Ensemble Tetraktis at Teatro Lauro Rossi in Macerata for Macerata Opera festival for the premiere of “SHI (to be)” a chamber opera inspired by the life of Father Matteo Ricci with libretto by Cecilia Ligorio, on July 20th – 26th, on August 2nd and 9th 2017 at 9 pm. A new production commissioned to Carlo Boccadoro and Cecilia Ligorio to celebrate the life of Father Matteo Ricci, who was born in Macerata and is considered the most famous Western intellectual in Chinese culture. Despite being geographically thousands of miles apart, Macerata and Beijing are nowadays culturally close thanks to the heritage handed down from the courageous Jesuit. The piece is written for three percussionists, two pianists, to voices and an actor.

DF Artists welcomes in its roster Simone Zanchini, one of the best international accordionist in jazz and classical music.

Simone Zanchini is considered one of the most interesting and innovative accordion player on the international scene, his research moves between the boundaries of contemporary music, acoustic and electronic sound experimentation, mixing together experiences and super-refined influences issuing in an absolutely personal approach to improvisation materials. Eclectic musician, performs an intense concert activity with groups of diverse musical backgrounds (improvisation, contemporary music, jazz, classical). Graduated with honors in classical accordion at the Conservatory G. Rossini in Pesaro, with the Master Sergio Scappini.

He has performed in several Festivals in Italy (Clusone Jazz, Umbria Jazz, Tivoli Jazz, Jazz in the Time-Berchidda, Sant’Anna Arresi, Barga Jazz, Mara Jazz, Jazz-in’it, Ravenna Festival, Rossini Opera Festival, Siena Jazz, Roccella Jonica etc.) and in the mainly international Festivals (France, Austria, Germany, England, Holland, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Slovenia, Croatia, Macedonia, Spain, England, Norway, Russia, Tunisia, Lebanon, India, Venezuela, Japan, etc.).

He has collaborated with many internationally renowned musicians from different musical backgrounds such as: Thomas Clausen, Gianluigi Trovesi, Javier Girotto, Marco Tamburini, Massimo Manzi, Tamara Obrovac, Krunoslav Levacic, Vasko Atanasovski, Paul Fresu, Antonello Salis, Han Bennink, Art Van Damme, Bruno Tommaso, Ettore Fioravanti, Mario Marzi, Michele Rabbia, Andrea Dulbecco, Giovanni Tommaso, Gabriele Mirabassi, Frank Marocco, Bill Evans, Federico Mondelci, Adam Nussbaum, Jim Black.
Since 1999 he collaborates with the Soloists of the Orchestra of Teatro alla Scala in Milan, with this group he toured regularly.
Aside from musical performances and reasearch, Zanchini leads also accordion’s workshops and collective impro.
In 2006 he published Be-bop Buffet (Wide Sound) a duet with Frank Marocco, a model of the Bebop language expressed with the accordion. In 2009 Better Alone…! (Silta Records) a solo project where prove all tone colours of his instrument through the use of a particular midi accordion, live electronics and laptop, in the same year he published also Fuga per Art Jazz 5et (DodiciLune Records), the unique tribute work of Zanchini, a tribute to his great Master and one of the greatest exponents of the jazz accordion: Art Van Damme.
In 2010 he published a new Project with Ratko Zjaca – guitar, Martin Gjaconovski – dbass and Adam Nussbaum – drums: The way we talk (In&Out Records).
In May 2012 has been released the latest Zanchini’s project: MY ACCORDION’S CONCEPT (Silta Records) a project built up on radical improvisation with the acoustic accordion and live electronics, a brave attempt to subvert the common code of expression through the accordion.