Praised by The Daily Telegraph for “his beautifully light touch and lyrical grace” and called by Gramophone “one of the more original thinkers of his generation”, Federico Colli has been rapidly gaining worldwide recognition for his compelling, unconventional interpretations and clarity of sound. The remarkable originality and highly imaginative, philosophical approach to music-making have distinguished Federico’s performances and recordings as miraculous and multidimensional. Federico’s first release of Sonatas by Domenico Scarlatti, recorded on Chandos Records for whom he is an exclusive recording artist, was awarded “Recording of the Year” by Presto Classical. The second volume of Scarlatti’s Sonatas was named “Recording of the Month” by both BBC Music Magazine and International Piano Magazine and it has been chosen by BBC Music Magazine as one of the best classical albums released in 2020.   

Following his early successes including the Gold Medal at the 2012 Leeds International Piano Competition, the International Piano magazine selected him as one of the ‘30 pianists under 30 who are likely to dominate the world stage in years to come’. In 2023 he was also selected for Fortune Italia’s ’40 under 40’ list of most influential people in Arts and Culture. Federico has performed with renowned orchestras including the Mariinsky Orchestra and St Petersburg Philharmonic, Philharmonia Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic, BBC Symphony and BBC Philharmonic, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic, Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, RAI Symphony Orchestra, and Orchestre national d’Île-de-France. He has also worked with esteemed conductors including Valery Gergiev, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Yuri Temirkanov, Juraj Valčuha, Ion Marin, Thomas Søndergård, Ed Spanjaard, Vasily Petrenko, Sir Mark Elder, Dennis Russel Davies and Sakari Oramo. 

One of the most prolific and intriguing recitalists, Federico showcased his mastery in some of the world’s most famous halls such as Vienna Musikverein and Konzerthaus, Berlin Konzerthaus, Munich Herkulessaal, Leipzig Gewandhaus, Amsterdam Royal Concertgebouw, London Royal Albert Hall and Royal Festival Hall, Prague Rudolfinum, Paris Philharmonie, Rome Auditorium Parco della Musica, Tokyo Nikkei Hall, Hong Kong City Hall, Seoul Kumho Art Hall, New York Lincoln Centre and Chicago Bennet Gordon Hall. He has appeared in festivals such as Klavier Festival Ruhr in Dortmund, Dvorak International Festival in Prague, Chopin and his Europe International Festival in Warsaw, Lucerne Festival, and Ravinia Festival in Chicago. 

Federico’s concerts in 23/24 season include debuts with BBC Scottish Symphony under Sir Mark Elder (Shostakovich Piano Concertos no. 1 and no. 2), Orquesta Sinfónica de Euskadi on tour in Spain under Riccardo Frizza (Rachmaninov Piano Concerto no 2), Württembergisches Kammerorchester Heilbronn under Case Scaglione (Schumann Piano Concerto), RTV Slovenian Radio SO under Rossen Milanov (Beethoven Piano Concerto no. 5) and Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra under Zoi Tsokanou (Mozart K467). Federico is also returning to the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (Rachmaninov Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini), Janacek Philharmonic Ostrava (Schumann Piano Concerto), Orchestra del Teatro Cominale di Bologna (Rachmaninov Piano Concerto no. 2) and I Pomeriggi Musicale in Milan (Shostakovich Piano Concerto no. 1) amongst others. In recitals, he will also return to London’s Wigmore Hall and Klavier-Festival Ruhr, and make debuts with the Vancouver Recital Society, Steinway Society Bay Area Concert Series and at the Dubai Opera.  

In addition to live performances, Federico maintains a busy recording schedule exclusively for Chandos Records. Inspired by his love for Mozart’s music, during the pandemic, Federico created an educational series of short videos for his YouTube channel aimed at rediscovering Mozart’s Fantasy in C minor, K475, and placing Mozart’s musical ideas in a historical and cultural context. Drawing from his deep-dive research into Mozart’s biographies, letters, and 18th-century history and culture, Federico crafted an invigorating story inspired by the mystery surrounding the genesis of the piece. The first in a series of Mozart albums is a disc featuring works for solo piano, released in May 2022, followed by the release of Mozart’s Piano Quartets in August 2023, which have already gathered positive reviews. The Times wrote: ‘His [Colli’s] crisp, inquisitive phrasing is promptly displayed in the more turbulent of the two quartets (K478, in G minor). Without being mannered he grabs your attention, while leaving plenty of space, as Mozart does, for the other performers to spread delight.

Federico’s future recording plans for Chandos include Russian project focused on Shostakovich and Prokofiev.  

Born in Brescia in 1988, he has been studying at the Milan Conservatory, Imola International Piano Academy and Salzburg Mozarteum, under the guidance of Sergio Marengoni, Konstantin Bogino, Boris Petrushansky and Pavel Gililov.