The idea for 100 Cellos came to Giovanni Sollima and Enrico Melozzi during the 2012 occupation of Rome’s Teatro Valle. Word spread on social media, leading to the group’s first gathering. There followed three days of experimentation and improvisation to define the character of the project. Their concert at Teatro Valle on March 18, 2012 sparked unexpected enthusiasm. The group toured Italy shortly thereafter, before bursting onto the scene in Europe and beyond. The formula has remained the same over the past dozen years, inasmuch as 100 Cellos is still made up of seasoned professionals, students and amateurs. Yet with great fluidity, the group’s evolution remains a constant, as new members team up with the old guard in an ongoing musical adventure.

Giovanni Sollima, cello

Enrico Melozzi, cello and conductor