News arrived in Barga this afternoon of the death of the musician Peter Guidi in Amsterdam.
Peter was last here in Barga just over a decade ago when he brought his MSA “Jazzmania” Big Band from Amsterdam to play in the Teatro dei Differenti as part of the Barga Jazz Festival 2007.
His connection with the Festival was also due to Peter Guidi’s Barga origins -- his Grandfather was born in Tiglio.
The Barga Jazz Festival 2007 continued this evening with the MSA “Jazzmania” Big Band from Amsterdam directed by the flautist/saxophonist Peter Guidi. The Big Band is one of the most renown young orchestras from Europe and has won many international prizes. The connection with the Festival is due also to Peter Guidi’s Barga origins (his Grandfather was born in Tiglio) – currently he teaches Jazz at the MSA in Amsterdam. (full article here)
From his biography on his website we can read that “Born in Scotland from Italian origins Peter Guidi was a self-taught musician. His principle instruments were alto and soprano saxophones, flute, alto flute, and bass flute. He began his musical career in Italy where he went on to play with many leading jazz musicians and performed in major Jazz Festivals including ‘Umbria Jazz’, the ‘Aosta Jazz Festival’, the ‘Jazz Festival of Pescara’ and the ‘Ivrea Jazz Festival’.
‘The flute is not an instrument that has a good moral effect -- it is too exciting.’ Aristotle.
On 29 April 2010 Peter Guidi was named in the Dutch Queens’ birthday honours list and was awarded a knighthood (Knight In The Order Of Oranje-Nassau) for his work in jazz education and promotion in the Netherlands.
Cum Culus Calcandus Est, Culus Calcabitur