"Rita D'Arcangelo plays with a beautiful tone and remarkable technique. Added to this is a musical poise and sensitivity that touches the listener when she plays." — Sir James Galway

Biography

Rita D'Arcangelo began her flute studies at the State Conservatory of Music in Pescara, Italy, where she graduated with distinction, studying with Sandro Carbone. She holds degrees from the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, the International Academy of Music in Milan, where she studied with Raffaele Trevisani, and the Hochschule für Musik in Mannheim (Master in Orchestral Studies and Soloist Diploma), where she studied with Jean-Michel Tanguy.

It was her privilege to participate in the first Italian masterclass held by Sir James Galway, and has since attended masterclasses with Galway in Italy and Switzerland, where in Weggis (2008) she was awarded both the Marc Rich Foundation Scholarship for Artistic Achievement and as winner of 1st prize selected by popular vote, the 14k gold Nagahara flute headjoint. In other competitions she has won 1st prize at the flute competition of the Rotary Club of Pescara, 2nd prize at the 11th International Flute Competition "A. Ponchielli" in Cremona (no 1st prize was awarded), 1st place in the flute solo section and 2nd prize overall at the International Flute Competition "F. Kuhlau" in Uelzen (Germany) and a 1st prize at the Alexander and Buono International Flute Competition for 2011 in New York City. Ms. D'Arcangelo gave her Carnegie Hall debut recital in October, 2011.

Ms. D'Arcangelo got her first orchestral experiences with the Youth Orchestra of Abruzzo (Italy) and has since served as first flute with several orchestras in Italy and abroad, including the the orchestral academy of the Orchestra Sinfonica "A. Toscanini" in Parma, L'Orchestre des Jeunes de l'Union Européenne, the University Orchestra of Milan, Kurpfaelzische Kammer Orchester, and with the Philharmonie der Nationen, with whom she toured in Germany, Holland, Italy, England, Poland, Spain and China.

In 2008 she was selected, after an international competition, to be a member of the Hyogo Performing Arts Center Orchestra (Japan) under the artistic direction of Yutaka Sado. She was principal flautist with the Hyogo orchestra from September 2008 to March 2011, during which time she played more than 300 concerts in the most prestigious concert halls in Japan and participated in recordings for Japanese National Radio and Television (NHK). During this period she also served as guest principal flautist with the Osaka Philharmonic Orchestra.

From May of 2011 to November 2013 she held the position of principal flautist with the CEA Filharmonia Gorzowska-Gorzow Orchestra (Poland) under the artistic direction of Piotr Borkowski and since October 2013 she is principal flautist with the United Chamber Orchestra and flute soloist with Motion String Orchestra in Berlin.

As soloist, she has recorded for the German radios SR2, SWR and WDR and the Vatican Radio. In 2006 she was invited to perform W. A. Mozart's "Concerto in D-major" (K314) for the opening of the Mozart Year in the City of Mannheim in the prestigious Rosengarten Theater. She performed the Joaquin Rodrigo "Concierto Pastoral" with the Baden- Badener Philharmonie in 2008, and in 2009 she performed the Saverio Mercadante "Concerto in e-minor" and the Rodrigo "Concierto" with the Hyogo (Japan) Performing Arts Center Orchestra. In October 2009, she premiered Rodrigo's "Concierto Pastoral" in Slovenia, where she was invited for a concert tour of the country with the Festine Orchestra, conducted by Ziva Ploj Persuh. The concert in Ljubljana was recorded and broadcast by Slovenian National Television. She has performed as soloist on several occasions with the Filharmonia Gorzowska, with the United Chamber Orchestra at the Oldenburger Festival Promenaden in Germany and in her regular Concerts Tours in Japan. In July 2016 und 2019 she was invited as Guest Artist at the Sir James Galway Weggis Flute Festival.

As a chamber musician she has collaborated with a variety of ensembles, in Europe, Asia and USA. She regularly plays with the Italian pianist Giuliano Mazzoccante and the polish guitarist Jakub Kościuszko.

She is guest flute teacher at the Kansai International Music Academy (Japan) and has given master classes in prestigious music schools in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Malta, Italy, Poland, Slovenia, Spain and U.S.A.

Rita is currently Flute Lecturer at the Department of Music at the State German University BTU – Cottbus and at the private University “Akademie für Musik” in Berlin.

The published discography includes: Chedeville: The Pastor Fido, 6 sonatas for flute and continuo (Wide Classique 2010); Allegro con Brio (Wide Classique 2012) in duo with Giuliano Mazzoccante, winner of the Award of Excellence in the Instrumental Performance Solo category of the Global Music Awards, Los Angeles, U.S.A; A Virtuoso Journey, (2015 Centaur) winner of the "Gold Medal Winner - Award of Excellence" of the Global Music Awards, Los Angeles, U.S.A; Rita D'Arcangelo - Jakub Kościuszko (QBK - 2016); Solo Bach (Centaur 2017) dedicated to solo flute music by J. S. Bach and C. Ph. E. Bach with also some transcriptions, made by Rita D’Arcangelo, from the repertoire for violin and cello by J.S. Bach. Inspired by Rita D´Arcangelo (QBK- 2019) world-premiere recordings of pieces inspired by her art.

Rita D'Arcangelo is a Nagahara Flutes Artist and plays on a beautiful instrument crafted expressly for her by Kanichi Nagahara.