Jacques Moscato
Born in Italy in 1945, he was reunited with his family in France in 1950 and lived in Aix en Provence where every year the famous Mozart Festival is held. It was there that he discovered his passion for classical music, a passion which has continued throughout his life.
After brilliant studies at the Conservatorium of Aix, he directed his first concert at the age of 17. During the orchestra direction workshops, he was discovered and mentored by the masters of the Conservatoire Superior of Paris Eugene Bigot, Yves de la Casiniere, Jean Aubin, Desire Dondeyne, Henri Dionet, Guy Ferchault and Alain Bernaud. He then attended the Conservatoire Superior at both Versailles and Paris.
At the age of 19, he presented his first concert tour. He received first prize in 1967 for the diploma course at the Ecole Nationale de Versailles, was awarded Honours in 1968, and achieved first place at the Concours National de Directeur dEcole de Musique in 1969.
At 24 years of age, he became the youngest director of the Conservatoire de France. In 1969 he was posted to Charleville Mezieres to set up the conservatorium of music which would later be upgraded to dEcole Nationale de Musique et de Danse. Throughout this period he conducted various instrumental and vocal groups throughout France, Belgium, Germany and Austria and completed two Australian tours with soloist Michele Campanella. It was on this occasion that he produced his first recording (1976-1978).
In 1979, he was appointed Director of lAcademie de Musique Fondation Prince Rainier III de Monaco, a position he held until 1997. During this period, he conducted the Philharmonic Orchestra of Monaco each year with many talented musicians from lAcademie de Musique as soloists. Other orchestras conducted during this time included: lOrchestre Symphonique des Pays de Loire and lOrchestre Symphonique dInstanbul, the latter with his friend, state pianist Huseyin Sermet, as soloist.
In Monaco, he developed close relationships with well known international soloists, including Mstislav Rostropovitch, Henryk Szerynck and Gabriel Bacquier, to whom he introduced his best students.
During these 18 years in Monaco, he presided over le Concours International De Composition de Themes de Jazz (26 nations, 200 composers). He created the first workshops de Haut Perfectionnement (Piano, Violin and Cello) to promote and encourage the best young artists from every country.
In the area of musical cinema, he collaborated in the making of a film with the famous British novelist, Anthony Burgess (1985).
Other references and distinctions:
- Member of l'Association des Directeurs
- Member of la Sacem (1976) as a composer
- Member of the jury for the Concours International de Musique (1983)
- Charge de mission a la Direction des Affaires Culturelles du chef-lieu of Ardennes (1998)
- Charge de recherche for the development of artist dancers (2000/2001)
- Preparation for the coordination and recording of Mozarts works for piano and orchestra (in full) dedicated to the pianists of Turkey (2006)
