Born in L’Aquila (Italy) in 1974, he began studying cello, chamber music
and composition at the age of 11. In 1993, he left his hometown to attend
the cello and chamber music master classes held by A.Baldovino, D. De
Rosa, A. Nannoni, P. Farulli (of the Quartetto Italiano) and M. Skampa,
with whom he studied at the Fiesole Music School (Florence). Between 1994
and 1996, he was a member of the Italian Youth Orchestra, with which he
performed under the baton of conductors such as Giuseppe Sinopoli, Carlo
Maria Giulini and Riccardo Muti.
In 1995, he graduated with full marks at Rome’s Santa Cecilia Conservatory,
under the guidance of George Schultis. Immediately after, he attended
several advanced master classes held by Ivan Monighetti, Michael Flaksmann
and George Schultis, earning several acknowledgements, worth certificates
and study grants. In 2001 he was the only Italian to earn a fellowship at the
Liszt Academy in Budapest, where he studied with Csaba Onczay, László
Mesö and Miklós Pérenyi.
M° Ruggiero has performed extensively since his student years both as a
soloist and as a member of chamber music ensembles, and distinguished
himself in several competitions before winning 1st prize at the International
chamber music competition “Città di Acqui Terme”, in 1996. He has toured
time and again in more than a score of countries, including the United
States, The UK, Canada, Germany, Italy, France, Spain, Belgium, Sweden,
Hungary, Serbia, Morocco, Turkey, Pakistan, India, Brazil and Japan,
performing in the most prestigious concerts halls.
He has also been very active as a recording artist (with Hungaroton and
Bongiovanni Records) and has broadcast for the Italian Radio Television
(RAI), Vatican Radio, Belgium National Radio, Hungarian National Radio,
SBS Nippon Radio and ERT3 Greece National Radio.
In 1999, he established the cultural association Espressione d’arte of which he
has been the musical director ever since, as well as the general manager of
the closely associated Italian Modern Ensemble. In this double capacity, he is
the main force behind “Il Gusto dell’arte”, a touring festival of the performing
arts that takes place each year.
Among M° Ruggiero’s next engagements, is a tour of Japan and Germany
and several concerts in Greece, Turkey, Brasil and Mexico.
His most recents project on disc is about to be issued by Hungaroton: a
first world recording of songs with cello by the Italian composers Luigi
Denza (2007) and unknows works by Spanish composers I.de Laporta and
A. Ximenez (2008). For 2010 he is planning a new recording with the same
company dedicated to Alfredo Piatti.
In 2007 M° Ruggiero has been designate from National Hungarian
Association “ARTISJUS Music” foreign artist of the year with “Pro Artibus”
prize for cultural exchange between Hungary and others country.