Italian composer Sergio Lauricella earned a bronze medal for his work Toccata per Pianoforte at the 1948 Art Competitions in the category Instrumental and Chamber Music. He had graduated from the Conservatory of Santa Cecilia in Rome. Subsequently, he completed his studies at the Mozarteum in Salzburg under Herbert von Karajan. In 1953, he joined the staff of the Conservatory of Genova “Paganini”, teaching composition. From 1979-91, he was the head of the conservatory and modernized the institution. One of his most important compositions was a cantata for soprano and strings with the title The Lamentation of Dona Blanca de Bivar based on a novel by Chateaubriand. As a conductor, he preferred Romantic composers. His son Massimo became a well-known composer, after having had great success as a concert pianist.
Italy