Giovanni Sollima is an internationally renowned cellist and one of the most frequently performed Italian composers in the world today. His original BaRock Cello project gave new readings to Rock pieces in the intimate setting of a solo performance, matching these to little-known 17th- and 18th-century Italian composers. These improbable contrasts and surprising connections are now extended further back to their musical roots in Folk & Ba-Rock Cello. In this Sollima takes up the tonal colours and rhythmic grooves of archaic songs from a diversity of countries and blends the common features shared by all music, whether it is globally iconic, nationally popular, or long lost amidst the dusty manuscripts of time.

Giovanni Sollima has collaborated with artists like Riccardo Muti, Yo-Yo Ma, and Iván Fischer. He has performed in prestigious venues worldwide, including the Carnegie Hall and Wigmore Hall. He is a professor at the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia and founded “100 Cellos” with Enrico Melozzi. Sollima is known for his genre-bending compositions and use of unique instruments. He has recorded 13 albums and rediscovered the works of 19th-century composer Giovanni Battista Costanzi. In 2018, he received the Anner-Bijlsma Award. His recent works include “Il Libro della Giungla” and “Acqua Profonda”. He plays a cello crafted by Francesco Ruggieri in 1679.