Renowned Italian violinist visits Binghamton University

VESTAL, N.Y. (WIVT/WBGH) – A virtuoso violinist from Rome is spending a little more than a week in Greater Binghamton educating BU students and entertaining the community.

Italian musician Andrea Di Cesare is performing both on his own and with the local group Dr. Dana and the Jam Dept.

Besides being lead singer of the band, Dana Stewart is an associate professor of Italian and Medieval Studies at Binghamton University.

Over the years, she’s brought a variety of Italian musicians to our area to meet with her students and perform in the community.

Stewart says DiCesare is a much sought after accompanist in Italy and has performed on 20 different gold and platinum records.

“He can build a song with just his violin and various looper pedals to make, right in front of you, he’ll build the song right in front of you. Using one instrument, he’ll make it sound like a whole band. It’s a very exciting sound. And apart from his incredible technical expertise, he plays with great emotion,” said Stewart.

Di Cesare has visited Binghamton before, and Stewart says he was impressed by her students’ knowledge and interest in the classic Italian author Dante.

So, he composed a new three-part piece inspired by Dante’s Inferno, Purgatory and Paradise which he will be premiering during a First Friday concert at the University Downtown Center next week.

The show will begin at 6 p.m. with local singer Nino Samiani performing Italian American classics.

Di Cesare will also perform with Dr. Dana and the Jam Dept. tomorrow at Owego Originals and again Saturday November 2 at the Lost Dog.

Both shows start at 7 and are free to attend.

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