Rieti, Italy

Emanuele Valentini

I’m Emanuele and I’m 14. I’m Italian, I live in a small village near Rieti, not far from Rome.

My passion for music started when I was 5 years old, the first time I attended a performance of the marching band of my village during a festival. I was spellbound, especially by the brass, and I decided I would join them one day! When I was 6 I joined the band music school and they gave me a euphonium. I studied hard and I became quite good. When I was 9 my dream came true: I became a member of the band and I started to perform with them. We play folk and classical music, especially marches.

After two years I joined the Conservatory in L’Aquila where I still study the euphonium. I play solo pieces and exercises there. My teacher is one of the best euphonium players in Italy and in Europe, he teaches me very well and he is inspiring and motivating to me.

Another hero for me is Steven Mead, one of the best euphonium soloists in the world. He is English and he comes from the world of marching bands like me. Two years ago I won an international music context he organized: I was so happy and proud to receive an award and words of appreciation from him!

I’m lucky because I have also studied the euphonium as a soloist at Middle School and next year I’m going to attend a Music High School. I’m looking forward to playing in the school orchestra.

I love music and I like listening to it but playing music is much more involving and exciting because you can live and interpret it. And playing in a band is the most involving and exciting experience because you are surrounded by the sound of various instruments and you feel part of the group and part of the music.

I particularly like my instrument, the euphonium, because it is not very common and I love its sound which is sweet and warm and very pleasant. If I am sad or tense when I play my euphonium I feel immediately happier and more relaxed. Those are the best moments of the day. I’m going to play music for the rest of my life!

A Mozart Composition

Here's a video of me playing an exercise composed by Mozart and an audio of my first composition entitled….“The First.”

Emanuele Valentini - Excercise Composed By Mozart