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Antonio Pontarelli has become known as an award-winning musician without boundaries and an artist who gets audiences on their feet with his engaging rock performances. In June 2010 Pontarelli had his Carnegie Hall debut as an electric violin soloist with the World Civic Orchestra bringing his engaging rock sensibility to the famed stage .The Hall was saved from the wrecking ball by Pontarelli’s mentor, Isaac Stern and has drawn the worlds’ finest artists. Pontarelli chose to join the WCO for its Carnegie Hall performance to support the mission of using music as a means to bridge the cultural, social, and political differences, as well as exposing the younger generations to classical music.
A gifted rock singer-songwriter as well as a bow-wielding wunderkind, Pontarelli clearly is a musician who connects his classical roots with the pulse of modern day music. He has performed with such acts such as Jethro Tull, the San Diego Symphony and David Benoit, and has opened for Earth, Wind & Fire, Seal, Jason Mraz, Brian McKnight, among other artists. He also lit up the Wavefest at the Greek Theatre, and played on the red carpet at the 48th, 49th and 50th Annual Grammy Awards. Pontarelli's playing can also be found on the debut solo album of Serj Tankian, lead singer of Grammy-winning rock band System of a Down.
Pontarelli’s incendiary rock music has drawn frequent comparisons to guitar legend, Jimi Hendrix, while his jazz improvisations inevitably recall the expressive solos of Stephane Grappelli. “His signature shred-like style … sends a surge of excitement through audiences of all ages,” Yahoo! News declared in a 2007 review; www.themusicedge.com recounted how the young “Pontarelli ignited the crowd from the very first note and held them captive until the end, when he articulated licks with the power of a machine gun.” “It is his style of music antiquity, blending classical, baroque and jazz influences into modern day rock music that has been magnetic in drawing a younger audience into more traditional concert halls.”
The University of Southern California senior honors student first picked up the violin at age three, and by seven began his career by winning the Music Heritage String Competition and going on to win numerous other music awards. He was inspired by his grandfather, Hans Stumpf to play music and to improvise and Pontarelli quickly became internationally acclaimed. His lengthy list of laurels – as both musician and songwriter – includes being deemed Grand Champion on NBC’s “America’s Most Talented Kids".
Currently Pontarelli is focused on performing with his modern rock band and playing internationally. When he's not playing he spends time promoting the GRAMMY organization's educational programs and bringing music into the lives of those who are less fortunate. Pontarelli wants his music to inspire others and hopes it can one day make a difference!
AWARDS
2010 - Carnegie Hall, New York, NY, Electric Violin Soloist
2009 - Unisong International Songwriting Competition, "Best Rock Song"
2009 - Jakarta International Jazz Festival
2008 - Malibu Music Awards, Grand Champion
2008 - International Songwriting Competition People's Voice Winner
2008 - Inland Empire Music Awards, "Best Rock Band" Winner
2008 - Music Connections Magazine “Hot 100 Indie Artists”
2007 - Unisong International Songwriting Competition, Best Performance, Winner
2007 - Inland Empire Music Awards, "Best Male Artist" Winner
2007 - ASTA (American String Teachers Association), "Alternative Styles Competition" National Rock Winner
2008 - Music Connections Magazine “Hot 100 Indie Artists”
2006 - Songwriter Universe "Best Song" Winner
2006 - Unisong International Songwriting Competition, Best Alternative Rock Song, Finalist
2007 - Inland Empire Music Awards, "Best Male Artist"
2007 - ASTA (American String Teachers Association), "Alternative Styles Competition" National Rock Winner
2006 - Songwriter Universe "Best Song" Winner
2006 - Unisong Competition, Best Alternative Rock Song, Finalist
2006 - Unisong Competition, Best Rock Band Performance, Finalist
2006 - Southern California Music Awards, "Best Instrumentalist"
