Submitted March 18, 2007

Rocco Peruggini, Italian guitarist, 44 years old, died last Friday in a motorcycle accident. Though little known outside Italy, he was a significant, influential and beloved figure in his country. A virtuoso with a good recording output, he had left his career as a concert player in order to devote his time and efforts to teaching and organizing. He founded in Milan the "Ateneo della Chitarra", one of the most popular Italian private schools of guitar, and - with the help of his assistants and colleagues - he offered opportunities for instruction to all those students who, for various reasons, preferred not to enter State conservatories. He also created a series of guitar concerts in Milan (the 2007 edition underway) and very recently he had founded a guitar magazine - La Guitarra - whose first issue, published one month ago, included a friendly and heartfelt conversation we had here at home. He was a generous, smiling and powerful human being. He will be missed and he will never be forgotten.

Angelo Gilardino