Antonio Petralia. Musician, Composer and Artistic Director.
Born in Catania in 1966, he is one of the most active and influential figures on the national jazz scene. A drummer, composer and cultural curator, for more than fifteen years he has led the artistic planning of the’Musikante Association, with a vision that combines musical quality, territorial enhancement, inclusiveness and innovation.
📚 Training
After a musical journey started at a very young age, he obtained the Bachelor's Degree in Drums and Jazz Percussion at the Vincenzo Bellini Conservatory of Catania, with a thesis dedicated to the great Bill Evans. He has attended master classes and seminars with artists such as. Stjepko Gut, Barry Harris, Salvatore Bonafede, and many others.
🎭 Artistic Direction
Since 2008, he has signed the artistic direction of numerous festivals and reviews, including:
- Battiati Jazz Festival
- Gravina in Jazz
- Catania Afternoon in Jazz
- Creative Expansion
- Ursino Jazz Festival
- Notes in Theater
- and numerous other events in the Etnean territory. https://musikante.eu/press-ursino-jazz-festival-2018/
Since 2022, he has been in charge of production management, as a member of the network I-Jazz, for the national format Italian Jazz for the Earthquake Lands - L'Aquila.
His leadership is distinguished by:
🎼 Quality programming,
🌍 Dialogue between territory and music,
🌱 Sustainability and inclusion,
🤝 Construction of cultural networks with local governments, conservancies, and networks such as I-Jazz, AIAM and the Permanent Forum on Emerging Creativity.
🥁 Artistic Activity
He founded ensembles such as Triton Jazz Trio e APJ Trio/Quartet, and has collaborated with the likes of Francesco Cafiso, Salvatore Bonafede, Francesco Pantusa, Giuseppe Milici, Massimo Moriconi, Roberto Martinelli, Anita Vitale, Simona Trentacoste, and many others.
His recent recording projects include:
- We are very interested (2025, SMAT Quartet/Musikante)
- Tita's Change (2026, Antonio Petralia Jazz Trio/Musikante)
- Boundary Lines (2023, with Rosario Di Leo and Laura Sfilio)
- It's a Secret (2020, PAS Trio/Musikante)
He also published the musical and autobiographical novel “Both Heaven and Earth” (2025, Press Workshop).
https://www.ibs.it/sia-cielo-che-terra-libro-antonio-petralia/e/9791280368638
https://www.lafeltrinelli.it/sia-cielo-che-terra-libro-antonio-petralia/e/9791280368638
🎓 Commitment to Teaching and Representation.
In addition to his concert and curatorial activities, Antonio Petralia is committed to the education of the next generation of musicians and since 2024 has been National Councilor of MIDJ - Italian Jazz Musicians., actively contributing to the promotion of jazz culture in Italy.
