Biography

Erica Piccotti is an Italian cellist born in 1999. She is currently pursuing her professional studies degree with Frans Helmerson at the Kronberg Academy for Young soloists. She graduated at 14 years old, obtaining the highest degree cum laude and honors at the Santa Cecilia Conservatory of Music in Rome. She continued her studies with Antonio Meneses at Hochschule der Künste in Bern, at the Walter Stauffer Academy in Cremona and at the Accademia Chigiana in Siena. 

Erica has participated in masterclasses with Antonio Meneses, Frans Helmerson, David Geringas, Jens Peter Mainz, Truls Mork, Mario Brunello, Julius Berger, Thomas Demenga and Christophe Coin. Furthermore, she is a scholarship holder of the International Academy of Music in Liechtenstein and takes part in the intensive weeks and activities held there. 

She won 1st prizes in national and international competitions including the “Premio Nazionale delle Arti”, run by Italy's Ministry of University and Scientific Research, earning the title of “Best Cellist of the Italian Conservatories”, the “Premio Città di Padova”, “Jugend Musiziert”, the “NYIAA Competition”, the “10th International Competition Antonio Janigro” for young cellists, the “Crescendo International Competition” in Florence and the “Maura Giorgetti” by Filarmonica della Scala in Milan. In 2017 she won the 2nd prize at the “International Johannes Brahms Competition” in Pörtschach, Austria. She received high recognitions such as the 2020 ICMA Award as “Young Concert Artist of the year”, she is a 2020 YCAT finalist (no final stage held), in 2019 the prestigious “Honorary Diploma” by the Accademia Chigiana di Siena. She was also awarded the “Landgraf von Hessen Preis” by the Kronberg Academy, the “Rotary Club Cremona” prize and the prize “Banca Monti dei Paschi di Siena” for the young talents of the “Accademia Chigiana di Siena”. 

She has performed in prestigious festivals, such as the “Janigro Festival” in Porec, the “Chamber music Connects the world” in Kronberg, the “Verbier Festival Academy”, the “Schloss Elmau Festival”, the “Al Bustan Festival” in Beirut, the “International Cello Festival Alfredo Piatti” in Bergamo, the “Rome Chamber Music Festival”, the “Chigiana International Festival” in Siena and the “IUC” in Rome, among others.

As soloist, she played with the Zagreb Soloists, La Verdi in Milan, the Orchestra della Toscana, the Teatro Carlo Felice Orchestra, the Serbian National Theater Orchestra of Novi Sad, the Kodaly Philarmonic Orchestra Debrecen, the Orquestra Sinfonica del Estado del Mèxico. Highlights among her recent and forthcoming engagements include performances at the Teatro La Fenice in Venice, at the Konzerthaus Berlin, the Palazzo Pitti in Florence, the Teatro Ponchielli and the Museo del Violino in Cremona, the Teatro de la Maestranza in Seville and the Teatro Olimpico in Vicenza. 

Erica has collaborated with Gidon Kremer, András Schiff, Christian Tetzlaff, Antonio Meneses, Mario Brunello, Augustin Dumay, Louis Lortie, Miguel Da Silva, Itamar Golan, Massimo Quarta, Bruno Giuranna, Salvatore Accardo, Julius Berger, Andrea Lucchesini and Robert McDuffie. In 2013, the President of the Italian Republic, Giorgio Napolitano, has awarded her the Certificate of Honor “Alfiere della Repubblica” for outstanding achievements in music. 

In 2018 she recorded her debut CD for the label Warner Classic playing with the pianist Itamar Golan.