About
Born in 1991, Riccardo Barba began studying the piano at the age of 12. After solid training in classical piano and composition, he broadened his musical horizons by exploring improvisation, jazz, and keyboards, developing a deep interest in contemporary music languages.
He studied composition with Paolo Ugoletti, Umberto Benedetti Michelangeli, and Giancarlo Facchinetti. He further refined his skills in choir conducting under Silvio Baracco and in counterpoint and fugue with Tommaso Ziliani, perfecting his piano technique under the guidance of Massimiliano Motterle.
He holds a diploma in Classical Piano from Trinity College London and in Jazz Piano from the Conservatory “G. Verdi” of Milan, where he presented a thesis on Chick Corea and the Fender Rhodes. Among his mentors in jazz piano and improvisation are distinguished artists such as Greg Burk and Paolo Birro. He is currently enrolled in a Master of Arts in Orchestration at Thinkspace – Arts University Bournemouth.
He has attended prestigious masterclasses with world-renowned artists such as András Schiff and John O’Conor at the Royal Academy of Music and the Guildhall School of Music in London, as well as with leading jazz musicians like Franco D’Andrea and Dave Liebman.
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Since 2005, he has been active on the concert scene, performing piano recitals and collaborating with numerous rock, pop, and swing ensembles. He has shared the stage with prominent figures of the Italian jazz scene, including Sandro Gibellini and Fulvio SigurtĂ .
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Riccardo composed his first piece at the age of 12. In 2014, he wrote and recorded music for the book Passi Bianchi e Silenziosi by Anita Ledinski and Francesca Gardenato. In 2015, he composed Mongol Uls, a suite for vibraphone, piano, and double bass inspired by a journey from Brescia to Mongolia and the writings of Olmo Chittò, later included in the album Di Passaggio.
In 2017, he founded EKE, an experimental project combining electronic music and contemporary jazz, with which he recorded the album Electric Keys Experiment. In 2019, he launched his main project, the Barba Negri Ziliani trio, exploring the possibilities of piano trio music through influences of jazz, contemporary music, minimalism, and rock. The trio has released two albums: Too Many Keys (2020) and Orpheus in the Underground (2022), the latter featuring Fulvio SigurtĂ .
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Since 2021, he has collaborated with Camilla Finardi in the duo “Mandolino Contemporaneo”, for which he composed Ergobando Suite and the cycle Cinque Canzoni Botaniche, both included in the album Ergobando, published by Movimento Classical in 2024.
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He works regularly with FluffyAudio as a composer and demo-producer and collaborates with organizations such as “Il Vagabondo” in Trento, the “Piccola Orchestra Lumière,” and the “Bazzini Consort”. He is the founder of the “Collettivo Mocambo”, curating the creation, arrangements, and artistic direction of concerts dedicated to Italian songwriting.
In addition, he is a prolific arranger for choirs, orchestras, and bands, exploring and enhancing a wide range of timbres and instrumental combinations.
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He has participated in numerous festivals, including JazzMi, Piano Day Milano, Fara Music Festival, MantovaMusica, Onde Musicali sul Lago d’Iseo, Desenzano Jazz Festival, and Trento Film Festival.
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In addition to his personal projects, Riccardo is a highly regarded pianist, keyboardist, and arranger in jazz, pop, rock, and contemporary classical music.
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As a sideman, he has recorded in several productions, including S!lent (2018) by Angela Kinczly, Pain Changes (2020) by Gabriele Zanetti and Silvia Pepe, MOAI (2020) by the band of the same name, Yeah and Stuff (2021) by Stereonoon, and Wergild (2022) by Cesare Ferro.
As an arranger, he collaborated with Matteo Ferrari on the album Maramao (2022) and with soprano Chiara Milini for Christmas Melodies: From Our Hearts To Yours (2023).
Riccardo teaches piano, keyboards, ensemble music, harmony, music history, and improvisation techniques at Scuola di Musica “Luciano Fregoni” in Bedizzole, where he serves as Educational and Artistic Director. He also conducts the Harmonikeys choir at the “Luciano Fregoni” Music School.
Since 2020, he has been giving lectures on music history and the analysis of masterpieces from the Western tradition. He collaborates with various music therapy organizations in the Brescia area, conducting listening guidance courses for people with disabilities.
ACCOLADES
- Winner, Acceleration Program Matchfy with Things Indifferent by Barba Negri Ziliani – October 2020
- Editor’s Pick, JazzIt Magazine with Too Many Keys by Barba Negri Ziliani – January 2021
- Commissioned to compose a Concert for Peace for the Festival della Pace in Brescia, in collaboration with the University of Brescia and the University for Peace
– November 2024 - Gold Winner at Fenix Award International Music Competition, Category: Composition with Latino Riddle (for concert band) – 2025