Francesco Lotoro is a renowned Italian pianist, composer, and musicologist who has dedicated his life to preserving and promoting the music of the Holocaust. Born on October 4, 1964, in Barletta, Italy, Lotoro showed an early interest in music and began playing the piano at the age of six. He studied at the Conservatory of Music in Bari and later at the Accademia Musicale Chigiana in Siena, where he earned a diploma in piano performance. Lotoro's passion for music led him to explore various genres and styles, from classical to jazz, from pop to rock. However, it was his encounter with the music of the Holocaust that changed his life and career. In the early 1990s, Lotoro discovered a collection of music manuscripts in a concentration camp in Poland. These manuscripts, written by Jewish composers who were imprisoned and killed during the Holocaust, were a testament to the resilience and creativity of the human spirit in the face of unimaginable horror. Lotoro was deeply moved by this discovery and decided to dedicate his life to collecting, preserving, and performing this music. He founded the Istituto di Letteratura Musicale Concentrazionaria (Institute of Concentration Camp Music Literature) in Barletta, Italy, which houses the largest collection of music written in concentration camps in the world. Lotoro has spent over 30 years traveling the world, searching for and collecting these manuscripts, which he has cataloged and digitized for future generations. Lotoro's work has not gone unnoticed, and he has received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to music and culture. In 2007, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic, one of the highest honors bestowed by the Italian government. In 2015, he was awarded the Medal of the President of the Republic of Poland for his work in preserving the cultural heritage of Poland. In 2018, he was awarded the International Music Prize for Excellence in the Field of Holocaust Music by the European Foundation for Culture and the Arts. Lotoro's performances have also garnered critical acclaim, and he has performed in some of the world's most prestigious concert halls, including Carnegie Hall in New York, the Royal Albert Hall in London, and the Berlin Philharmonic. He has collaborated with renowned musicians such as Zubin Mehta, Yo-Yo Ma, and Daniel Barenboim, and has recorded over 30 albums of music from the Holocaust. One of Lotoro's most significant achievements is the creation of the Orchestra of the Camps, a group of musicians who perform music written in concentration camps. The orchestra, which Lotoro founded in 2011, is made up of musicians from around the world who come together to honor the memory of the composers and performers who were silenced by the Holocaust. The orchestra has performed in some of the most prestigious concert halls in Europe, including the Berlin Philharmonic and the Teatro alla Scala in Milan. Lotoro's work has not only preserved the music of the Holocaust but has also shed light on the lives and experiences of the composers who created it. Through his research and performances, Lotoro has given a voice to those who were silenced and has ensured that their music will be heard for generations to come. His dedication and passion for this music have made him a leading figure in the field of Holocaust music and a champion of cultural preservation.

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