There are many reasons why music conductor Jacopo Sipari is a hard act to follow. At an age when most are still figuring what to do in life, Sipari, who is just twenty-eight, is a fast rising star on the classical music scene, and one of the world’s youngest and most accomplished music conductors. With the dashing looks of a young Errol Flynn, this multi-talented Italian is busy these days conducting his orchestra all around Europe. His list of achievements is impressive.
Recently, Sipari received the Excellent Prize of Music in Rome, was appointed as an honorary citizen of Abruzzi, and has collaborated with such music greats as Ennio Morricone and Cecilia Bartoli. Plus, to add to an already stellar resume, Jacopo is also a lawyer and an assistant to criminal law in Rome.
This month, Maestro Sipari will hold a concert at the Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano, Rome and pay a special tribute to the victims of the devastating earthquake that hit his hometown of Aquila in 2009. Despite all his education, it would be from this tragic event where he would learn some of life’s greatest lessons. I had the pleasure of speaking to Maestro Jacopo about what it means to be young and talented in Italy, what those life lessons were, and finally what truly matters to a man who seemingly has it all.
Gaya Lynn: At nine, you began studying music, composition and voice at the Music Conservatory A. Casella Dell’ Aquila. Was your home always filled with music?
Jacopo Sipari: I was born with music and therefore, it always has been an essential part of my daily life. My parents have always been very passionate and perhaps this has made my love for music so gripping and so all-encompassing.
GL: When you were just sixteen, you hit your first milestone when you conducted a concert. At such a young age, most teenagers are just going to high school. Did you have a chance just to be a teen?
JS: Certainly. I’ve always studied incredibly hard whether it be at school or at the music conservatory. Having said that, I’ve always been a person who was an out of the box thinker. I used to have really long hair, all the way down my back, I was sporty, and had all the love problems a boy has at that age. But instead of sending love letters, I would write girls music!
GL: What are some of emotions that come forth when you are conducting?
JS: When I stand on the podium, it is like I disconnect from the world and become an instrument, one that vibrates with the music …gets emotional, cries, lives and dies with the music. The public has to breathe with me. To be a musician means this: to transmit the most profound voice of being a human being.
GL: You were influenced by amazing talents such as Conductors Ennio Morricone and Wolfgang Sawallisch.
JS: I always try to study from the greatest [conductors] of all time. How can one not be moved in front of the grandeur of Herbert Von Karajan, Daniel Baremboim, Carlo Maria Giulini, Zubin Mehta.
GL: You, and the actor, Vincenzo Alfieri, who I recently interviewed along with many other very talented young people, represent Italy’s future in terms of entertainment and culture. What do you think about this future?
JS: For certain, it is not the greatest future. There are many doubts, uncertainties… Despite this, we have to believe in the values of knowledge and culture.
GL: We live in an age of Youtube and videos. Whether we like it or not, looks matters. With artists such Joshua Bell, Yuja Wang, and you, who are gorgeous, how much do looks play a part on the music scene?
JS: Beauty is an element in my opinion that is “fondamentale” even if at times, it can work against you. Paradoxically, you may hear someone say “you reached your goal because you are handsome.” I think beauty can be an added plus only when the skills are up to par.
GL: At twenty-two, you earned a law degree with honors. An impressive accomplishment but one that seemed so different than the road you were on.
JS: In reality, I believe that both fields are like two faces of the same coin. Both require skills that overlap one another. I tried to work my careers with the heart of a musician along with the determination and the strength of a lawyer. I have learned this thanks to the teaching of my professor, Mario Trapani.
GL: What do you think about today’s music, and how does the younger generation in Italy view classical music?
JS: Music is the most genuine expression of human nature. If we gravitate towards Rock or Pop, it is because people need that; it is because it represents their soul. In terms of young people; one needs to have them appreciate its beauty and greatness.
GL: They have called you a genius, a prodigy. How do those descriptions make you feel?
JS: I smile. Perhaps, if everyone could just be a little bit more themselves, we could all a bit of a prodigy; real genius is found in the diversity and uniqueness of everyone one of us. I never am one to chase success or fame. I always tried to be just myself …in life, everyone needs to do what is deep within one’s heart.
GL: Let’s now talk about a subject that is very close to your heart: Five years ago, in your hometown of Aquila, a tragic earthquake devastated the city, causing 308 casualties and 1500 injuries. On April 6th, you are going to hold a concert in memoriam of the tragic event and the lives lost.
JS: For me, this event has caused the most profound change in my life. It changed the way I related to others, to work, to music. In 33 seconds, you can lose everything, and I am not talking just material things. You lose that sense of security on being here on this earth–my city, that Saturday night with friends at the pizza parlor, soccer games, first love stories, suddenly no longer exist. And the worse was seeing the tears of my parents who look to you without answers. Fortunately, I have an unshakable faith in our Lord and that has helped.
After five years, it [the concert] will be a prayer for those who are no longer here, and a shout out of hope for those who survived. We chose the Requiem di Mozart and will have an exceptional showcase of soloists including Laura Giordano, Adriana di Paola, Alberto Martinelli, and Mauro Corna. Along with the Giuseppe Verdi’s Choir of Rome, we will give [the public] unforgettable moments.
GL: Maestro, along with music, you also seem quite passionate about la moda. Who are some of your favorite designers? Plus, we always see you dressed in such elegant attire, do you ever just dress casually?
JS: Without a doubt, Sarli Coulture Alta Moda. Dolce and Gabbana, Etro, Roberto Cavalli. As for me, I’m not always in a tux. A nice shirt and jeans are essential especially when you have a life where I’m always on the go, getting ready for a concert.
GL: You have had the chance to interview some of the biggest names in fashion and entertainment including Amanda Lear and Milly Carlucci. Who have been your favorite?
JS: Without a doubt, the two women who have made the biggest impact on me were Anna Wintour [Vogue’s Editor in Chief] .I have heard of her charm.. The second was Milla Jovovich, who I think is the most beautiful woman in the world. I was so in awe, I couldn’t utter a word.
GL: You once asked a designer, how do you feel after a show? Now, I want to ask you. After a concert, what goes through your mind and heart?
JS: It is the same feeling one feels after an unforgettable moment. It is like the end of a great love story. The practice times are like the courtship. Then the long awaited moment arrives…the concert becomes a night of love, intense….And then, like all the beautiful things, at the first light of dawn, it ends. And your body cannot wait to start over.
For more about Mr. Sipari’s Concerts, go to www.jacoposiparidipescasseroli.it
Special thanks to Press Manager, Katya Marletta
After living in Italy, Director of Moda, Gaya now resides in California. www.msgaya.com
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