Paolo Ravaglia

As an eclectic multi-instrumentalist, Paolo Ravaglia has covered most of the repertory for clarinet, ranging from ancient and chalumeaux clarinets, folk simple reeds to Afro-American and avant-garde music.

Professor of clarinet and jazz clarinet at the G.B. Martini Conservatoire in Bologna, Italy, he has created a contemporary music laboratory and a course on improvisational techniques for electronic music.

Paolo Ravaglia is leading clarinet at PMCE (Parco della Musica Contemporanea Ensemble – Rome) and co-founding member of Alter Ego, a prominent ensemble among European chamber music groups specialized in contemporary music performance. Innovator and experimenter of sometimes uncommon or even eccentric performing techniques, he greatly benefited from the mentorship of William O. Smith (inventor of the contemporary clarinet and one of the most recognized jazz clarinetists of the second half of the 20th century) with whom he also established a long lasting fraternal collaboration. ​​​​​​​

He participated to many music festivals, radio and television broadcasts around the world. He recorded, among others, for: Mode (USA), Touch (GB), Stradivarius, ESZ, B.M.G, Via Veneto Jazz-RCA Victor, Jazz Mobile, Edipan, Dischi Ricordi, Biennale di Venezia, Emergency, Godrec, Temporary, Die Schachtel.

A tireless performer in the field of experimental, non-academic music, Paolo collaborated with Philip Glass, Frederic Rzewski, Steve Reich, Terry Riley, Alvin Lucier, Gavin Bryars, Djivan Gasparian, Frankie Hi-Nrg and others. He also collaborated with electronic performers, such as: Mika Vainio e Ilpo Vaisanen-Pan Sonic (SF), William Basinski, Matmos (USA), Carsten Nicolai-Alva Noto (D), Philip Jeck, Robin Rimbaud-Scanner, D-Fuse (GB), Helge Sten-Deathprod (N).

Paolo usually favors playing only the music he likes and with the people he likes. That’s the only way for him to have fun. Since 2018 he is resident musician at the Chigiana Academy in Siena, collaborating with Salvatore Sciarrino’s composition course (which he enjoys very much).