Italian-American pianist ROBERTO PLANO performs regularly all over the world appearing with prestigious orchestras and festivals. Mr. Plano was the First Prize Winner at the 2001 Cleveland International Piano Competition, a prize winner at the Honens, Dublin, Sendai, Geza Anda and Valencia competitions, and Finalist at the 2005 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, in addition to having won first prizes in several national competitions in Italy.  He has also performed two recitals at the Kremlin in Moscow in November, 2018 and gave a 12-concert tour of piano trios in China during May and June of 2019 with violinist Laurie Smukler and cellist Darrett Adkins.

​

Mr. Plano’s engaging personality has made him a favorite guest on radio programs such as NPR’s “Performance Today,” and on TV shows for PBS and Japan’s NHK. He has recorded CDs for Brilliant, Azica, Arktos, Sipario, and he recently released two world premier CDs on the Concerto label with music by re-discovered 18th century Italian composer Andrea Luchesi that were reviewed with 5 stars out of 5 in the music magazine “Musica”. In May 2016 Amadeus magazine awarded the maximum 5-star rating of his Decca CD recording of Liszt’s “Harmonies Poétiques et Religieuses.”

​

Mr. Plano studied at the Verdi Conservatory in Milan, the Ecole Normale “Cortot” in Paris and the Lake Como Academy. He was founder and director of the Music Association “Alfred Cortot” which he co-chaired with his wife, pianist Paola Del Negro. His master classes, taught at his own music academy and worldwide, are in high demand. His hometown in Varese, Italy awarded him several prizes, including the Lumen Claro, given in the past to influential people like soprano Barbara Frittoli, stylist Ottavio Missoni and economist Mario Monti.

​

Mr. Plano joined the piano faculty as Associate Professor at Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music in Bloomington in 2018, and resides there with his wife, pianist Paola Del Negro, and their 3 daughters: Elisa, Anna, and Sofia.

In January, 2018, Roberto was awarded the American Prize for Excellence in solo piano performance – First Prize, Professional Division.