Bio
Virginia Nicoli is a musician who has dedicated the past 20 years to the study of Indian classical music. Trained in Western classical music since ealry childhood, she became captivated by Indian music, drawn to its profound and introspective nature and extraordinary technical refinement. This passion led her to study Dhrupad, the most ancient form of Indian classical music, which she has not only mastered vocally but also uniquely transposed onto the bansuri and the silver flute.
In her bansuri and silver flute playing, she weaves together the purity of microtonal intonation, the meditative depth of Dhrupad, and technical virtuosity. Her research goes beyond the boundaries of tradition, exploring new expressive possibilities and fostering musical dialogues with artists from diverse backgrounds. This has led her to collaborate with innovative projects such as the collaboration with composer and conductor Marcello Fera and the Conductus Ensemble, where her artistic sensitivity explores the space between improvisation and composition.
A central part of her artistic journey is her collaboration with Igino Giovanni Brunori in the Samvad duo, where their shared passion for Indian classical music and deep musical dialogue have led to a unique blend of tradition and innovation. “Samvad,” meaning “dialogue” or “harmony” in Sanskrit, reflects their continuous exploration of sound, blending the essence of Dhrupad with new and unexpected musical landscapes.
Alongside her performing career, Virginia dedicates a significant part of her time to teaching. She has developed a unique approach to transmitting Indian classical music to Western students, making it accessible without losing its depth and authenticity. She guides students on a journey that goes beyond technique, inviting them to experience music as a practice of deep listening and inner transformation.
She has collaborated in different projects and with great artists such as the Gundecha Brothers in the project Dhrupad Ensemble, and musicians as Christos Barbas and Ross Daly, and played with numerous Indian percussionists such as Sukhad Munde, Subhajit Brahmachari and many more. She collaborated also with pakistani singer Aliya Rasheed.
Virginia Nicoli is a bridge between worlds, an interpreter who reinvents tradition without betraying it, a musician who makes sound a living, ever-evolving experience.