Pietro Ruscigno Records Three New Videos at GSI

Our student intern at GSI, Pietro Ruscigno, has recently recorded three new videos! A winner of international prizes (and a GSI scholarship recipient), Pietro Ruscigno is a promising young classical guitarist whose playing combines technical virtuosity with musical sensibility. His program reflects a selection of 19th Century music, blending German opera, Italian virtuosity, and Catalan popular music, giving listeners a glimpse into both his versatility and artistic maturity.

One of the works recorded is "Elsa’s Procession to the Cathedral" by Richard Wagner, arranged for guitar by Cameron O’Connor. Drawn from Wagner’s opera Lohengrin, the piece is known for its noble, processional character and expansive melodic lines. In this transcription, the guitarist must evoke the orchestral richness and sustained lyricism of the original score while maintaining clarity and balance on a single instrument. Pietro recorded this piece on a 2025 Francesco De Gregorio "Torres, SE 111" SP/MP.

He also recorded "Rondoletto" by Michele Giuliani, a lively work from the early Romantic guitar tradition. Like his father, Mauro Giuliani, Michele’s writing highlights the instrument’s natural brilliance, combining melodies and arpeggios with extreme virtuosity. The rondo form gives the piece a dance-like character, transporting the listener into an elegant upper-class party. Pietro's interpretation captures this portrait with the feelings and energy that define that period’s Italian style. The guitar featured in the video is a 1986 Hermann Hauser III SP/CSAR.

The program concludes with "Cançó del Lladre" (The Thief’s Song), a traditional Catalan folk song arranged by Miguel Llobet. The song is about a thief at the end of his life and his memories. This evocative arrangement transforms a simple folk melody into a concert work. Llobet’s arrangement plays with the harmony and adds harmonics, allowing the guitarist to explore a wide palette of tonal nuance, a characteristic of the Impressionistic period. For this video, Pietro chose a 2023 Angela Waltner "Anima" SP/MP.

Did you like his playing and would like to grow as a classical guitarist? Book a lesson with Pietro on TeacherNet https://teachernet.com/teachers/pietro-ruscigno