Giacomo Berti, a 17-year-old high school senior in San Diego, discovered his love for music at the age of 8 after moving to the United States from Italy. He started his musical journey as a drummer and has been a dedicated member of his school’s Jazz Band (The Bishop’s School Honors Combo), achieving notable success in local community events and winning first place at the prestigious 2023 Coronado JazzFest intermediate division.
In early 2019, Giacomo began playing the bass guitar and found a deep connection with the instrument, considering it his primary focus. He enjoys playing solos and has a passion for jazz music. His dedication to his craft led him to the Stanford Jazz Institute in the summer of 2023, and he joined two ensembles at the Young Lion Jazz Conservatory that same fall on bass. He also has formed an out of school quintet named The Knights Quintet.
Giacomo’s musical achievements include qualifications from the RSL Awards (RockSchool) at grade 7 for drums and the highest grade of 8 for bass guitar. In 2022, he expanded his repertoire by taking up the trumpet and earned an invitation to join the Jacobs Jazz Orchestra under the direction of the renowned Gilbert Castellanos.
You can find Giacomo’s 2023 Contemporary Music Competition electric bass performance here.