This month we welcome a new member to the Orchestra, Stefano Mengoli, who joins the First Violin section. He opened up about his early musical memories, his inspirations, and what he’s most looking forward to in the year ahead with the LSO.
Born in Bologna, Italy, Stefano started playing the violin at the age of five. He studied in Ferrara with Marco Fornaciari, before moving to the UK to complete a Masters at the Royal Academy of Music. There he was awarded a DipRAM and the Sir John Barbirolli Memorial Prize.
Whilst at the Academy he founded the Fitzroy Quartet and enjoyed extensive string quartet activity under the tutelage of Oliver Wille and Krzysztof Chorzelski. The quartet toured the UK, Europe and Africa and received mentorship from members of the Hagen, Belcea, Casals, Endellion, Kuss and Cherubini Quartets. They appeared in the concert series of Wigmore Hall and St Martin in the Fields, as well as the Festival de Quatuors du Luberon, and performed together with the Doric, Piatti and Brodsky Quartets.
Stefano joined the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra as a member of the First Violin section in 2019, before joining the LSO.
At what age did you start playing your instrument, and what made you choose it?
I started playing the violin at five years old after becoming obsessed with Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf (there’s an incredible recording of the Italian version with Roberto Benigni and Claudio Abbado).
Do you have any violin heroes?
Pat Metheny and Augustin Hadelich, very different kinds of musicians but equally exceptionally elegant and spotless in what they do.
What are you most looking forward to in the LSO’s 2023/24 season?
There’s so much to look forward to, but I’m especially excited for Strauss’ Also sprach Zarathustra with Sir Antonio Pappano in October, and Barber’s Violin Concerto with Janine Jansen next spring.
If you could go back, what advice would you give your younger self as an aspiring musician?
Practise scales!
Are there any other interesting things about you we should know?
I love playing guitar, although it’s tricky because I get calluses on my left hand (not too good for violin playing), so I cannot practise as much as I’d like to. But I own a beautiful Fender Stratocaster that keeps me company when I’ve had enough classical music for the day.
I’m also very passionate about scuba diving and I’m always looking for new underwater holiday destinations.
If you had to pick, what is your favourite piece of orchestral music? And what is your favourite piece of non-classical music?
Mahler’ Second Symphony without a doubt! If I had to pick a non-classical piece though, I’d probably go for Sultans of Swings by Dire Straits or Africa by Toto.
