Petracchi Franco

Franco Petracchi is undoubtedly the double bass player who, in the wake of great masters such as Dragonetti, Bottesini and Bille, revolutionised the technique of his instrument. Born in Pistoia in 1937, he studied in Rome with Guido Battistelli, alongside composition with Margola and conducting with Franco Ferrara. He made his debut in 1960 at the Festival of Contemporary Music in Venice, where he gave the first performance of Firmino Sifonia's concerto for double bass and orchestra, and critics were unanimous in calling him a "rising star in concert performance on this instrument". Subsequently he was first double bass at the RAI in Turin and then in Rome, an activity that led him to play with the greatest batons of the time, from Karajan to Celibidache, from Barbirolli to Berstein, from Sawallisch to Giulini and Munch. In 1986 he began teaching at the Geneva Conservatory and in the same year, together with his colleagues Accardo, Giuranna and Filippini, he founded the "Accademia Walter Stauffer" school for string instruments in Cremona. His innovative way of teaching has enabled his students to perform well in the main world music competitions (Munich, Geneva, Cremona, etc.). He has been awarded concerts for his instrument by composers such as Donatoni, Rota, Mortari, Trovajoli, Berio and Sifonia.