She was awarded many international prizes, as well as decorations, nominations, and honors from the governments of France, Belgium, Bolivia, and her own country, such as Chevallier, Officer and Palm’s d’or of the Belgian Crown Rotary’s, “Musician of the Year” and recently the “Pia Sebastiani Day” created by Miami’s Mayor, and Argentine Music Critics Prize for Career Achievement. She was also granted a visit to Pope John Paul II, during her performances in Italy.
As a teacher, she achieved outstanding results: first in Argentina at the Santa Fe University, later during 25 years in U.S.A. at Ball State University, and now in her father’s Beethoven Conservatory, founded 100 years ago.
Her work with pupils like G. Gandini, C. and N. Vuksic, R. and M.L. Roel, D. Dobrin, A. Chang, just to name a few, and the success of her master classes in the three Americas, which are constantly recognized, enabled her to receive the award of Excellency for Creative Endeavor, by Ball State University’s School of Music. At present, her outstanding pupil, Marcelo Balat from Córdoba, Argentina, is enjoying a career filled with awards, which place him among the exceptional young pianists of Argentina. Also, Javier Albornoz, another promising student, has won important competitions.
Four years’ ago Pía Sebastiani celebrated her 80th birthday, offering important concerts, thus celebrating a life-time dedicated to music, as interpreter, composer and teacher, amongst which we may highlight her performance with the Philharmonic Orchestra on May 26, 2005, playing for a full-house audience, at the Teatro Colón, with a vibrant reception and final ovation.
In January 2006 she offered Master Classes in Managua (Nicaragua) and at the International University of Florida, in Miami, and later she traveled to Venezuela, invited by Maestro Abreu, to play with the Simón Bolivar Orchestra in Caracas, as well as teach Master Classes.
On September 25th, she received the “Prize for Life-Long Cultural Dedication”, awarded by the Cultural Secretariat of Argentina, together with other outstanding personalities of Argentine culture.
In January 2008, Ms. Sebastiani inaugurated the summer festival cycle of the Municipal Symphony Orchestra of Mar del Plata, under the direction of conductor Maestro José M. Ulla.
Ms. Sebastiani also inaugurated the 2008 Season of the Teatro Colón, with Beethoven’s “Chorale Symphony”, accompanied by the Orchestra and Chorus of the Teatro Colón.
Critics always place her amongst those pianists, whose distinction is based on their profound musicality, and accurate structural sense, and style.
Like other musicians temporarily working as diplomats, Pia Sebastiani had been asked by her government in 1959-1974, to fulfill the functions of Cultural Attaché in Brussels and in Paris, where she was renowned as a most effective and active diplomat.
Pia Sebastiani performer of A. Ginastera
Pia Sebastiani is almost certainly the Argentine pianist who has most often performed Ginastera’s 1st Piano Concerto and 1st Piano Sonata, both in Europe and the Americas. Since her teenage years, she has been a friend of this great composer, who became her Professor of composition, at her father’s Conservatory, that she now directs. Pía Sebastiani has performed Ginastera’s 1st Piano Concerto in Brussels, Luxemburg, Strasbourg, Zurich, Torino, Hamburg, Hilversum, Santiago de Chile, and Buenos Aires - to mention a few - under the direction of C. Dutoit, E. Wislotzki, A. Galliera, K. Husa, Fournet, and others. As for his 1st Sonata, she has performed it in virtually all South and Central America, most of Europe (including Poland and Hungary), and in many cities of the United States. Ginastera was extremely enthusiastic with Miss Sebastiani’s performances of his works, noting that she is “one of the most talented musicians...” and further noting that, “she is a magnificent interpreter of my works”.
Selected critiques of Ginastera’s Concerto Le Soir (Brussels):
She played with energy, authority and strength, without losing expressive richness and spirit. Her monumental performance of Ginastera’s Concert was full of refinement. With Karel Husa (BRT Symphony) Paul Tinel Clarin (Buenos Aires): Pia Sebastiani’s playing of Ginastera’s difficult and complex concerto with lyricism, poetry, and richness of color, made one forget the tremendous virtuosity employed. With Ch. Dutoit, (National Orchestra), N. Cabrera. Magyar (Budapest): Her performance of Ginastera’s Sonata was at her peak, and was like steel at its whitest level. El Nacional (México): She was the ideal performer of this terribly difficult score. With Eduardo Mata. E. Pulido.
Other critics from Europe and U.S.A. New York Times (New York):
Strength and sensitivity were equally combined in Ms. Sebastiani’s interpretations. Structural integrity... maturity in her approach to the works of her program... she made sure that the form of each movement was clearly indicated, while infusing the performance with requisite ardor. Allen Hughes. Yorkshire Post (Yorkshire): An artist with something to say. Dramatic power... flashing brilliance... all that is possible for a piano musically to express. Ernest Bradbury. The Times (London): No pianist has been more successful in playing Schumann’s G minor Sonata, than Pia Sebastiani. She was judicious in her choice of tempi, thus avoiding all suggestion of scramble, free of all inclination towards exaggerated rubato, and last, but not least, capable of producing the most beautifully mellow and rich cantabile tones. This same warm, rich tone, coupled with beautifully shaped phrasing, made her account of Chopin’s F minor Fantasia, equally pleasing. The Times (London): Argentine equal to the Appassionata. Women are not always physically tough enough to match up to the might of Beethoven’s “Appassionata”, and Schumann’s Fantasy Op. 17. Pia Sebastiani proved herself as masterful as any man at Wigmore Hall. The quality of her loud tone was always of uncommon warmth, richness and cantabile beauty, coupled with assured technique. Figaro (Paris): Debussy suits her even better. Using the pedal in very small doses, she produced all the nuances expected with only the virtuosi of her tone, her phrasing, and her fingers’ articulation. A real success. Pierre Petit, Salle Gaveau. |
