Pianist Cristina Altamura authentically embraces an older European sensibility while still capturing the spirit of a contemporary, multi-ethnic world. Her pianism has been described as “rich in abandon and emotional surprises,” (Amici della Musica, Bologna) with a “power that was astonishing” (La Presse, Montreal).
 
As a teen, Ms. Altamura made her Carnegie Hall solo orchestral debut with George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue. Her European debut took place with the Bucharest Philharmonic under the baton of Karel Mark Chichon at the Ateneul Roman. This was followed by an invitation to be principal soloist of the State Philharmonic of Bacau, a position she held from 1999-2002. Her close musical association with Romania resulted in performances and recordings with all of the major Romanian orchestras, as well as other European orchestras. This period of work focusing on the vast piano concerto repertoire culminated in 2003, when Ms. Altamura was presented at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall in two piano concerti: Mozart K. 488 and Beethoven’s First.
 
Cristina Altamura’s artistry stems from a deep connection to her Italian-born parents. Her mother – who studied singing during opera’s golden era with Maria Callas’ teacher and at the Verdi Conservatory in Milan – has had a profound influence on her bel canto-informed Chopin interpretations. From 1995-2002, she studied in Italy, first with Marcelo Abbado and then with Maestro Franco Scala, director of the famed Accademia Pianistica d’Imola. In 1997, Ms. Altamura was the only American musician awarded a Fulbright Fellowship to Italy. That same year, she was awarded a scholarship from the National Italian American Foundation in Washington, D.C. and a subsequent Alitalia Airlines grant for touring.
 
Cristina has been a frequent guest on New York’s WQXR, where her winning, uncut Fulbright audition tape was broadcast on WQXR’s McGraw-Hill Young Artists Showcase. In 2001 WQXR host Robert Sherman presented Cristina as soloist with the State Philharmonic of Romania “Bacau” to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Planting Fields Oyster Bay Beethoven Festival where she played Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No.1. Other live radio appearances have included a recital on the Myra Hess concert series for Chicago’s WFMT.
 
Ms. Altamura’s taste, reflected in her multi-disciplined and multi-cultured background, also extends to Latin America. In 2004, she caught the attention of Guido López-Gavilán, the composer and principal conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra of Cuba, who invited her to present a solo recital in Havana at the historic Basilica de San Francisco. The concert was subsequently broadcast throughout South America. She has collaborated with Colombian-born composer and master conguero Samuel Torres on a program of new works from Latin America and the Caribbean.
 
The pianist’s background also includes ballet training with former Ballet-Russes and NYCB dancers, and at the Joffrey Ballet School. In 2007, Cristina conceived a project fusing the music of J.S. Bach with cutting-edge breakdance with Rokafella, world-renowned pioneer female breakdancer and choreographer. Their debut together took place at the Amelia Island Chamber Music Festival, and they performed for a thousand-plus audience at Central Park Summer Stage. Their collaborative work eventually matured in the multi-disciplinary performance piece Outside the Bachx, a work co-commissioned by the Kennedy Center and New Victory Theater fusing classical piano, DJ, beatboxing while juxtaposing classical ballet with urban dance styles. They presented it at the Kennedy Center in February 2015 during a two week residency.
 
In the near future, Cristina plans to explore the idea of keyboard virtuosity across a vast span of time, from the Frescobaldi of her Italian heritage, to the standard repertoire of Bach and Chopin, to contemporary experiments of Ligeti and Dan Trueman’s new etudes for the “Prepared Digital Piano.” Cristina is currently finishing a masters degree at Rutgers University, having received her Bachelors at The Mannes College of Music. She lives in the New York City area with her husband Adam Sliwinski (So Percussion) and ten-year old son Guillermo.