2006 - Inland Empire Music Awards, "Best Instrumentalist"
2006 - International Songwriting Competition, Peoples Voice Teen Top Vote Winner
2006 - "Dorothy Chandler Music Center Spotlight Awards"
2006 - New Music Weekly Awards, "Breakout Artist of the Year"
2005 - LA Music Awards, "Youth Award"
2005 - "Outstanding Young Rock Musician" Winner at the Universal Disney Young Artist Awards
2005 - "America's Most Talented Kids" NBC PAX, Grand Champion
2005 - Temecula Valley Music, Competition, Winner
2005 - Swept Away TV, "Rising Star" Winner
2005 - 2006 ASTA (American String Teachers Association), "Alternative Styles Competition" National Rock Winner
2005 - "Dorothy Chandler Music Center Spotlight Awards"
2004 - "America's Most Talented Kids" NBC PAX Winner
2004 - Music Heritage String Competition, Winner
2004 - Inland Valley Symphony Youth Concerto Competition, Winner
2002 - Music Heritage String Competition, Winner
2001 - Tri-County Youth String Competition, 15 and under, Winner
2000 - Music Heritage String Competition, Winner
1999 - Music Heritage String Competition, Winner
2002 - 2006 - Presidents Award and Johns Hopkins Scholar
NATIONAL TELEVISION
02/05/2008 - 5PM PST - The Grammy Awards, Staples Center, LA, CA, Special “Red Carpet Appearance”
02/11/2007 - 5PM PST - The Grammy Awards, Staples Center, LA, CA, Special “Red Carpet” performance and interviews on CNN, E, Jimmy Kimball and the TV Guide Channel
02/08/2006 - 5PM PST - The Grammy Awards, Staples Center, LA, CA, Special “Red Carpet” performance and interviews on The Tonight Show, E and the TV Guide Channel
12/01/2005 - 6PM EST, NBC ITV, "America's Most Talented Kid's" "Tournament of Champions" - Grand Champion- Encore Performance
07/21/2005 - 8PM EST, NBC ITV "America's Most Talented Kid's" "Tournament of Champions" - Grand Champion 06/21-18/2005 - Swept Away TV, COX TV . Featured Rising Star
02/18/2005 - 8PM EST, NBC PAX, "America's Most Talented Kid's" "Tournament of Champions" - Grand Champion 02/13/2005 - 7PM EST, NBC PAX, "America's Most Talented Kid's" "Tournament of Champions" - Grand Champion
11/12/2004 - 8PM EST, NBC PAX, "America's Most Talented Kid's" - Winner
11/07/2004 - 7PM EST, NBC PAX, "America's Most Talented Kid's" - Winner
12/16/2002 - 10PM FOX TV News, Featured as a child prodigy soloist/composer
11/05/2002 - 4PM EST FOX TV, Rob Nelson Show, guest and featured soloist/composer
SHARED THE STAGE WITH
Serj Tankian (System of a Down), Jethro Tull Mark O'Connor, Richie Cole (Manhattan Transfer), Marshall Hawkins (Miles Davis), Tommy Castro, Les Brown, Paul Horn, David Benoit, Mark Wood , Southern California Chamber Soloists, YMF Debut Orchestra (Disney Orchestra), San Diego Youth Symphony Symphonic Orchestra, Inland Valley Symphony, San Diego Symphony as well as numerous Grammy winners.
POSITIONS
2010 - Soloist and Co-Concert Master, World Civic Orchestra
2009-Present - Yamaha Artist
2007-Present - USC Trojan Scholarship Recipient, California Merit Scholar Recipient, Town and Gown Sophia Loren Scholarship Recipient
2004-2007 - Presidential Award, Johns Hopkin Scholar
2005-2006 - Grammy Camp singer/songwriter scholarship recipient
2003-Present - Lead singer/ songwriter/ instrumentalist for modern rock band “Antonio Pontarelli”
2003-2005 - Concert Master, San Diego Youth Symphony Symphonic Orchestra
2001-2003 - Assistant Concert Master, San Diego Youth Symphony Symphonic Orchestra
2001-2002 - First Violin, San Diego Youth Symphony Symphonic Orchestra
2001-2004 - First Violin scholarship recipient Young Musicians' Foundation Debut Orchestra (Disney Orchestra)
2001-2004 - Violin Scholarship recipient, Idyllwild Arts Orchestra, Idyllwild, California
2000-2003 - Concert Master, California Youth Symphony Orchestra
STUDY / MENTORS
Studied piano and music theory and composition since age six and violin since age four. Currently studies violin with Hernan Costantino assistant concert master for the San Diego Symphony. Studies voice with Billy Purnell and Eric Vetro and is self taught on guitar. Has had a mentor relationship with the late Isaac Stern and worked with Grammy Award Winner Mark O’Connor and Emmy winner Mark Wood.
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