“My father was born in Torricella Peligna, an Italian town in the region of Abruzzo where the family Bellini had its origin. We often had long walks from Philadelphia to Camden, New Jersey, to meet my grandfather Buch”. This is a memory of Vincent Persichetti, an Italian-American composer born in 1915 in Philadelphia, son of Matha Catherine Buch and Vincenzo Ruggero Persichetti, there he lived and was active for his entire life: he died in 1987. His father Vincenzo Ruggero emigrated from Torricella Peligna when he was only twelve.

Few American composers of the XX Century have been universally admired like Vincent Persichetti. His contribution has enriched musical literature and his influence as a musician and as a teacher has been immense. He probably is known the least among the eminent personalities born in Torricella, but he was a great genius. Enfant prodige, prolific composer and model teacher, Persichetti soon started to study piano, organ, double bass and music theory at the Combs College of Music. For 47 years he has been a teacher and the Head of Department of composition at the Julliard School of New York where he had many students who became eminent composer, like Philip Glass, in the second half of the XX century.

Vincent composed over 160 works which are globally known and played by the best orchestras. He wrote symphonies, music for any kind of instruments, for choirs, accompanied voice, wind instruments and he even composed an opera. Persichetti never forgot his Italian origins nor Torricella, where he came several times to meet his relatives.

Each year in August the Music Association “Vincent Persichetti” organizes concerts in Torricella to promote his works. A school of music is entitled to the Italian-American maestro in Falconara Marittima, in the region of Marche.

[Credits | Text: Ottavio Di Renzo De Laurentis | Translation: Mirella Rapa | Voice and music: Studio Qreate | Photo: Laura Di Biase]