Born in Treviso, Italy, on November 10th, 1965, Igor Cognolato started at the age of six his musical training with Ida Longhino; at nineteen he obtained his diploma magna cum laude in piano performance at the Academy “Benedetto Marcello” in Venice (piano) under Vincenzo Pertile and three years later his choir conducting diploma at the Academy “Felice Evaristo dall’Abaco” in Verona.
He pursued his musical education at the Academy of Music in Hanover, Germany, with the Master degree of Music in piano performace under Brazilian pianist Roberto Szidon; his debut followed with NDR Symphony Orchestra with Franz Liszt’s second piano concerto live recorded and broadcasted. Among his teachers for composition and piano figure also Ugo Amendola, Michele Marvulli, Dario De Rosa (Trio di Trieste’s pianist), Aldo Ciccolini and Paul Badura-Skoda.
Igor Cognolato has performed through all over Western Europe, always with huge success: “Magic keyboard … One of most interesting piano performers born in the Sixties …Impressive brilliancy” (Il Gazzettino, I), “Absolute piano dominator” (La nuova, I), “Colors, sound expression and incredible atmospheres are his aces” (Etelä Saimaa, FIN), “A souverain soloist … a transcendental virtuoso” (Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung), “ A real exceptional and exciting giant” (Hamburger Abendblatt).
Soloist with numerous orchestras (Radiophilharmonie Hanover, Sofia chamber Orchestra, Orchestra di Padova e del Veneto, Bourgas Philharmonic, Sliven Philharmonic, Astrakhan Symphony, Orchestra del Gran Teatro La Fenice di Venezia), he recorded for RAI, RAI Eurovision, NDR Radio, and for Norwegian National Radio.
Since 2009 he regularly performs together with Athenaeum Berlin Philharmonic String Quartett; recently they took part to Aix-en-Provence chamber music festival and their performance of Schumann Pianoquintett op.44 has been live broadscasted for ARTE TV channel.
Igor Cognolato presently teaches Piano Performance at the Academy of music “Benedetto Marcello” in Venice (Italy), after a period of eleven years at Academy of music “Giuseppe Tartini” in Trieste (Italy).
In 2013 he has performed as main actor in the documentary film “Richard Wagner, diario della sinfonia ritrovata” by Gianni Di Capua, presented in the same year 2013 at “70° International Mostra del cinema di Venezia” and at Bayreuther Festspiele.
He has been invited during last years to give master classes at the following European universities: Kunstuniversität Graz, Konservatorium Wien Privatuniversität, Universität Mozarteum Salzburg (Austria), Hochschule für Musik und Theater Lübeck (Germany), Trinity Laban College in London (UK), Conservatorio superior de musica Salvator Seguì de Castellò (Spain).
In May 2016 his official debut at Berliner Philharmonie with Milan Svoboda Concerto Grosso for the Berliner Philharmonic official concert serie.
Married, two daughters, he lives in Venice, Italy.
Igor Cognolato speaks English and German.