Interview with Pietro Imperi, Pop Guitar graduate

21 November , 2025

Pietro Imperi, Bachelor and Master of arts in Pop Guitar at Saint Louis.

Raised in Montorio Romano, a small town a few miles from the capital, Pietro Imperi lives in Rome. After graduating from high school in classical studies in 2007, he enrolled at Saint Louis and in 2013, under the guidance of maestro Antonio Affrunti, he received his diploma in Pop Guitar. In 2020 he upgraded his qualifications by earning, again at Saint Louis, first a bachelor’s degree and then a two-year master’s degree, both earned with a grade of 110 cum laude. From 2015 to the present, he has collaborated with artists on the Italian scene such as Alessio Bernabei, Gianmarco Carroccia, Comete, Mille and Follya working for them both on stage and in the recording studio.

Thanks to these collaborations he has been able to tread important stages such as that of Radio Italia Live, Fronte del Palco, Primo Maggio 2024 and to play on important television programs such as La Vita in Diretta, Col Cuore Nel Nome di Francesco, Caduta Libera and Battiti Live.

In 2021 and 2022, he recorded the guitars for some songs featured in Roberto Bolle’s TV program “Danza Con Me,” for which he also recorded the guitars featured in the theme song of his Masterclass series featured on the Tim Vision platform. He currently collaborates with Mille, Comets and Follya both in the studio and live.

intervista alumni Pietro Imperi diplomato in chitarra pop

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Hi Pietro!

You studied pop guitar at Saint Louis. What was the funniest anecdote during your studies?

The funniest anecdote was the prank by lecturer Lello Panico after the last instrument exam, an exam that was not brilliant in my opinion: the committee met to decide on the grade, and after letting me back in to tell me, Lello told me I would have to retake the exam. Correct assessment for me, so I asked, very quietly, when I could repeat it, and it was at that moment that the committee members burst out laughing and told me that they had opted for a 9 out of 10.

Which academy lecturer are you most attached to and why?

Antonio Affrunti, educationally, is the person I owe the most to. My career has been, and still is, dotted with moments when I thought and think, “Man, Antonio told me so!“

How have you structured your career path from graduation to now?

It is difficult to think of being able to structure a career in music. I have tried, over the years, to find the right balance between live, teaching and studio sessions. Immediately after graduation in 2016, the call came unexpectedly from Alessio Bernabei. He saw me play and asked me to take part in the tour that he would undertake after his participation in the Sanremo Festival. Since 2016 I have never stopped collaborating with him, so much so that in 2018 I became the music director of his band. With himI trod the stages of Radio Italia Live, Front of the Stage and Wind Summer Festival. Other collaborations followed in the following years, such as the one with Mille, with whom I had the opportunity to tread the stage on May 1, 2024 at Circo Massimo, Comets and Follya, all artists with whom I currently collaborate both in the studio and live. In 2021 and 2022, I recorded guitars for the television program Dance With Me by Roberto Bolle for which I also recorded the guitar tracks contained in the theme song of the series dedicated to his Masterclasses present on the Tim Vision Platform. In 2022 with the Follya we performed in the program Beats Live.

Tell us about the various tours with Gianmarco Carroccia, Mogol and the Contemporary Orchestra in 2023 and the various TV projects.

In 2023 I took part in Emotions Tour by Gianmarco Carroccia thanks to which I got to share the stage with Mogol and the Contemporary Orchestra and to play in important television programs such as. “Col Cuore Nel Nome di Francesco,” “La Vita in Diretta” and “Caduta Libera.”

What projects are you currently working on?

I currently collaborate with MiLLE, Italian indie pop singer-songwriter, Comets, Roman singer-songwriter who was a contestant on the X Factor in 2019, Follya, an Italian pop rock music group formed in Rome who took part in Maria De Filippi’s talent show Amici in 2013.

What do you think of the contemporary Italian music scene? What are the most challenging musical projects for you?

The music scene, both Italian and international, is alive! Abroad, artists such as the Arcade Fire, Inhaler, The 1975, English Teacher, Billie Eilish and many others are direct evidence of this. Italy is no different, artists such as. Motta, Calcutta, I Cani and many others only underscore that experimenting and reaching the general public is also possible in Italy.

Cross and delight of your work with music?

Well “the crosses” are definitely the instability and uncertainty, but when I think that I can make a living by slinging a guitar “the crosses” become much smaller and the dynamism that this work subjects one to can only be good, especially for lazy people like me.

What do you like about teaching and what would you recommend to people who are studying music right now?

The most beautiful side of teaching is learning from the students, discovering what they love and reviewing their own dreams in their dreams, trying to do everything possible for them to achieve them, and making sure that they do not make the mistake of always playing just to please others. We teachers have a moral duty to give them ways to cultivate their own creativity, as well as to help them discover “places” to which they would never have gone on their own.

Who is your favorite musician and why?

For an infinite number of reasons I can only say Noel Gallagher, I always carry his Funko Pop! around with me.

What is your favorite song you could on Noah’s Ark?

“Sunday Morning Call” by Oasis.