Maurizio Sacquegna

Born in 1984 in Verona, Maurizio Sacquegna received his bachelor degree in History and Conservation of Musical Heritage at the University of Padua, a inter-university master’s degree with honors in Music and Performing Arts from the University of Padua and the Ca’ Foscari University, a second level diploma with honors and honorable mention in Choral Conducting and Choral Composition with specialization in early music at the G. Frescobaldi Conservatory of Music in Ferrara and, finally, a PhD with honors in History, Criticism and Conservation of Musical Heritage at the University of Padua. 

Professor of Vocal Ensemble Music, Choral Repertoire and Choral Exercises at the Conservatory of Music F.A. Bonporti of Trento and Riva del Garda and of History of Music and Theory, Analysis and Composition at the Music High School of Istituto Campostrini of Verona, he was also a teacher in the School for Choir Directors Guido d’Arezzo, in the Italian Choral Academy and taught in the seminars of Renaissance musical palaeography and musical rhetoric at the Academy for Choir Directors “Piergiorgio Righele”. Speaker at important conferences and masterclasses relating to musicological disciplines and interpretation of choral music, such as those held at the Guido d’Arezzo Foundation, the F.A. Bonporti Conservatory of Trento and the E.F. Dall’Abaco Conservatory of Verona, A.S.A.C. Veneto, U.S.C.I. Brescia and other national choral associations, he was also a member of the jury in the most important national and international choral competitions held in Italy including the National Choral Competition Città di Vittorio Veneto, the Polyphonic Competition of Lago Maggiore in 2019, the Seghizzi International Competition in Gorizia in 2019 and in 2022, the National Trophy Cori d’Italia in Ledro (TN) in 2019, the Guido d’Arezzo National Polyphonic Competition in 2021 and the 70ème Edizion des Floralies – assemblée des chœurs in 2022. He began his conducting activity in 2001 taking the lead of the Piccola Baita Choir of San Bonifacio (VR), a male choir dedicated to the performance of popular music and that he still leads today. Founder of the men’s and women’s sections of Gruppo Vocale Novecento, respectively in 2003 and 2005, and director of the same since its origins, he is also at the helm of the Corale San Giovanni Battista of Locara (VR), of the Alpine Choir La Preara of Caprino Veronese (VR), from 2007 to 2015 he was director of the choir of the A. M. Roveggio high school in Cologna Veneta and, since 2021, he is one of the two directors of the choir of the Campostrini Music High School in Verona. He has also performed in concert activity as a baritone in the professional vocal sextet EsaConsort and is a member of the artistic commission of A.S.A.C. Veneto and artistic consultant for the province of Verona in the same association. 
At the head of Gruppo Vocale Novecento (female and male sections), with whom he also recorded for Reinbow Classics, he won various awards and prizes at the most important national and international competitions held in Italy for choral singing: 

  The Grand Prix, the first prize in the folk-inspired polyphonic singing category, the second prize in the author’s polyphonic singing category, the special prize for the best performance of a piece by Josquin Desprez and the VCO special prize at the 12th Lago Maggiore National Polyphonic Competition (2021); 

the “Città di Arco” Trophy, the first prize with additional prize for the best conductor, prize for the best performance of the whole competition at the 2nd Luigi Pigarelli National Competition for male choirs (2017); 

the first prize at the 7th National Choral Competition of Città di Fermo (2017); 

the 21st Efrem Casagrande Grand Prix with first prize in the category of polyphonic singing of popular inspiration, second prize in the original work of autorship music section, special centenary prize, special prize as the best choir from Veneto registered with A.S.A.C. and special prize for the best interpretation of a composition by a contemporary author at the 49th National Choral Competition Trofei Città di Vittorio Veneto (2015); 

the gold band and the first prize in the category, with the prize for the highest score of a piece performed by female voices only and the prize for the director at the 32nd National Choral Competition in Quartiano (Lodi) (2014); 

the 2nd prize both in the category of sacred author music and in that of polyphonic music of popular inspiration, together with the A.S.A.C. Veneto special prize, at the 53rd National Choral Competition Trofei Città di Vittorio Veneto (2021); 

the second prize in the Equal Voices category with obligatory pieces, the third prize in the Sacred Music category and the special prize for the best performance of the entire competition of a contemporary piece with participation in the “Città di Arezzo” Grand Prix at the 64th Polyphonic Competition International Guido d’Arezzo (2016); 

the second prize and special FENIARCO prize at the 9th Antonio Guanti Competition in Matera (2019); 

the second prize and FENIARCO special prize at the 32nd Guido d’Arezzo National Polyphonic Competition (2015); 

the gold band in the semi-final category of Romantic Music, the silver band in the semi-final categories of Ancient, Contemporary and Popular Music, first prize in the final category of Romantic Music, Poetry special prize, special prize for Male Equal Voices, Charles Gounod special prize, Gioachino Rossini special prize and finalist title of the 30th “Seghizzi” Gran Prix at the 57th Seghizzi International Choral Competition in Gorizia (2018); 

the gold band and first prize in the category with compulsory piece at the XXV International Choral Singing Competition in Verona (2014); 

the band of excellence at the 8th, 9th and 10th Festival della Coralità Veneta (2014-2016-2018); 

the gold band and the special prize for the best conductor at the 31st Franchino Gaffurio National Choral Competition in Quartiano (2013); 

the 3rd Prize in the “equal voices” category at the 35th Guido d’Arezzo National Polyphonic Competition (2018); 

the third prize in the equal voices category  at the 5th National Polyphonic Competition of Lage Maggiore; 

the Domenico Cieri Special Prize for the Best Performance of the Renaissance piece at the 6th National Competition of Choral Singing Città di Zagarolo (2007); 

the prize for the best performance of a piece of a sacred nature at the 3rd Festival della Coralità Veneta (2004). 

As director of Gruppo Vocale Novecento, he also participated in important choral festivals, including: 

MITO Festival (Milan, Turin); Le Chiavi d’Argento festival (Chiavenna, SO); the VOCE! festival (Bosco Chiesanuova, VR); the Gudoneum Festival (Arezzo); the Dodekantus Vocal Festival (Verona); twenty-year choral festival ARCoVa (Aosta); Vicenza International Concert Festival; 20th edition of the Pelmo d’Oro award (Mel, BL); Coral Worlds (Bonporti Conservatory of Trento); 21st Altolivenza Festival (Meduna di Livenza, TV); Cortina InCanta Festival (Cortina, BL); “Nella Città dei Fremi” festival (Sassari). 

In the musicological field he is also active in scientific publications with important essays, articles and monographs published by the University of Padua, AERCO (Emilia Romagna Choirs), the Erma di Bretschneider, the Campostrini Foundation of Verona and was awarded, in 2020 , the 35th Brunacci prize for the history of Veneto of Monselice (PD) and the mention at the 5th Pierluigi Gaiatto Biennial Prize promoted by the Ugo e Olga Levi Foundation of Venice; both recognitions were awarded for the research doctorate thesis on the polychoral collections for the Vespers by G. M. Asola.