Listen "Introducing"

Il quinto elemento

jazz fem-nomenon

Music For Voices

Voices that meet and create harmonies, weave dialogues, tell stories.
Female voices, a boundary that dictates a certain style.
And then there’s play, fun and a little madness. And, of course, emotion.

Il Quinto Elemento made its debut in 2015 and, encouraged by awards such as those obtained at the international competition “Solevoci” in Varese (“Best Jazz formation” and “Best soloist” in the 2016 edition). The ensemble has performed in numerous varied and richly creative live shows, experimenting with acoustics and unusual scenarios: the five members played with the environment and interacted with the spectators during concerts in the mountains, in prisons, in museums, in secret gardens, alongside amplified shows and in more classical contexts.

watch the video

The much appreciated “fifth element” of their performances could be theatrical entertainment, aided by their repertoire choices and natural predisposition to puns and sketches between the light and the conceptual. Irene Giuliani is in charge of the writing and hers are all the arrangements and adaptations, as well as composing the original pieces expressly written for the ensemble. The first album of Il Quinto Elemento, “Introducing”, will be released in October 2020 for Filibusta Records (Rome).

Introducing

Il Quinto Elemento made its debut in 2015 and, encouraged by awards such as those obtained at the international competition “Solevoci” in Varese (“Best Jazz formation” and “Best soloist” in the 2016 edition). The ensemble has performed in numerous varied and richly creative live shows, experimenting with acoustics and unusual scenarios: the five members played with the environment and interacted with the spectators during concerts in the mountains, in prisons, in museums, in secret gardens, alongside amplified shows and in more classical contexts.

Watch the video

The much appreciated “fifth element” of their performances could be theatrical entertainment, aided by their repertoire choices and natural predisposition to puns and sketches between the light and the conceptual. Irene Giuliani is in charge of the writing and hers are all the arrangements and adaptations, as well as composing the original pieces expressly written for the ensemble. The first album of Il Quinto Elemento, “Introducing”, will be released in October 2020 for Filibusta Records (Rome).

Introducing

ABOUT US

IRENE GIULIANI

Graduating in classical piano at the Frescobaldi Conservatory of Ferrara, in 2014 she achieved a second level diploma in jazz singing at the “G.B. Martini” Conservatory of Bologna, obtaining high grades with honors. Always a lover of vocal polyphony, after having sung in various choirs (Jubilee Shouters and others), in 2007 she founded the female a cappella quintet “L’Ora del Tè” (Tea Time), for which she wrote and arranged and with which she performed an intense concert activity, up to the releasing of the album “Piccino Picciò”. As a singer and pianist she is the leader of a jazz combo to her name. She plays the piano and has written a number of songs for the B69 Collective of Bologna, with which she has performed in various contexts including the 2019 edition of the Bologna Jazz Festival. She was part of the experimental improvisational trio Sinecusa together with Valeria Sturba and Olivia Bignardi and of the Mauro Rolfini Braxtet, dedicated to the study of the repertoire of Anthony Braxton.

IRENE GIULIANI

Graduating in classical piano at the Frescobaldi Conservatory of Ferrara, in 2014 she achieved a second level diploma in jazz singing at the “G.B. Martini” Conservatory of Bologna, obtaining high grades with honors. Always a lover of vocal polyphony, after having sung in various choirs (Jubilee Shouters and others), in 2007 she founded the female a cappella quintet “L’Ora del Tè” (Tea Time), for which she wrote and arranged and with which she performed an intense concert activity, up to the releasing of the album “Piccino Picciò”. As a singer and pianist she is the leader of a jazz combo to her name. She plays the piano and has written a number of songs for the B69 Collective of Bologna, with which she has performed in various contexts including the 2019 edition of the Bologna Jazz Festival. She was part of the experimental improvisational trio Sinecusa together with Valeria Sturba and Olivia Bignardi and of the Mauro Rolfini Braxtet, dedicated to the study of the repertoire of Anthony Braxton.

