The Italian Cultural Institute in Chicago is pleased to host Italian musician Sara Rotunno from October 1 to 31 as part of AIR – Artists in Residence, a project promoted by MIDJ – Italian Jazz Musicians with the support of SIAE and in collaboration with the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI) and Europe Jazz Network.
Launched in 2018, AIR supports the international mobility of Italian musicians through artistic residencies at Italian Cultural Institutes around the world. The project fosters encounters between Italian artists and local music communities, encouraging cultural exchange, artistic collaboration, and the international promotion of contemporary Italian music.
Bio
Born in 1991, Sara Rotunno is a jazz singer, composer and arranger. Her artistic journey moves across jazz, neo-soul and contemporary influences, with a strong focus on original writing and arranging.
She established herself through her work with the Duni Jazz Choir, directed by Mario Rosini, performing on major stages and receiving several awards and recognitions. In 2018, she joined the choir on tour with Fabrizio Bosso and Simona Bencini, performing in Rome, Forlì and Prato, and won second place at the Global Music Awards with the song Love Collision. In 2022, she took part in the recording of the album Wavin’ Time, following the choir’s achievement of the La Musica di Sofia award earlier that same year. She also arranged Frosty The Snowman (2023) for and with the Duni Jazz Choir and contributed to the soundtrack of the film Chi ha rapito Jerry Calà? (Vargo Film, 2023), conducted by Sandro Di Stefano.
In 2020, Rotunno collaborated with Warner Music Italy as a backing vocalist on Achille Lauro’s album 1920, alongside Dino Plasmati’s big band The Untouchable Band. She also recorded the album Taste of Jazz (2022) with the ensemble, further developing a career that combines performance with composition and arranging.
In 2023, she released her first album of original music with the neo-soul group The Synthomatics. Entitled Take Care, the album was selected for and supported by the Record call promoted by Puglia Sounds. The project was followed by a promotional tour in 2024, with performances across Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. That same year, Rotunno was selected for All You Have to Do is Play!, an initiative by Emme Produzioni that supported the production of her latest jazz album of original compositions, Inward Songs.
In 2026, Sara Rotunno received another major recognition, winning the Contrapunctum Jazz Contest 2026, held as part of the Contrapunctum Jazz Festival from June 25 to 28 at the Teatro Civico in Sassari. She won the Young Composers category, while the Jazz Ensemble category was awarded to the Marco Morandini Trio, led by young pianist Marco Morandini. The contest, dedicated to emerging Italian jazz talent, was judged by an international jury composed of Harry Allen, Rossano Sportiello and Joan Chamorro.
Moving fluidly between voice, composition and arranging, Sara Rotunno is developing a distinctive musical identity rooted in jazz while embracing contemporary influences and original songwriting.