Victoria Vasquez Jurado
Victoria Vasquez Jurado is a singer and actress recognized for her versatility, musical sensitivity, and her ability to integrate vocal performance with theatrical expression. Her training combines a solid academic foundation with ongoing exploration of stagecraft and interpretative work.
She earned her Second Level Diploma in Opera Singing at the Arrigo Boito Conservatory in Parma, graduating with the highest honors, 110/110 cum laude with mention, under the guidance of Professor Claudia Marchi.
Victoria has performed in numerous operas and musical productions, taking on roles such as Pepíček in Brundibár by H. Krása, Susanna in The Marriage of Figaro and Zerlina in Don Giovanni by W.A. Mozart, Marianna in Il signor Bruschino by G. Rossini, Lola in Cavalleria rusticana by P. Mascagni, Dorabella in Così fan tutte by W.A. Mozart, Flora in La Traviata, Maddalena/Giovanna in Rigoletto by G. Verdi, and Maria in West Side Story by L. Bernstein.
These experiences have helped her develop a strong stage presence and the flexibility to move effortlessly between classical and contemporary repertoires.
She is currently continuing her training with Fabrizio Croci, focusing on acting, character development, and the relationship between voice and movement.
In addition to opera, Victoria actively works in dramatic theatre, collaborating with leading contemporary companies.
Since 2023, she has been part of LENZ Foundation, performing as both singer and actress. From 2025, she will collaborate regularly with Nove Teatro, performing in different roles such as Dorina in Molière’s Tartuffe and Bianca in Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew.
Giorgio Genta
He obtained his Master’s Degree (Diploma Accademico di II livello) at the ISSM “A. Peri” in Reggio Emilia under the guidance of M° Claudio Piastra and later M° Francesco Moccia.
He attended seminars and masterclasses with Carlos Bonell, Vladimir Mikulka, Michael Lewin, Flavio Cucchi, Olivier Pelmoine, Nuccio D’Angelo, and the advanced courses of the Accademia Chigiana di Siena with Maestro Eliot Fisk, where he was awarded the Diploma di Merito in 2021.
He has taken part in national competitions as a soloist, in trio, and in chamber ensembles (including the 1st absolute prize at the “Giulio Rospigliosi” competition).
From a very young age, he approached the world of contemporary music thanks to his experience with “Icarus Junior”, and continues his collaboration as a guitarist with “Icarus Ensemble”, performing at the Biennale of Contemporary Music in Zagreb, Berkeley (San Francisco), FIMU (Belfort), REC Festival, SIXE, “Soli Deo Gloria”, Festival Aperto, Brera Academy, “Traiettorie” Festival, and “L’Altro Suono” Festival.
He has performed works by Massimiliano Viel, Riccardo Nova, Walter Prati, Matteo Malavasi, Stefano Taglietti, and Stefano Trevisi — the latter dedicating to him Scrambler for amplified guitar and electronics.
Since 2019, he has been a member of “Icarus Vs Muzak”, with which he contributed to the creation of Codice Incanto, a project that won the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ “Vivere all’Italiana in Musica” award for the promotion of Italian music worldwide.
With the same ensemble, he performed in Gold (a ballet dedicated to the ensemble by composer Riccardo Nova), staged four times at the Mercat de les Flors – Casa de la Dansa in Barcelona in collaboration with ROPA (Roberto Olivan Performing Arts); took part in a five-concert tour in Mexico including the Cervantino Festival (Guanajuato), the Foro Internacional de Música Manuel Enríquez at Bellas Artes (Mexico City), the Italian Cultural Institute at the Centro Nacional de las Artes, and the Santa Lucia Festival (Monterrey); presented a monographic concert on Salvatore Sciarrino at the Gaida Festival (Vilnius) (recorded and released by Kairos Music as a CD); and participated in Paesaggi con macerie, a new commissioned work, and Dull catastrophes and love songs, a Festival Aperto 2022 production by composer Andrea Agostini.
He also took part in the project Grab Them! (Festival Aperto 2021), as well as numerous concerts at major venues and festivals including Teatro Massimo (Cagliari), Teatro Ponchielli (Cremona), Auditorium Lattuada (Milan), Auditorium Lucio Campiani (Mantua), Teatro Ariosto (Reggio Emilia), Teatro Cavallerizza (Reggio Emilia), Brera Academy (Milan), Chiostri di San Pietro (Reggio Emilia), Palazzo Te (Mantua), Nuove Consonanze Festival (Rome), and Traiettorie Festival (Parma), among others.
