Alberto Luconi

Alberto (Albert) Luconi was an Italian-American clarinetist and instructor.

Early life and education Luconi was born January 23, 1893, in Valmontone, Italy, a municipality of Rome about 23 miles southeast of the city. He studied clarinet under Aurélio Magnani at the Royal Academy of Saint Cecilia in Rome where he earned a Master's degree (Diploma di Magistero) in 1919 and was one of three recipients of the Prize of the Province of Rome.

Career and later life In Italy, Luconi performed as first clarinetist with the Augusteum and the LaScala-Toscanini orchestras. In 1920, Arturo Toscanini (notably meticulous in the choice of his orchestral musicians), invited Luconi to join the LaScala orchestra for its tour of the United States and Canada. The orchestra was composed of 98 musicians, including four clarinets: Alfio Alfieri, Luigi Cancellieri, Francesco Sigimoni, and Alberto Luconi.

Luconi returned to the United States in 1922, petitioned for naturalization, and took up residence in Detroit, Michigan. From 1923 to 1926 he played principal clarinet with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra under Ossip Gabrilowitsch where Luconi was known for his solo performances. He left the orchestra in 1927 to devote more time to solo and chamber performance. While at the university he performed often as a founding member of the University Woodwind Quintet, and he made appearances with the Stanley Quartet. Upon retirement the university commended his "superior artistry," and of his teaching said, "In his service at the University, Mr. Luconi went far beyond the call of duty, selflessly nurturing the individual careers of each on [sic] of his students." The performance was notable for several reasons. First, the Chamber Music Society of Detroit which commissioned the piece in celebration of its 10th anniversary, had paid for the commission with contributions from its subscribers. The Detroit News claimed, "It was the first time in the history of music that a major work had been commissioned on a public subscription basis." Second, the piece was performed twice during the program, first after intermission and again at the concert’s finale. Finally, the piece was performed by "first-desk" members of the Detroit Symphony: James Pellerite, flute; Arno Mariotti, oboe; Alberto Luconi, clarinet; Charles Sirard, bassoon; and Ray Alonge, French horn; rather than the New York Woodwind Quintet with whom Barber had rehearsed and refined the piece.

The clarinetists James Morton, John J. Moses, Fred Ormand, and David Weber were all students of Luconi.

Alberto Luconi married Allene Shadowen (American b. in Kentucky) in 1933. They had no children. Upon retirement from the University of Michigan Luconi returned to Valmontone, Italy with Allene. Allene died in December 1975.

Death and legacy Luconi died on September 13, 1984, at the age of 91. He is interred in the municipal Cemetery of Valmontone, province of Rome Italy.

Luconi is considered part of the "Italian clarinet school" distinguished by teacher Aurèlio Magnani’s "smooth and homogenous sound" and unified in the first part of the twentieth century. Luconi and others "exported Magnani’s teaching style to the United States "where they were very appreciated as teachers and orchestra players."