Renato Bellucci Biography
Renato
Bellucci, Bangkok, December 17th 1961, started playing guitar at age 8 in
Taranto, Italy, with maestro Vincenzo Calsolaro. Made his first public debut in
1970 (age 9) at the Teatro Piccinni in Bari (Cover of his first CD-second
edition). When his family moved to Paraguay-South America, he completed his
conservatory studies with maestro Felipe Sosa, and graduated with honors in
1980.
As a result of winning the Agustin Barrios Competition in
1982 Renato was granted a scholarship to study with maestro Andrés Segovia in
Madrid, Spain. From 1983 to 1986 Renato attended master classes with Sila Godoy,
Narciso Yepes, Andres Segovia, Jose Tomás, Ernesto Bitetti, Alirio Diaz, David
Russell and Eliot Fisk.
In 1986 moved to Montevideo, Uruguay, to study with Abel Carlevaro.
Studied guitar and harmony in London with Bernard Oram at the Guildhall
School of Music and Drama in 1988.
Renato played in numerous radio and television programs and has toured
extensively during the late 80s and early 90s receiving the highest critical
acclaims in over 20 countries.
Has produced 4 CDs and a guitar video and teaches guitar privately in
Asuncion and through his website to students in over 60 countries.
He has a BA degree in English and is fluent in English, Spanish and
Italian.
He is married to Belén since 1990 with whom he has 8 beautiful children.
As I was preparing the biography page, I felt like 90
percent or more of what makes me Renato Bellucci was being left out.
Besides all the professional or technical advice I have to share, I would be
hiding the greatest one of all if I did not tell you this brief story.
I was literally enlightened
in Madrid in 1984. I met José, a tenor who sung with a local choir. He was a
happy fellow and seemed to have no trouble accepting that music was his
profession and all that he had to do was his very best. He had no "paper
dreams", all he focused on was the next performance at a small town Church
somewhere in Spain.
We would talk for hours at a
time and I could tell from his words that he was at peace.
One memorable Sunday he invited me to attend Mass near "Plaza
Mayor" at an old Baroque Church, on one of those Madrid streets that
seem to be suspended in time. It had been a long time since I had last attended
Mass, but I could never say no to José because he earned my complete trust
through a deep friendship. He even told me that a great Spanish organist played
Bach there on Sunday's Service. How could I possibly say no? We arrived 10
minutes early and we could hear those majestic chords echoing through the narrow
streets 3 blocks from the main entrance to the Church. You can only imagine what
it was like entering what seemed the "ultimate cathedral", my nostrils
filled with candle and my sight and ears totally ecstatic. I was still
daydreaming around when José got on his knees and put his hands together. I was
beginning to understand what no words could have explained better.
I would have liked to
imitate José but all I could imitate was his posture, not his intimacy with the
Almighty. I wanted to ask him so many questions but it would have been a
sacrilege to interrupt him at that point. I turned around and saw the pipes of
this 17th century organ and an unforgettable Toccata coming out of them. I felt
simply great. A priest was confessing at the far right end of the Church and he
must have seen my mixture of indescribable wondering. He made a gesture with his
hand like saying "the confessionary is available". I walked the 20
steps towards the confessionary and a thousand things must have gone through my
mind. I knelt and told the Priest, "Father I have not confessed in over 5
years, I came with a friend, I am a musician from Italy...", I had just
finished muttering these words when he interrupted me saying "Do you
practice many hours a day?", I answered "...yes Father I do", he
said these words which would forever change the course of my life : "Offer
every hour of your practice to God and you will be giving glory to God, sanctify
your profession because that is what God calls you to do".
A long confession followed,
I will skip the details, and the greatest peace filled my soul.
Today, more than 23 years
after, I still go back to those words and hold on to them, and they comfort me
more and more with each passing day.
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