by Roberta Bezzi
At 19, the composer from Forlì won a scholarship to one of the most important music universities: «I started as a self-taught person and then I attended the conservatory, I launched a fundraiser to support myself»
Marco Marchini, saxophonist and composer from Forlì, he is a young man with great hopes. After his self-taught training and his first musical experiences on the street, he has started the conservatory and will soon have the opportunity of a lifetime.
At just 19 years old he won, no easy feat, a scholarship to specialize in the famous Berklee College of Music in Boston, every aspiring professional musician’s paradise. In the most important US university for musicfounded in 1945, has trained artists of the caliber of Quincy Jones, John Mayer, Charlie Puth, Sofia Boutella & Melissa Etheridge, Diana Krall, Pat Metheny, Bill Frisell, Gary Burton, and the list goes on. C
fillingly Berklee graduates have won over 250 Grammy Awards in their careers. Marchini’s joy and satisfaction are understandable, but they “crash” against a significant obstacle: cover, for the four years necessary for graduation, the high costs of room and board. So, following the suggestion of some former Italian students of the well-known College, he opened a fundraiser on the well-known online platform Gofundme, entitled «Help me to realize my dream at Berklee» («Help me realize my dream at Berklee»), in order to support his stay overseas.
«Music is my life – begins Marchini –. At the end of last July, participating to a jazz masterclass camp during Umbria Jazz, I won a four-year scholarship. Unfortunately, the costs of living in Boston are very high, certainly not within my means, and I therefore risk losing this immense opportunity that happened to me. I intend to work and save as much as possible in order to succeed start by September 2025, deadline after which I will no longer be able to benefit from the scholarship”.
Then he concludes with an appeal: «I hope with your support I can realize my dream of graduating from the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world». Marco began studying the saxophone as a self-taught at 14 years old, then continuing with some private lessons. During his high school years, he trained in Cesena Conservatory, dedicating himself in particular to the piano. The next step? Compose his own original songs. He took his first steps playing in some groups and doing evenings in clubs in Romagna, while during the day he also put himself to the test by playing the sax in the street.
Many were impressed by his talent. Most recently, with the fusion group Jam Republic he made an album, «Drink me» which will be released soon. «I would like to be able to live off music – he confesses -. I would like to build my own recognizable style and play around the world.” In the meantime he has already gained some valuable experience. Last November 8, he opened the concert of the well-known jazz musician Enrico Rava and the Guano Padano group, on the stage of the Sala San Luigi, as part of the «Jazz a Forlì. Music for free minds.”
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