Virginia Nicoli

Virginia Nicoli is an Italian flautist, Dhrupad vocalist, and composer who began her musical path in early childhood through classical flute studies.

At the age of 18, she discovered Indian classical music and has since devoted herself entirely to its study. Her deep immersion in this tradition led her to live and study extensively in India, where she developed a profound connection with Dhrupad, the oldest and most meditative form of North Indian classical music. Her musical language is characterised by contemplative depth, subtle microtonal inflections, expansive improvisation, and remarkable virtuosity. She performs with voice, bansuri, and in some projects also with Western concert flute and flute d’amore. Her style is rooted in the Dhrupad tradition, emphasising purity of intonation, slow development, and melodic precision.

While remaining faithful to the essence of Dhrupad, she uses its traditional structure as fertile ground for experimentation, expanding its formal boundaries in dialogue with a wide range of musical languages. This approach has led her to rich cross-genre collaborations, from contemporary classical music to modal improvisation and intercultural fusion, working with artists such as Marcello Fera and the Conductus Ensemble, Hooshang Faharani, Aliya Raheed, Christos Barbas, Ross Daly, and the Gundecha Brothers. A central part of her artistic journey is also her collaboration with Igino Giovanni Brunori in the duo Samvad.

Her recent album Taramandal exemplifies how she weaves traditional Dhrupad structures with original compositions and creative explorations. Whether performing solo or in ensemble settings, her work opens a sonic space where virtuoso precision merges with a deep, meditative exploration of sound.

Virginia participates in Trame Sonore 2026 as a member of Solanè.