Damiano Babbini, Violino

Damiano Babbini began studying the violin at the age of six in the Trasimeno Music School in Umbria, Italy under the guidance of Elizabeth Graham and was awarded maximum marks in his diploma in 2006. He has taken part in many masterclasses with such musicians as Rodolfo Bonucci, Emmanuel Hurwitz (Melos Ensemble, Aeolian Quartet), Reinar Honeck (principal violin of Wiener Philarmoniker), Mitislav Rostropovich and continued his studies at ’”Accademia di Musica” in Pinerolo (Turin) with M°Adrian Pinzaru and M° Dora Schwarzberg.

From 2002 to 2005 he had the position of principal violin in the Youth Orchestra of Trasimeno and from 2005 he become principal violin and soloist with the Trasimeno Chamber Orchestra, winning in the same year 1st prize with merit in the “International Competition Pro Archi” in Nyiregyhàza (Hungary). He also obtained a special mention as leader from Sandor Devich (Bartok Quartet). Damiano Babbini has, over the years, (and still continues to) played with many different orchestras such as l’Orchestra della Toscana (ORT), Orchestra Regionale della Calabria “Paolo Serrao”, Camerata del Titano, Orchestra dell’Etruria, Cappella Musicale della Patriarcale Basilica di San Francesco di Assisi, Ostia Chamber Orchestra, Orchestra Sinfonica di Terni, Collegium Tiberinum, Orchestra da camera dell’Accademia di Musica di Pinerolo, I Solisti Marchigiani, Orchestra Pro Musica di Pistoia, Piccola Orchestra ‘900, and has performed in many important festivals as “La Cittadella della Musica” in Civitavecchia, “Festival Internazionale dei Giovani Concertisti” in Castel Rigone (PG), “Musica Insieme” di Panicale (PG), “Tuscan Sun Festival” in Cortona (AR), “Unione Musicale “ in Turin, ”Festival Internazionale F.Pedrell “in Tortosa (Spain) and many others performing also as soloist.

He has also collaborated with many prestigious musicians including Emanuel Hurwitz, Hansheinz Schneeberger, Klaus Huber, Claudio Veneri, Rodolfo Bonucci, David Brutti, Carmelo Giallombardo, Luis Bakalov, Sergej Krylov, Enrique Mazzola, Vincenzo Giuliani, Thomas Dausgaard, Daniele Giorgi, Ramin Bahrami, Stefano Bollani.
Since 2004 he is one of the founder members of the Ascanio Quartet of which he is the leader. The Ascanio Quartet has performed all over Italy and Europe and has studied with such musicians as Hugh Maguire ( ex spalla della London Symphony, Quartetto Allegri ), Rodolfo Bonucci, Quartetto Barcellona, Quartetto di Cremona, Bruno Giuranna, Adrian Pinzaru (Delian Quartet), Robert Cohen, Mihaela Martin (Quartetto Michelangelo), Demetrio Comuzzi (Nuovo Quartetto Italiano), Quartetto Prometeo, Marc Danel (Danel Quartet) collaborating with important musicians including Marco Sollini, Salvatore Barbatano, Ensemble Kandinsky, Ugo Pagliai, Paola Gassman and many others.

Since 2012 the Quartet continues to study with the Quartetto di Cremona in the Accademia “W.Stauffer” in Cremona.  They are invited to perform in many prestigious festival all over Italy: Famiglia Artistica Reggiana”  in Reggio Emilia, “Cantiere Internazionale” d’Arte di Montepulciano (performing first performances of Carlo Boccadoro, Norberto Oldrini, Stefano Taglietti, Andrea Portera who dedicated his composition to the Quartetto Ascanio), ”Armonie della Sera” , ”Festival dei 2 Mondi” in Spoleto, Corciano Festival, Tuscan Sun Festival ,Neues Klangfest Remscheid ,Koln (Germany) and many others.

He is a violin teacher in Trasimeno Music School in Umbria.