Gian Paolo Chiti is an Italian classical and electronic composer and pianist from Rome, born on January 21, 1939. He began studying piano, violin, and composition at age four and entered the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia at age ten. His teachers included Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli, Carlo Zecchi, and Arturo Bonucci. In 1960, Chiti won prizes at the Treviso and Ferruccio Busoni International Piano competitions. Chiti maintained a dual career as a concert pianist and composer, frequently performing with his wife, mezzo-soprano Patricia Adkins Chiti. His work includes electronic music and scores for film and television. His compositions appeared at the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, the Venice Biennale, and the Edinburgh International Festival. Recorded works include “Zoological Garden” (1951) and “O Sacrum Convivium” (1958). In 1984, Chiti became the Director of the Composition Department at the Conservatorio of Santa Cecilia.