MYA FRACASSINI

Graduating in classical voice and vocal chamber music, she usually performs repertoires ranging from the Middle Ages to contemporary cultured music. Dance, acting and theatrical improvisation are part of her curriculum. She also holds a degree in Music Disciplines, Vocal Chamber Music and Renaissance Polyphony. During her career she has dealt with the most disparate musical genres (jazz, blues, soul, funky, Argentine tango). She usually performs as guest soloist with important ensembles in festivals and concerts of international fame (Bruges Festival; Viterbo Baroque Festival; Ascona Music Weeks; Ravenna Festival; Spoleto Festival dei due mondi; Cantar Lontano in Pesaro; Itria Valley Festival). She has numerous CDs to her credit, released by the most important international labels. She founded the female vocal trio “Ad Lib” and in 2006 released the CD “Musica in Gioco”.

MYA FRACASSINI

Graduating in classical voice and vocal chamber music, she usually performs repertoires ranging from the Middle Ages to contemporary cultured music. Dance, acting and theatrical improvisation are part of her curriculum. She also holds a degree in Music Disciplines, Vocal Chamber Music and Renaissance Polyphony. During her career she has dealt with the most disparate musical genres (jazz, blues, soul, funky, Argentine tango). She usually performs as guest soloist with important ensembles in festivals and concerts of international fame (Bruges Festival; Viterbo Baroque Festival; Ascona Music Weeks; Ravenna Festival; Spoleto Festival dei due mondi; Cantar Lontano in Pesaro; Itria Valley Festival). She has numerous CDs to her credit, released by the most important international labels. She founded the female vocal trio “Ad Lib” and in 2006 released the CD “Musica in Gioco”.

ELISA MINI

Graduated with full marks and honours in Jazz Singing at “G.B. Martini” Conservatory of Bologna. Winner of the “Best Artist” award at the Fara Music Summer School (2011) and of the Jazz category of the Festival Delle Arti in Bologna (2012), finalist of the international jazz competition “Scrivere in Jazz”(Writing in Jazz) in Sassari (2012). In 2013 she represented Italy in the European Jazz School, performing in Bordeaux and Frankfurt. In 2014 she was a member of the National Orchestra of Young Jazz Talents, directed by Maestro Paolo Damiani. With the orchestra she recorded in 2015 a record as a solo singer and chorister, produced by Camilla Records. She has several projects on jazz and Brazilian music and holds concerts throughout Italy and abroad. She has collaborated with some exponents of Brazilian music in Italy, including: Luiz Lima, Ricardo Da Silva, Anderson Souza. She lent her voice as a backing vocalist in the album “Memoria” by the Brazilian singer-songwriter Toco and in the album “Amore e furto” by Francesco De Gregori. In 2016 she is one of the artists selected by the “Toscana 100 band” call, thanks to which she made her first solo album “Beyond the line”, with her own compositions, released in May 2017 for the Nadir Music label. Since 2018 she has been a teacher of Performance Practices and repertoires at Siena Jazz University, and she is co-founder and singing teacher at the Voce in Salute centre in Prato.

ELISA MINI

Graduated with full marks and honours in Jazz Singing at “G.B. Martini” Conservatory of Bologna. Winner of the “Best Artist” award at the Fara Music Summer School (2011) and of the Jazz category of the Festival Delle Arti in Bologna (2012), finalist of the international jazz competition “Scrivere in Jazz”(Writing in Jazz) in Sassari (2012). In 2013 she represented Italy in the European Jazz School, performing in Bordeaux and Frankfurt. In 2014 she was a member of the National Orchestra of Young Jazz Talents, directed by Maestro Paolo Damiani. With the orchestra she recorded in 2015 a record as a solo singer and chorister, produced by Camilla Records. She has several projects on jazz and Brazilian music and holds concerts throughout Italy and abroad. She has collaborated with some exponents of Brazilian music in Italy, including: Luiz Lima, Ricardo Da Silva, Anderson Souza. She lent her voice as a backing vocalist in the album “Memoria” by the Brazilian singer-songwriter Toco and in the album “Amore e furto” by Francesco De Gregori. In 2016 she is one of the artists selected by the “Toscana 100 band” call, thanks to which she made her first solo album “Beyond the line”, with her own compositions, released in May 2017 for the Nadir Music label. Since 2018 she has been a teacher of Performance Practices and repertoires at Siena Jazz University, and she is co-founder and singing teacher at the Voce in Salute centre in Prato.

