For the last three decades, Augusto Vismara has been one of the most prominent figures on the Italian music scene. Before he devoted his talent to playing the violin and conducting, he had a formidable viola solo career with the major European orchestras under the baton of conductors such as Giuseppe Sinopoli, Christian Thielemann, Antonio Janigro, Peter Maag and Luciano Berio. Mr. Vismara has held the position of principal violist with the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino Orchestra in his native Florence, with the Santa Cecilia Orchestra in Rome, with the Orchestra della Scala in Milan and with the Orchestra della Fenice in Venice. Outside of Italy, he was the principal violist of the Montecarlo Opera Orchestra and of the Zurich Chamber Orch. A very active chamber musician, Augusto Vismara has toured Australia, Japan, the USA, Brazil, Europe, Russia and North Africa with various ensembles both as a violinist and as a violist. He has inspired the most prominent Italian contemporary composers, among whom Berio, Bussotti, Sciarrino,Gentile. They have written for him and of him, and have entrusted him for the premieres of many of their works. Drawing upon his strong instrumental background and his collaboration with conductors such as Muti, Schippers,Rostropovich and Abbado, Mr Vismara has, during the last decade, embarked on a highly successful new career on the podium. Maestro Sinopoli's mentoring and encouragement were the initial platform for Mr. Vismara's debut as a conductor.