Luca Isolani
Italian-born and Brussels-based Luca Isolani is a classical guitarist, researcher, and educator dedicated to bridging the heritage of folk idioms with the classical guitar repertoire. His journey began in Naples, where he graduated cum laude under the guidance of Maurizio Villa at the Conservatorio di Napoli. As a student, in 2011, Luca joined the Volterra Project Summer Guitar Institute, an experience that profoundly influenced his artistic and personal development. Inspired by this transformative encounter, Luca moved to Belgium, where he studied with Antigoni Goni at the Koninklijk Conservatorium in Brussels, earning a Master’s Degree in Music with High Distinction in 2013.
Now residing in the capital of Europe, Luca actively engages in international projects that span classical, jazz, folk, and pop music. He collaborates in ensembles such as Duo Isolani, Del Sablon, Lô Trézou, and Ensemble Tsiribim.
Luca is also a founding member of the Volterra Project Trio, alongside Antigoni Goni and Maarten Vandenbemden. In 2023, the trio released their debut album, Medio Siglo, which they premiered at the 50th Guitar Foundation of America Convention in New York. The trio's upcoming album, Parole in Musica, will be released with Naxos in May 2025. This diverse program, united by a common thread, showcases music inspired by stories from literature, stage, and screen.
As an academic, Luca is a guitar professor at the Royal Conservatory of Ghent and an Artistic Researcher at Vrije Universiteit Brussel, where he is pursuing a Ph.D. His practice-led research explores the dynamic interplay between folk and art music in classical guitar practice. His findings have been shared at leading international conferences, including the Guitar Foundation of America, TU Dublin, and the Premio Internazionale Pittaluga.
An alumnus of the Volterra Project (2011, 2014), Luca has contributed since 2016 as an assistant for chamber music and improvisation courses, deepening his connection to the program that shaped his career.
Now residing in the capital of Europe, Luca actively engages in international projects that span classical, jazz, folk, and pop music. He collaborates in ensembles such as Duo Isolani, Del Sablon, Lô Trézou, and Ensemble Tsiribim.
Luca is also a founding member of the Volterra Project Trio, alongside Antigoni Goni and Maarten Vandenbemden. In 2023, the trio released their debut album, Medio Siglo, which they premiered at the 50th Guitar Foundation of America Convention in New York. The trio's upcoming album, Parole in Musica, will be released with Naxos in May 2025. This diverse program, united by a common thread, showcases music inspired by stories from literature, stage, and screen.
As an academic, Luca is a guitar professor at the Royal Conservatory of Ghent and an Artistic Researcher at Vrije Universiteit Brussel, where he is pursuing a Ph.D. His practice-led research explores the dynamic interplay between folk and art music in classical guitar practice. His findings have been shared at leading international conferences, including the Guitar Foundation of America, TU Dublin, and the Premio Internazionale Pittaluga.
An alumnus of the Volterra Project (2011, 2014), Luca has contributed since 2016 as an assistant for chamber music and improvisation courses, deepening his connection to the program that shaped his career.
