The Tessin composer, Carlo Florindo Semini, was educated in Switzerland, Italy, Rome and Naples. He received his diploma (with distinction) in composition, conducting, piano and singing (visited courses in musicology and Gregorian chanting) from the music conservatory of S. Pietro in Majella near Naples. Semini returned to Switzerland in 1943 after working for a few years in this city. He concentrated exclusively on his compositions and worked as a pianist, conductor, music critic and teacher.
In 1947 he was unit manager and from 1966 until 1980 head of department of the 'Radio Svizzera Italiana' (the Swiss / Italian radio sender for symphony and chamber music).
Amongst his many activities for a better musical understanding of his canton are: his career as Professor for music history at the canton Lugano college (until the end of 1978), as a teacher at the 'Sculoa Magistrale Cantonale', as author of diverse initiatives including the Tessin foundation 'Jeunesse musicales', the organ festival Magadino, and as artisitic director of the master classes at the 'Villa Heleneum' with Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli and Franco Ferrara.
In 1962 he co-founded the 'Concorso Musicale di Enna' (Sicily) and in 1993 took over the presidency of the 'Concorso Internationale di Composizione Ernest Bloch'.
He is a permanent member of numerous international juries and president of many of them. He also works as a musical consultant for public and private companies and as an examinations expert at important music conservatories.
Work list
Due liriche su versi di Valerio Abbondio (1937)
Instrumentation: for voice and piano
Texts: Valerio Abbondio
Ora satanica - Congedo.
Duration: 5' 00"
Edizioni Chant du Monde
Milano
Invocazione e danza (1940)
Vocalistation
Instrumentation: for three-part female choir
Duration: 7' 00" Manuscript
Due liriche su versi di contemporaneo (1945)
Instrumentation: for canto and piano
Texts: Carlo Florindo Semini
Text: C.F Semini. Sconforto - Astrakan.
Duration: 5' 00"
Edizioni Chant du Monde
Milano
Quattro liriche su versi di T. Tasso, U. Saba, P. Patocchi (1947)
Instrumentation: for voice and piano
Texts: Torquato Tasso, U. Saba, P. Patocchi
L'ape - Canzone dell'adolescenza - Scale - Acque.
Duration: 10' 30"
Edizioni Chant du Monde
Milano
Tre canzoni di Lanzi (1947)
Instrumentation: for men's choir and percussion
Duration: 8' 00"
Edizioni Chant du Monde
Milano
Armonie d'ottoni (1948)
Two episodes
Instrumentation: for trumpet, trombone and horn
Duration: 4' 00" Manuscript
Due impressioni di Scozia (1948)
Instrumentation: for solo trumpet
Duration: 5' 00" Manuscript
Canto del Ticino (1950)
Instrumentation: for choir
Texts: Giuseppe Zoppi
Text: Giuseppe Zoppi.
Duration: 4' 00"
Edizioni Chant du Monde
Milano
Momento pastorale (da un'antica melodia francese) (1951)