MICHAEL ANDRIACCIO

Joanne Castellani and Michael Andriaccio have enjoyed a celebrated career as one of the foremost guitar duos in the world. They were scholarship students at the master classes of Andres Segovia and studied composition with Aaron Copland, Morton Feldman and Lejaren Hiller. They have received numerous awards and distinctions and have been concerto soloists with the London Symphony Orchestra, the Israel Chamber Orchestra, the Rome Festival Orchestra, the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Chautauqua Symphony among others. Sought after pedagogues as well, they have performed and taught at over one hundred colleges, universities, and conservatories around the world. Recognized as the pre-eminent American Guitar Duo, the nation's capital has embraced them with two National Endowment for the Arts Solo Recitalist Fellowships. They have been featured in concerts at the White House, the Smithsonian Institution, and the JFK Center for the Performing Arts. The two have served as Cultural Envoys of the US State Department with tours of Brazil, China, and the Philippines. In addition, they are members of the Alice Tully Circle of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. Popular broadcast artists on international radio and TV, the duo has been featured on NPR, PBS, BBC and were featured on Radio Nacional of Argentine Public Radio in celebration of Astor Piazzolla's 100th Birthday. Tireless proponents of new music, they have commissioned and premiered numerous works for guitar duo including two acclaimed concerti by Roberto Sierra, "Of Discoveries" and the "Fantasia Corelliana", both works commissioned and given their world premiere performances and recordings by the Duo. The Duo has recorded ten acclaimed CDs. Currently, Joanne and Michael are the Artistic Directors of the JoAnn Falletta International Guitar Concerto. Joanne Castellani is Prof. Emerita of the SUNY at Buffalo. Joanne and Michael are founders of and executive producers for Fleur de Son Classics, Ltd.