Calogero Palermo

Born in Sicily in 1971, he got his Diploma in clarinet «summa cum laude» at the Music Conservatory “V. Bellini” in Palermo and completed his postgraduate studies in Geneve under the tutorage of M° T. Friedli.

He started his carreer very early as principal clarinet in “Orchestra del Teatro V.Bellini” in Catania, playing there from 1993 to 1996 and in the “ Orchestra del Teatro Lirico” of Cagliari as well.

In 1997 he won the competition for principal clarinet at the Orchestra of "Opera di Roma", and he also played as principal clarinet for the Phylarmonic Orchestra of “Teatro alla Scala” in Milan and for the “Orchestra da Camera Italiana “ conducted by S. Accardo.

In 2008 he unanimously won the contest as soloist at  the Orchestra National de France.

Winner of the International Prize “Jeunesses Musicales” in Bucarest and of  various other national prizes – as the “A. Ponchielli” prize in Cremona, the “G. Briccialdi” prize in Terni, and the “Boario Musica” prize – he  performed a brilliant carreer not just in the most important Italian cities but in many foreign countries as well – in Spain, Germany, Tunisia, Russia, France and Japan, just to quote some.

Calogero Palermo recorded for “B.M.G. Ricordi”, “Riverberi Sonori”, “Fonè”, “Accord for Music” Roma, “Trio Zecchini” Company (“Concert for Clarinet and Orchestra K 622” by W.A.Mozart, playing in the  “Orchestra del Teatro dell’Opera di Roma”  conducted by Gianluigi Gelmetti), and a new record, "Recital", will be published in autumn for Wicky, with the complete music of Nunzio Ortolano, dedicated to him.

Of particular note are the collaborations with Rai Trade which has carried out his live performance of the Concerto No. 1 in F minor Op.73 for Clarinet and Orchestra by Carl Maria von Weber with the Orchestra of "Teatro Massimo Bellini" in Catania, directed by Lu Jia, and with France Musique for the implementation of the quintet op.115 by Brahms along with Soloists of the Orchestra National de France.

Authors that have composed dedicated music for Calogero Palermo are Luis Bacalov, Renato Chiesa, Claudio Cimpanelli, Antonio Fraioli e Nunzio Ortolano.

His carreer as concert player is strictly connected with his didactic occupation in specialization courses and Master Classes in Italy and abroad. He is the author of the text planning "Soli Orchestra" for clarinet with piano accompaniment.

Calogero Palermo plays a Buffet Crampon clarinet model RC Prestige.