Pietro Adragna

Pietro Adragna
Born	1988 Erice, Italy
Alma mater	Luigi Cherubini Conservatory (Florence)
Occupation	Accordionist
Known for	World Championships in Accordion (2009 and 2011)

Pietro Adragna is an Italian accordionist. He was named world champion at accordion competitions in both 2009 and 2011.

Early life and training

Pietro Adragna was born in 1988^[1] in the Sicilian town of Erice, Italy, where he began studying the accordion at the age of six.^[2] He eventually began to study under Roberto Fuccelli. In 2009 he also studied under Frederic Deschamps in France, including piano, composition, and conducting into his education.^[3] Following secondary school he attended the Luigi Cherubini Conservatory to further his study of the accordion in Florence.^[4][5] There he completed a diploma in both accordion and piano, and is undergoing studies in orchestral conduction.^[6] Part of his work is to transcribe orchestral works into accordion formats.^[7]

Competitions

Early in his career Adragna won international competitions in Italy, Canada, Germany, and Finland,^[8] where in 2010, Adragna placed first at the international Primus Ikaalinen Accordion Competition, held that year at the national Sata-Häme Soi Festival. The final was broadcast nationally on Finnish television.^[9][4] Additionally, Adragna was awarded the accordion World Championship in the 2009 competition held in Albufeira, Portugal.^[3][8] In the 2011 world championship competition held in China, he also won in the categories of Digital Accordion and Virtuoso Entertainment Music.^[6][10][11] That year he also won the 5th annual International Digital Accordion Festival.^[12]

Festivals

Over the years he has toured throughout North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia.^[3] In 2016 he began directing international accordion festivals himself, hosting a World Accordion Festival in the town of Valderice, Sicily at the San Barnaba Valderice Theatre.^[13]

References