Maria Luigia Pizzoli

Maria Luigia Pizzoli
Born	(1817-02-10)10 February 1817 Bologna, Papal States
Died	13 January 1838(1838-01-13) (aged 20)
Occupation(s)	Pianist and composer

Maria Luigia Pizzoli (10 February 1817 – 13 January 1838) was an Italian pianist and composer. She posthumously received the honour of Maestro di Contrappunto.

Pizzoli was born in Bologna, Italy, on 10 February 1817.^[1] Her parents had her educated well, and she became known for her intelligence. She was fluent in Italian and French, and she enjoyed history including art history.^[2] She studied music under the teacher Giuseppe Pilotti [fr; ca]. After being taught by Pilotti for 18 months, she wrote her first prelude. Gaetano Magazzari [ca; es; nl; ru] also taught Pizzoli the piano.^[1]

Pizzoli was a well-known pianist in Bologna, and she later began to compose her own pieces. She wrote an overture, and later a symphony in 1836.^[1] Her first public appearance was in 1837 when she was invited to the Società del Casino di Bologna headquarters to perform on the piano with a well-regarded harpist. At the festival, Pizzoli played one of her works with the support of Gaetano Corticelli [ca; it; ru].^[2] She suffered from a heart disease.^[1]

Pizzoli's father, with approval from his daughter during her last year, gave money as a prize to students who composed the best fugue.^[1] The prize was considered to be innovative because women could also receive it.^[2] She died on 13 January 1838, at 20 years old, and she was buried in Bologna.^[2] In February 1838, professors played Pizzoli's music at the Teatro del Corso [it]. Her obituary in the music periodical Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung stated that she "was close to being accepted into the Accademia Filarmonica di Bologna as Maestro di Contrappunto (master of counterpoint)".^[1] She posthumously received the honour on 16 October 1840.^[1] Pizzoli's music was collected and published in Milan in 1840.^[1] Some of Pizzoli's compositions are at the Accademia Filarmonica di Bologna.^[2]