Giuseppe (Beppe) Ficara, son of the italian painter Franz Ficara, was born in 1953. He studied in Bari's National Conservatory, where he graduated in Guitar with a first-class honours degree, having studied with Linda Calsolaro, a former pupil of Andrés Segovia. During those years he was advised by Nino Rota, at the time Director of the Conservatory, and studied Composition with Francesco d'Avalos. Still a student, but already a concertist, he has been awarded in Palermo international Contest in 1973. In 1976 he won the First Prize of the international competition «Fernando Sor» in Rome. Meanwhile, he was attending Oscar Ghiglia's Mastercourses in Gargnano (since 1973) and in Siena at the «Accademia Chigiana», where he has been twice awarded a «Diploma di Merito». From 1979 to 1981 he has been living in Brussels, studying with Nicolas Alfonso in the Royal Conservatory, where he took a «First Prize Diploma» equivalence.

In 1979 he conceived and organized in Bari (Giuliani's native province), with Bari Orchestra, the first «Mauro Giuliani Festival», introduced by a conference by Ruggero Chiesa, with performances of Guliani's three Guitar Concertos in Petruzzelli and Curci Theatres ( Barletta). The First concert was played by Oscar Ghiglia, the second by Hubert Käppel, and the third by Giuseppe Ficara himself; that was the first time in the world with the whole guitare and orchestra production by Giuliani performed in a single event.

In May 1980 the issue of his first record, all about Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, which has been defined «A virtual trasure trove» by George Warren in the american review «Guitar and Lute Magazine».

Clara Castelnuovo-Tedesco, the Author's widow, enthusiastic about the record in her many letters to Ficara, gave him in early 1981 the manuscript of an unpublished work by Castelnuovo-Tedesco: «Vogelweide, ein lieder-cyclus für Baryton und Guitar»; in october 1981 Ficara gave the first performance of the inedit for RTBF radio bradcast in Brussels together with the baryton Ludovic de San. The score has been published only in 1987, without Ficara's revision and fingering, from a copy accidentally left.

From 1982 since 1987 Giuseppe Ficara lives in Rome, devoting himself also to the chamber music repertoire and giving many concerts with the famous italian flutist Angelo Persichilli. In '83 the issue of his second record, with Angelo Persichilli for Edipan-Rome.

His long careeer as a concertist let him play a wide repertory in important italian and foreign concert societies, such as «Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia» in Rome, «Orchestra di Bari», «Orchestra di Perugia e dell'Umbria», Brussel's «Jeunesses Musicales», Louvain-la Neuve Musicology Institut, RTBF radio and television broadcasts, «Festival de l'Eté Mosan» (Belgium), Moulin d'Andé Academy (France) and UNISA, Stellenbosch University and Classical Guitar Society in South Africa.

In 2001 he has been awarded in Tunisia the “Prix Cathage” for musical merits.
In 2002 the famous french composer Pierre Jansen (author of most of Chabrol's films musics) dedicated to Ficara his "Concerto for Guitar and strings".
In Perugia, june 2005, Ficara gave the first performance of Jansen's Guitar Concerto with Perugia Orchestra conducted by Giuliano Silveri; the score has been published in 2006, with Ficara's revision and fingering, for Bèrben.

Giuseppe Ficara has been teaching guitar since 1976 in many italian National Conservatories; he gave Mastercourses in Italy, at Cape Town University, South Africa and at the Moulin d'Andé Academy, France. He has also been teaching in various belgian music Academies.

He teaches at present in «G. Rossini» National Conservatory in Pesaro.

Opinions about Giuseppe Ficara:

« Mr. Ficara possesses a very solid technique, a sound and mature judgement and an overall strong and poetic approach in his interpretations. Giuseppe Ficara's thorough experience adds a valuable dimension to his worth and makes him a candidate for a bright musical carreer ».