Mario Stefano Pietrodarchi was born in Atessa on December 26th 1980. He began studying the accordion at the age of nine and, later on, he took on the bandoneon. From 1993 to 2001 he studied at the “F. Fenaroli” Civic Music school in Lanciano (CH, Italy) with M° C. Calista and with M° Cesare Chiacchiaretta. In 2007 he graduated with a first-class degree at the “S.Cecilia” Academy of Music in Rome, Italy.
He has attended specialization courses in Italy and abroad with J. Mornet, W. Zubitsky, A. L. Castaño, C. Rossi, Y. Shishkin.
Brilliant performer with refined musicality, he has won many national and international competitions such as:
1st Prize at the National Competition "Città di Latina" (1996, 1997);
1st Prize at the National Competition "Città di Montese" (MO) (1997);
1st Prize at the International Competition "S. Bizzarri di Morro D 'Oro " (TE) cat. Junior (1997);
1st Prize at the National Competition "Città di Rieti" (1999);
1st Prize "Adamo Volpi" at the Competition “Città di Loreto” (AN) (2000);
In July 1998 he was selected to represent Italy at the World Trophy C.M.A. (Junior) in Recoaro Terme, Italy;
In 2001 he won the World Trophy C.M.A. (Senior) in Lorient, France (21st-24th September)
In June 2002 he was a guest at the "Premio Barocco" - broadcast live from Gallipoli on Rai1 – and performed with the famous singer Antonella Ruggiero.
In October 2003-2004-2005 he took concerts as a soloist with the International Orchestra of Italy in China and Korea.Weill, under the direction of J. Webb.
In 2005 he collaborated with the Teatro dell'Opera in Rome and the Symphony Foundation "Petruzzelli" of Bari to produce the Opera "Ascesa e Caduta della Città di Mahagonny" by Kurt Weill directed by M° J. Webb.
In 2006 he guested with Gabriele Mirabassi and Pietro Tonolo at the Montreal Jazz Festival - “I colori del mare” - thanks to a project of the EGEA record company.
He has guested several times at the programme Domenica In (RAI 1) and played with the RAI Orchestra conducted by Pippo Caruso.
In 2008 he performed with his bandoneon at the 58th edition of the Festival di San Remo, Italy.
In 2008 he recorded the soundtrack for the film “Caos Calmo” by Nanni Moretti and in 2009 the soundtrack for the film “Italians” by Giovanni Veronesi – among the actors: C. Verdone, R. Scamarcio and S. Castellitto -. Both the soundtracks are by Paolo Buonvino.
On 25th May 2009 he played at the Colosseo (Rome) with M° Andrea Bocelli, Angela Gheorghiu and Andrea Griminelli together with the Abruzzo Symphony Orchestra. The event “L’alba separa dalla luce l’ombra” was in aid of the earthquake victims of Abruzzo. It was unique and worldwide broadcast on RAI 1 and RAI SAT.
On December 25th 2010 he performed with the Orchestra Giovanile Italiana in Concerto per la Vita e per la Pace (Concert for Life and Peace), worldwide broadcast by RAI in Bethlehem.
On January 1st 2010 he played as a soloist in the Orchestra Giovanile Italiana for the Newyear Concert at Teatro Comunale in Florence.
In January 2011 he performed for the Fondazione Arena di Verona at the Teatro Filarmonico with the Orchestra dell'Arena di Verona.
On June 1st 2011 he performes at the Arena of Verona together with Erwin Schrott during the festivities for the 150th anniversary of rhe Italian unification. The show is broadcasted live by Rai 1.
On August 1st 2011, supported by the Orchestra Internazionale d’Italia directed by M. Omer Wellber, he plays as a soloist in the first ever performance for Accordion-Mandolin-Mag Tape and Orchestra of “The retourn of the Jackals”, by the Israeli composer Michael Wolpe.
Together with Erwin Schrott and Anna Netrebeko he performed in the most important cities in Germany, England and Denmark in 2012.
In the same year he recordedthe DVD "Live in Portofino" on a guest appearance with Andrea Bocelli. In 2013 he performed on a guest appearance with Andrea Bocelli, Riccardo Cocciante, Pino Daniele and Simona Molinari at the event "Teatro del Silenzio". On February 22 2014 he performed as soloist at the Ulker Sports Arena in Istanbul together with Andrea Bocelli.
From 15 to 19 April 2014 he was protagonist in the production of the "Verdi Dance" choreographed by Misha van Hoecke at the Teatro dell'Opera in Rome.
Besides performing in Italy, he has been taking concerts in England, France, Belgium, Croatia, Serbia, Germany, the U.S.A., Poland, Portugal, Finland, Switzerland, Hungary, Canada, Armenia, Russia, Bosnia Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Turkia, Libano, Belarus and China.
This approved biography is not to be altered or changed without consulting with the management of the artist.