Paola Rovai

Speech therapist and singer, she takes care of the voice with pleasure in both roles. She founded the Voce in Salute Centre, which offers counselling, diagnostics, education and rehabilitation to singers and other vocal professionals. She has sung and sings in different ensembles, with varied musical repertoires, preferring acoustic performances and often hybridized with street theatre. In particular, she has dedicated herself to the research and re-proposition of traditional Tuscan, Italian and Mediterranean music, taking a deeper look into its rhythmic aspect, among irregular meters and linguistic peculiarities. For ten years she has been playing shows in clubs and festivals with the project “L’Apprendista Bardo” (The Apprentice Bard), a prog folk septet (On the Road Festival of Pelago; Maggio Off, of the Teatro Comunale di Firenze; Tribute to Demetrio Stratos; T-Rumors of Toscana Musiche) with which she records the album “Bisesto” (2015) and participates in the initiatives of the Florentine collective La Scena Muta. Also very interesting the experience with “Eshareh Ensemble”, Mediterranean music, winning ensemble of the Revelation 7Sóis7Luas Award. After years as a solo singer, she approaches with curiosity the vocal orchestra, improvisation and circle songs, taking part in various musical projects.

Paola Rovai

Speech therapist and singer, she takes care of the voice with pleasure in both roles. She founded the Voce in Salute Centre, which offers counselling, diagnostics, education and rehabilitation to singers and other vocal professionals. She has sung and sings in different ensembles, with varied musical repertoires, preferring acoustic performances and often hybridized with street theatre. In particular, she has dedicated herself to the research and re-proposition of traditional Tuscan, Italian and Mediterranean music, taking a deeper look into its rhythmic aspect, among irregular meters and linguistic peculiarities. For ten years she has been playing shows in clubs and festivals with the project “L’Apprendista Bardo” (The Apprentice Bard), a prog folk septet (On the Road Festival of Pelago; Maggio Off, of the Teatro Comunale di Firenze; Tribute to Demetrio Stratos; T-Rumors of Toscana Musiche) with which she records the album “Bisesto” (2015) and participates in the initiatives of the Florentine collective La Scena Muta. Also very interesting the experience with “Eshareh Ensemble”, Mediterranean music, winning ensemble of the Revelation 7Sóis7Luas Award. After years as a solo singer, she approaches with curiosity the vocal orchestra, improvisation and circle songs, taking part in various musical projects.

STEFANIA SCARINZI

Jazz singer and teacher, she is composer, arranger and director of choirs. She holds singing masterclasses throughout Italy, and is specialized in the formation of Vocal Summit groups and guided improvisation. She has been playing the piano since the age of four. She studied jazz and improvisation with Bob Stoloff of the Berklee School of Music in Boston and at the Manhattan School of Music in New York. She is among the first certified teachers in Italy with the Vocal Power Method of Los Angeles. She has participated in concerts and festivals in Italy and abroad collaborating, among others, with musicians such as Pietro Tonolo, Francesco Cafiso, Cameron Brown, Ian Shaw, Vana Gierig, Scott Hamilton, Renato Sellani, Dave Kikoski, Bobby Durham. In 2002 she was included as “best talent” in the Top Jazz poll launched by the magazine Musica Jazz. She has recorded both in the classical and jazz fields. Her latest work is “Sempre Amore” (Always Love) with Renato Sellani, Massimo Moriconi and Nico Gori, released by Philology Jazz Records. She currently holds the chair of jazz singing at the Fiesole Music School.

STEFANIA SCARINZI

Jazz singer and teacher, she is composer, arranger and director of choirs. She holds singing masterclasses throughout Italy, and is specialized in the formation of Vocal Summit groups and guided improvisation. She has been playing the piano since the age of four. She studied jazz and improvisation with Bob Stoloff of the Berklee School of Music in Boston and at the Manhattan School of Music in New York. She is among the first certified teachers in Italy with the Vocal Power Method of Los Angeles. She has participated in concerts and festivals in Italy and abroad collaborating, among others, with musicians such as Pietro Tonolo, Francesco Cafiso, Cameron Brown, Ian Shaw, Vana Gierig, Scott Hamilton, Renato Sellani, Dave Kikoski, Bobby Durham. In 2002 she was included as “best talent” in the Top Jazz poll launched by the magazine Musica Jazz. She has recorded both in the classical and jazz fields. Her latest work is “Sempre Amore” (Always Love) with Renato Sellani, Massimo Moriconi and Nico Gori, released by Philology Jazz Records. She currently holds the chair of jazz singing at the Fiesole Music School.

Listen "Introducing"