Giovanni Allevi

Though the adage insists that serving two masters proves impossible, Giovanni Allevi has built a thriving dual path that unites his piano career with sustained contributions to philosophy. His approachable presence and signature attire of t-shirt, jeans, and sneakers have drawn enthusiastic crowds to prominent stages across multiple continents, while his literary output further cements his reputation as a published author.

Allevi entered the world in Ascoli Piceno on April 9, 1969. He completed rigorous studies in piano and composition at the Giuseppe Verdi Conservatory in Milan, graduating with distinction, before earning a cum laude doctorate in philosophy whose dissertation bore the title The Emptiness of Modern Physics. After fulfilling a period of service with the Italian Army Band, he redirected his energies toward original composition and issued 13 Dita on Universal in 1997. That release enabled him to move fluidly between classical and contemporary spheres, appearing at sites that ranged from the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts to New York’s Blue Note jazz club. Several pieces from the album gained traction among modern pianists and were later interpreted by Japanese virtuoso Nanae Mimura. Six years afterward came his second recording, Composizioni. Subsequent seasons found him presenting concerts at major venues throughout the United States and Europe while delivering frequent lectures that linked philosophical inquiry with musical practice.

The 2005 album No Concept attracted commissions and bookings from classical institutions as well as from jazz and contemporary-music presenters. During the ensuing tour Allevi prepared his fourth project, Joy, whose distribution through Sony/BMG introduced his work to an expanded listenership. In 2008 he led I Virtuosi Italiani in a program of his own compositions alongside selections by Puccini at a Christmas concert held in the Italian senate; among the attendees was President Giorgio Napolitano, and the event aired on national television, elevating his visibility. Throughout the following decade Allevi sustained momentum via continued writing, live appearances, and recordings. Love appeared in 2015, Equilibrium followed in 2017, and Hope arrived in 2019. In 2020 he starred in the docuseries Allevi in the Jungle, and the following year saw publication of his seventh book, Le regole del pianoforte - 33 note di musica e filosofia per una vita fuori dall’ordinario.

Allevi holds the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic, serves as an ambassador for Save the Children, and was honored when NASA designated asteroid giovanniallevi111561 in his name.