Biography
Among Italy's most prolific guitarists is Matteo Mela, whose profile has grown especially through his role in the long-running partnership SoloDuo. His discography is extensive, and he maintains an active career as a teacher.
Born in 1971 in the northern Italian city of Imperia, he began guitar studies locally under Renzo Doria Miglietta. A musicology degree took him to Cremona, where he met guitarist Giovanni Puddu and continued lessons with him. Masterclasses with Angelo Gilardino, Alirio Diaz, and Brazil's Assad Brothers supplied additional guidance. He later pursued chamber-music training at the Accademia Pianistica di Imola with pianists Dario De Rosa, Alexander Lonquich, and Pier Narciso Masi. While still a student he formed the Mela/Bandini Duo with guitarist Giampaolo Bandini; between 1991 and 1998 the ensemble collected numerous prizes at chamber-music competitions.
In 2002 Mela and Lorenzo Micheli established SoloDuo, an ensemble that remained active into the early 2020s. Mela's recording debut arrived in 2004 on the Stradivarius label, when he joined Micheli, violinist Ivan Rabaglia, and cellist Enrico Bronzi for an album of quartets by François de Fossa. Two years later the same imprint issued a second project featuring Rabaglia, bandoneonist Per Arne Glorvigen, and I Solisti di Parma devoted to Piazzolla's music for guitar. With SoloDuo, Mela has performed at major halls such as Carnegie Hall in New York, the Konzerthaus in Berlin, and Sejong Chamber Hall in Seoul. The duo's repertoire spans the Classical era to the present and also includes Baroque works for guitar or theorbo performed with lutenist Massimo Lonardi. In addition to Stradivarius, the pair has recorded for Naxos, Solaria, and Aparte, releasing the album Souvenir d'Espagne on the latter in 2023. Mela resides in Geneva, Switzerland, where he serves on the faculty of the Conservatoire Populaire de Musique.
Born in 1971 in the northern Italian city of Imperia, he began guitar studies locally under Renzo Doria Miglietta. A musicology degree took him to Cremona, where he met guitarist Giovanni Puddu and continued lessons with him. Masterclasses with Angelo Gilardino, Alirio Diaz, and Brazil's Assad Brothers supplied additional guidance. He later pursued chamber-music training at the Accademia Pianistica di Imola with pianists Dario De Rosa, Alexander Lonquich, and Pier Narciso Masi. While still a student he formed the Mela/Bandini Duo with guitarist Giampaolo Bandini; between 1991 and 1998 the ensemble collected numerous prizes at chamber-music competitions.
In 2002 Mela and Lorenzo Micheli established SoloDuo, an ensemble that remained active into the early 2020s. Mela's recording debut arrived in 2004 on the Stradivarius label, when he joined Micheli, violinist Ivan Rabaglia, and cellist Enrico Bronzi for an album of quartets by François de Fossa. Two years later the same imprint issued a second project featuring Rabaglia, bandoneonist Per Arne Glorvigen, and I Solisti di Parma devoted to Piazzolla's music for guitar. With SoloDuo, Mela has performed at major halls such as Carnegie Hall in New York, the Konzerthaus in Berlin, and Sejong Chamber Hall in Seoul. The duo's repertoire spans the Classical era to the present and also includes Baroque works for guitar or theorbo performed with lutenist Massimo Lonardi. In addition to Stradivarius, the pair has recorded for Naxos, Solaria, and Aparte, releasing the album Souvenir d'Espagne on the latter in 2023. Mela resides in Geneva, Switzerland, where he serves on the faculty of the Conservatoire Populaire de Musique.
Albums
