Nicola Fiorenza

Nicola (or Nicolò) Fiorenza (c. 1700-1710 – 13 April 1764) was a Neapolitan violinist and composer of the late Baroque period and a representative of the Neapolitan School. Life Biographical information on Fiorenza’s schooling and early life is very scarce; he must have been born in the city of Naples somewhere in the very beginning of the 18th century. Nevertheless, we can be sure that he received his training at the conservatory of S. Maria del Loreto in his hometown under Giancarlo Cailò and Francesco Barbella. The first verifiable date in Fiorenza’s career is 1726, the year in which his sinfonia in A minor for flute, two violins and basso continuo was published. From 1734 to 1740 Fiorenza played, maybe as a violinist, in the Cappella Reale and with the orchestra of the Teatro S. Bartolomeo. More information is available about Fiorenza’s later years. An account of his election to the post of teacher for violin, cello and double bass at the Naples conservatory of S. Maria del Loreto on 22 May 1743 indicates that he succeeded Nicola Vitolo (who in his turn was the successor of Fiorenza’s former teacher Barbella). From 1750 onwards, however, Fiorenza was confronted with a series of