He has premiered works by Marco Longo, Riccardo Nova, Nicola Sani, Andrea Agostini, Paolo Perezzani, and Salvatore Sciarrino, and has collaborated with conductors such as Marco Angius and Dario Garegnani.
In 2024, he released ONDIVAGO (Ipogeo Records) with vibraphonist and percussionist Edoardo Ponzi — an album exploring the boundaries between composition, improvisation, and diverse musical languages — in which he was responsible for the electronic production, as well as performance and composition.
In 2017, he took part in the “Research-Led Performance” Workshop at the Institute for Music of the Giorgio Cini Foundation (Venice), in collaboration with the Orpheus Institute (Ghent), focused on the guitar in contemporary performance practice.
Deniz Mastropietro
Born and raised in a family of musicians, Deniz began studying classical guitar at the age of six under the guidance of his father, Carlo Mastropietro. While attending the “Aldo Moro” linguistic high school in Reggio Emilia, he simultaneously embarked on his first higher education path at an AFAM institution, joining Massimo Felici’s guitar class at the “Arrigo Boito” Conservatory in Parma. He obtained his high school diploma in 2020 and, the following year, graduated with top honors (summa cum laude) with a first-level academic diploma in guitar.
In October 2023, he earned his second-level academic diploma, once again in guitar, with the highest distinction under the guidance of Umberto Cafagna. He has participated as an active student in numerous masterclasses with renowned international guitarists such as Stefano Grondona, David Russell, Leo Brouwer, Lorenzo Micheli, Matteo Mela, and Aniello Desiderio. During the 2019/2020 academic year, he attended an advanced concert performance course led by Giampaolo Bandini.
In August 2021, he was awarded the Diploma of Merit from the Accademia Chigiana in Siena, conferred by Eliot Fisk. The following year, he joined Maestro Fisk’s guitar class at the Mozarteum University in Salzburg for an Erasmus semester, where he also took lessons from guitarists Cecilio Perera and Kostas Tosidis. Additionally, he attended contemporary music interpretation classes with composer and conductor Simone Fontanelli.
In March 2025, he completed his second-level Master’s degree in Contemporary Music Interpretation at the “Santa Cecilia” Conservatory in Rome, graduating with the highest honors under the guidance of Maestro Arturo Tallini.
A winner of numerous national and international competitions, he performs in concerts both in Italy and abroad, as a soloist and in various chamber ensembles. He collaborates with guitarists Saverio Fogliaro and Giorgio Genta, violinist Alessandro Sevardi, and the ensemble Icarus vs Muzak.
He won First Prize at the Giuseppe Alberghini Competition in Bologna, dedicated to students from the Emilia-Romagna region, and was a finalist at the Ambroso Competition of the Conservatory of Rovigo. With his chamber music partners, he received the First Absolute Prize at the Civic School of Music in Milan (in duo with Davide Prina) and the Third Prize at the prestigious “Homage to Niccolò Paganini” Competition in Parma.
Dedicated to both performance and arrangement, he regularly produces transcriptions and adaptations for the ensembles with which he performs.
An eclectic guitarist, Deniz does not limit his artistic activity to classical music alone, exploring diverse musical styles and collaborations across genres.
“Gracias a la vida – A Tribute to Mercedes Sosa”
🎶 “Gracias a la vida – A Tribute to Mercedes Sosa”
Voice: Victoria Vasquez
Guitars: Deniz Mastropietro, Giorgio Genta
This project was born out of our admiration for the rich South American musical tradition, and in particular for the great artist Mercedes Sosa, a symbol of freedom and cultural resistance.
Our aim is to enhance this popular repertoire through refined arrangements and an interpretative approach that allows it to be presented coherently in contexts such as classical music, chamber music, and high-level world music concerts.
Performed in their original languages, the songs become true popular “romanzas,” reimagined with timbral and formal choices that also make them suitable for classical concert seasons.
📍 The concert lasts about 70 minutes and has already been performed in several festivals and concert series, among them:
Paganini Guitar Festival 2025 – with the appreciation of M° Sergio Assad
Mauriziano in Reggio Emilia, the historic residence of Ludovico Ariosto
Upcoming concert: Teatro Mazzacorati, Bologna – October 16, 2025
Selected for the Residenze Erranti 2025/2026 program (promoted by Festival Corde d’Autunno, Centro Asteria, Festival Homenaje, Barco Teatro, TouchTheSound Project, and TU Dublin Conservatoire)
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