Sonia Formenti

Flute

 

Sonia Formenti is an acclaimed Italian flautist whose distinguished career encompasses international performance, prestigious orchestral positions, and dedicated teaching. A graduate of the Milan Conservatory, where she earned top honors in 2001, she furthered her studies at the Accademia del Teatro alla Scala and in masterclasses with renowned flautists including Maxence Larrieu and Jean Claude Gerard. 

 

Her professional activity is prolific and varied. She performs as a soloist with orchestras such as the Philharmonic Orchestra of Turin and the Italian Philharmonic Orchestra. As a dedicated chamber musician, she is a member of the mdi ensemble, with which she has performed at major international venues and festivals, including the Venice Biennale, MiTo, and Radio France's Présences Festival. The ensemble was honored with the Abbiati Prize in 2020. 

 

Formenti has held the principal flute chair in many of Italy's most celebrated orchestras, including the Orchestra “Luigi Cherubini” under Riccardo Muti, the Orchestra del Teatro dell'Opera in Rome, and the Orchestra del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino. She has collaborated with conductors of the highest caliber, such as Daniel Barenboim, Riccardo Chailly, Valery Gergiev, and Zubin Mehta. 

 

A prize-winner in numerous national and international competitions, her recordings for labels like Aeon have received critical acclaim. Parallel to her performing career, she maintains a deep commitment to education, having taught at several Italian conservatories. She is currently Professor of Flute at the Como Conservatory. In recognition of her contributions to the arts, she was awarded a bronze medal from the President of the Italian Republic as “Benemerita della Cultura e dell'Arte.”