Ivan Dalia is a boundary-defying pianist and composer whose music blends classical precision with jazz improvisation and the rich traditions of the Mediterranean and South America.
He began formal studies at the San Pietro a Majella Conservatory in Naples at age twelve, graduating with top honors in both classical piano (2012) and composition (2016). At 21, he performed with jazz harmonica legend Toots Thielemans, calling it “the most exciting experience of my life.”
Now based in New York, Ivan appears regularly at venues like Zinc Bar, Russian Samovar, the Ivy Room, the Guthrie Center and debuted his solo show Culture Is an Infinite Receptacle With No Borders in 2023—an ethnohistorical journey through Italian music worldwide. His compositions have been featured in films like Gol!a, Paolo Sorrentino’s Napoli 24, and the pan-European art project ROSAS.
His 2017 debut album includes guest soloists Fabrizio Bosso and Rosario Giuliani. From Naples to Berlin to New York, Ivan’s work continues to transcend genres, geographies, and expectations.
MEET IVAN
Born blind in Teverola, near Naples, Ivan was a restless and endlessly curious child—often in the emergency room for testing his limits. His parents, desperate to keep him safe, noticed his fascination with the radio. His father bought him classical CDs before they even had a stereo, which he would hold up to the light, mesmerized by their reflections. A small piano soon followed. “I was only nine and didn’t study, just messed around,” Ivan recalls. “But by eleven, I had found my passion—and I can’t imagine life without it.”
