Florentino Calvo

Florentino Calvo pursued his musical studies at the Argenteuil Conservatory, a leading center for mandolin education in France. There, he earned a First Prize in mandolin in the class of his teacher, Mario Monti. At the same institution, he took guitar lessons from Maestro Alberto Ponce and attended Gérard Castanié’s class in Analysis and Harmony. He also honed his skills with mandolinist Ugo Orlandi during masterclasses.

As a concert artist, Florentino Calvo performs regularly as a soloist, in chamber music ensembles, and with orchestras, with a keen interest in premiering new works (more than 250 in total).

As a member of TrioPolycordes (with harpist Sandrine Chatron and guitarist Jean-Marc Zvellenreuther), he focuses on the contemporary repertoire and is the dedicatee of numerous works.

Together with harpsichordist Maria Lucia Barros, Florentino Calvo forms the Ensemble Spirituoso, with which he performs the original 18th-century repertoire for mandolin and basso continuo on copies of period instruments

As a conductor, he leads, among others, the Ensemble MG21 (the only professional plucked-string ensemble in France), whose mission is to promote “contemporary” works and new compositions.

Florentino Calvo performs regularly with ensembles such as the Orchestra of the Paris National Opera and the Ensemble intercontemporain under the baton of prestigious conductors, including Pierre Boulez, Sir Georg Solti, and Zubin Mehta…

His love of collaboration and his eclecticism have led him to work in film (particularly with Alexandre Desplat) and theater: one example is his participation in the premiere and numerous tours of Pascal Dusapin’s Momo, directed by André Wilms.

As a mandolin professor at the CRD in Argenteuil and Gennevilliers, as well as at the Pôle Supérieur d’enseignement artistique Paris/Boulogne-Billancourt, Florentino Calvo contributes to the development and promotion of his instrument by training numerous leading concert performers and educators in France and abroad.

He has made numerous recordings for the La Follia Madrigal label.

Since 2018, Florentino Calvo has served as artistic director of the Center for Plucked String Instruments “Les Pincées Musicales,” based in the city of Argenteuil, where he also conducts the Estudiantina d’Argenteuil plucked-string orchestra.