Quella Fiamma” in the compilation” King of Bass”.
In January 2003 the same record label releases a Japanese version of “Songs of the World” with the title “Contrabbasso!”.
The record is distributed internationally through multinational companies such as Virgin Megastore and Tower Records.
In June 2003 double bassist Yoshihiro Utsumi founded the S.E.J. (Sciascia Ensemble Japan) in Kobe.
This ensemble of musicians bearing Sciascia’s name is very active and performs throughout Japan.
In June 2001 Stefano Sciascia made his debut in the USA:
he performed a recital at the Butler University of Indianapolis USA, during the I.S.B. (International Society of Bassist) Convention and
two years later at the University of Richmond –Virginia-USA, during the I.S.B. Convention of 2003.
On June 2005 he performed at the Big Hall of Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo-USA- I.S.B Convention .
In fall 2004 the magazine “Double Bassist” dedicated a long article to him. The article consists of an interview by editor Maggie Williams and deals with his career, concentrating especially on his release: Mantra 22.22.
In September 2004 he was invited in Japan where he taught master classes and played concerts in Tokyo, Osaka and Kobe.
He recorded in 2005 a CD dedicated to G. Bottesini ,“Adagio Melanconico e Appassionato”, and it features the precious collaboration of pianist David Giovanni Leonardi, who has been playing with Sciascia ever since their first recording together.
The Sciascia-Leonardi duo has been performing in Italy and abroad since 1994.
On January 2007 they recorded a Tale : The Kingdom of Ibbi Obbi .
Double Bass and piano with a narrator and 32 pages of booklet with 16 oil paintings .
Music by Rachmaninov Chopin Tchaikovsky Mussorgsky Scriabin Saint Saens Popper Jenkinson .
He has played at the Oklahoma USA. ISB Convention,June 2007 , a program of Hebrew , Klezmer and Classical Music .
He taught Master Classes in Italy, Japan, Norway Oslo Academy, Finland Helsinki Sibelius Academy, Gothenburg Academy of Music & Drama , London Trinity College, Lugano Conservatorio della Svizzera Italiana, Riga Latvian Academy, Zagreb Academy, University of Arts in Belgrade, Mozarteum Salzburg University, Jerusalem Academy JAMD, Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst Wien.
Sciascia performed live his Mantra 22.22 at the Penn State University-USA- ISB Convention 2009, with Christine Hoock at the Mozarteum University Hall, 2012, with Yung Chiao Wei at the Tartini Conservatory of Music Trieste, 2017.
He performed a recital during the 2011 ISB Convention at the San Francisco State University-USA-on the Karr Koussevitzky Double Bass.
Bottesini Opere per contrabbasso e pianorte, Elegie, Songs of the World and Concerto CDs were just re issued by Newton Classics and Naxos.
In August 2012 he performed a Recital and a Master class at the Copenhagen Bass 2012 Convention and in June 2013 played the Koussevitzky Concerto on the Koussevitzky Double Bass during the Rochester ISB Convention U.S.A.
On January 2010 Lux ex Tenebris the 10th cd of his discography was released,
On May 2014 MovieScoreMedia published the Soundtrack of Across the River a Film writen and co directed by Lorenzo Bianchini with Music by Stefano Sciascia.
His last classical release is Soli Deo Gloria a Solo Double Bass Album with J.S.Bach Music - 2015.
His New Album is "Il Tema dimenticato" published on November 2017.
He performed a Recital and a Master Class at Praha Bass2016 and Bass2018 Lucca european double bass conventions.
Stefano Sciascia played a solo Recital at the Auer Hall of Bloomington University Indiana USA during the 2019 ISB Convention.
Recital - Réveries - 18 maggio 2022, Trieste Tartini Big Hall: Stefano Sciascia, David Giovanni Leonardi pianoforte, Laura Menegozzo viola
Mantra 22.22 - Chiesa di San Francesco - Cividale del Friuli 21 Ottobre 2022
Mantra 22.22 - Trieste June 21- Monte Grisa June 24 - San Giusto Fori Romani - VIDEO
Solo performance and Master Class at the Louisiana Bass Festival April 14 - 15, 2023 // LSU Baton Rouge Campus U.S.A
Stefano Sciascia is head teacher of the double bass class at the Conservatorio di Musica “G. Tartini” in Trieste.
He plays an italian pear shaped double bass of the eighteenth century