Marco Conti (b. 2003) is an Italian
clarinetist. He is currently Principal Clarinet and
Clarinet Teacher of the Fujairah Philharmonic
Orchestra (UAE).
He earned both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees
with the highest honors at the Conservatorio “A.
Corelli” in Messina, under the tutelage of Giuseppe F.
Corpina.
As part of his Master’s studies, he joined the Erasmus
Programme, studying at the Conservatorium van
Amsterdam (2023-24) with Arno Piters and at the
Escola Superior de Música e Artes do Espetáculo
(2024-25) in Porto with Nuno Pinto and António Saiote.
He further refined his orchestral preparation through a
professional traineeship with Jože Kotar at the
Akademija za glasbo (2025-26) in Ljubljana.
Alongside his formal training, he has gained additional guidance in masterclasses with
acclaimed international clarinetists such as Philippe Berrod, Calogero Palermo, Roeland
Hendrikx, Eric Hoeprich, Giovanni Punzi, Patrick Messina, Giuseppe Balbi, Nele
Delafonteyne, and Pascal Moraguès.
At the age of seventeen, his orchestral career began with the Massimo Youth Orchestra
of Palermo Opera House. He later held leading roles as principal clarinet of the National
Orchestra of Italian Conservatories.
In 2024, he marked a decisive step in his orchestral career by being admitted, after
successful audition, as a member of the Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester for its spring
and summer tours, as well as of the Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival Orchestra,
Teatro alla Scala Academy in Milan and the Wiener Festspiele Academy Orchestra in
Vienna. He was further selected for the European Union Youth Orchestra (EUYO) for
its 2026 summer tour and for the Grafenegg Festival Orchestra, confirming his
presence among the most distinguished young orchestral musicians of his generation.
He was invited as guest principal clarinet with the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra,
the Tuscany chamber Orchestra (ORT), and the Orchestra of Teatro La Fenice. In
2025, Marco was appointed as Co-Principal Clarinet at the State Opera Stara Zagora, in
Bulgaria, following a successful audition. Six months later, he returned to Italy after
winning a further audition to join the clarinet section of the Teatro di San Carlo in Naples
for the 2025-26 season. At beginning of 2026, before leaving Europe, he has also won the
audition for a permanent position as Principal Clarinet of the Friuli Venezia Giulia
Regional Orchestra (FVGO).
Under the baton of legendary conductors such as Kirill Petrenko, Ingo Metzmacher,
Christian Blex, Holly Choe, Ion Marin, Diego Matheuz, Andris Poga, Donato Renzetti
and Alessandro Cadario, Marco has appeared at the world's most renowned festivals,
including the Salzburger Festspiele, Berliner Festspiele, Rheingau Musik Festival,
Bolzano Festival Bozen, and the Nervi International Ballet Festival.
As a soloist, he has performed Crusell’s Clarinet Concerto Op. 5 No. 2 at the Palacultura
in Messina; Artie Shaw’s Clarinet Concerto with the “G. Luporini Philharmonic” in
Torgiano and with the National Wind Orchestra of Italy, among others.
Conti has received recognition in more than ten international clarinet
competitions, including Second Prize at the 2025 Silverstein Clarinet Contest, Second
Prize at the Mercadante Clarinet Competition, and Prize winner at the Zac Ligature
Competition, Caunes-M
