Gabriele Toscani was born in Noceto (Italy) in 1992 into a family of musicians. He began playing the violin at an early age with his parents and, at the age of eight, entered the “Arrigo Boito” Conservatory of Music in Parma, where he studied with M° Sebastiano Airoldi. After his fifth year, he continued his studies in the class of M° Luigi Mazza, graduating with first-class honours in 2012.
During his studies, he participated in numerous courses and masterclasses in Italy and abroad, exploring a wide range of musical genres, from Baroque and early music to jazz. His early-music studies included the Corsi di Musica Antica di Brunico and Urbino, as well as masterclasses with Sigiswald Kuijken, William Christie, Emma Kirkby, Peter Holman, Joshua Rifkin, A. Ciccolini and S. Scholz. He has performed both as a soloist and with various ensembles at numerous national and international festivals, including Grandezze e Meraviglie, Echi Lontani, Anima Mea, MAfestival, Ars Sonore, Zamus and Styriarte.
As a soloist, he has performed with the Orchestra del Conservatorio A. Boito and the Orchestra A. Toscanini. As concertmaster and soloist, he has collaborated with numerous orchestras and ensembles, undertaking tours throughout Europe, including Romania, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Austria, Switzerland, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Belgium and Turkey. He has performed with ensembles such as Chordae Freibergenses, Ensemble Gamma.ut, Neue Hofkapelle Graz and Ensemble Asian Furniture Design. With these ensembles, he has received several prizes, including 3rd Prize (1st Prize not awarded) at the Biagio Marini International Competition and 1st Prize at the Svirèl Competition. He was also awarded 3rd Prize at the 7th edition of the prestigious International “Premio Bonporti” Competition.
Alongside his classical and early-music activities, Toscani is a member of the jazz-progressive band Altare Thotemico, winner of the 2011 Prog Awards, with whom he recorded the album Sogno errando for Ma.Ra.Cash Records.
He also performs on the viola da gamba and bass violin, the latter of which he played in the first complete CD recording of J. J. Fux’s Concerto Musico-Instrumentalis. In 2017, he completed his Master’s degree in Baroque Violin at the Kunstuniversität Graz under the guidance of Susanne Scholz.
