bio
Italian saxophonist, composer and educator, Isabella Fabbri is a multifaceted artist within the classical, contemporary and electronic music scenes. She performs as a soloist, in symphonic orchestras and she is co-founder of several artistic projects.
Isabella has performed in some of the most prestigious theaters and concert halls including Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Auditorium Parco della Musica in Rome, Cité de la Musique et de la Danse in Strasbourg, Flagey in Bruxelles, CENART in Mexico City, as well as in international music festivals counting Biennale di Venezia, Festival Milano Musica, George Enescu Festival in Bucharest, Música Nova Festival in São Paulo.
Winner of national and international competitions, she collaborated with Filarmonica del Teatro alla Scala, Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Orchestra del Teatro Regio di Torino, Orchestra del Teatro San Carlo di Napoli, European Contemporary Orchestra, working with notorious conductors such as Riccardo Chailly, Wayne Marshall, Antonio Pappano and collaborating with international composers like Ivan Fedele, Peter Eötvös, Michael Nyman. She recorded for the labels DECCA, Da Vinci Publishing and Digressione Music.
She founded the record label Good Waves Music and the residential music production studio CA' NOVA artistic house, where she currently produces her own music. Her first solo album Rainbow, inspired by the 7 chakras of Indian culture, was presented at Fabbrica del Vapore in Milan and during several international festivals, in Italy and abroad, like MUNDI Festival and The Jazz Cave Festival. Her next solo album "Elementa", dedicated to the natural elements, will be release by the end of 2023.
Isabella is also part of the following artistic projects: Sola (saxophones and electronics), Sounds at an Exhibition (site-specific performance), Senza (performative installation), Elise Hall Saxophone Quartet (sax quartet), BQ - Baritone Saxophone Quartet (baritone sax quartet), Amerindia Ensemble (sax quintet), Gershwin Quintet (sax quartet and piano), Bateau-Lavoir Collective (mixed ensemble), DEI (voice/saxophones/ethnic wind instruments and percussions/keyboards/electronics).
D'Addario, BG France and Yanagisawa international endorsed artist, she represented the prestigious brand D’Addario Woodwinds during international saxophone competitions, festivals and congresses, all over Europe, counting Adolphe Sax International Competition in Dinant, Andorra Sax Fest in Andorra and World Saxophone Congress in Zagreb.
She is Professor of saxophone at the Vibo Valentia Conservatory. She gave masterclasses in conservatories in Italy and Portugal.
Isabella started to play saxophone under the direction of Marco Gerboni at the Conservatory of her hometown, Ferrara, where she got a bachelor’s degree in classical saxophone and a master’s degree in chamber music, cum laude. Then, she received a master’s degree in classical saxophone, cum laude, from the Conservatory of Milan, specializing in contemporary repertoire with Mario Marzi. She continued her studies with Philippe Geiss at the Conservatory of Strasbourg, where she obtained her specialization diploma in saxophone performance, whilst specializing in electronic music composition with Tom Mays. In addition to this, she attended to several masterclasses with international concert saxophonists and teachers, such as Jean-Marie Londeix, Claude Delangle, Vincent David, Jean-Denis Michat, Arno Bornkamp, Federico Mondelci and many others. She graduated cum laude in musicology at the University of Pavia under the direction of Fabrizio Della Seta, whilst also specializing in music cognition with Tomaso Vecchi and Carlo Delfrati (psychology, pedagogy and neuroscience of music) at the Teatro alla Scala Academy in Milan. She obtained a PhD in arts with distinction from the University of Lisbon, working with José Bogalheiro on her site-specific performance Sounds at an Exhibition.