chronological biography

1991-1996	Clarinet study at the Zurich Music Academy with Hansjürg Leuthold and Heinz Hofer.
1995	Practice and concerts with the orchestras of the Zurich Opera House and the Zurich Tonhalle. Attending courses for the conduction of Wind Band held by Franco Cesarini (two years).
1996	Diploma in teaching and orchestral performance. Becomes auxiliary clarinetist for the Zurich Opera Orchestra and plays under the direction of Riccardo Chailly, Nello Santi, Marcello Viotti and Franz Welser-Möst, among others. Takes private lessons with Fabio Di Casola and Michael Reid.
1997	Master Class at Riva del Garda with Alessandro Carbonare. Admitted to Frédéric Rapin's Virtuoso Class at the Lausanne Music Academy.
1998	Successfully auditions for auxiliary clarinetist for the "Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana".
1999	Concerts with the Wind Quintet "Aria" and the "Schweizer Philharmonie".
	Soloist diploma with "First Prize for Vituosity".
2000	Studies Jazz with George Robert until 2002. Conducts the newly-formed "Desamper Big Band" and plays with the Italian Orchestra "Soli Wind Ensemble" conducted by Lorenzo Della Fonte. Chamber music concerts with the Clarinet Quartet "Clarmonia in 4" and with the "Musica Nostalgica Ensemble" (Salonmusik). Jazz workshop with Oliver Ker Ourio.
2001	Concerts with the pianist/organist Jürg Schlegel. Forms the "Duo d'Acier" with the Jazz guitarist Mauro Dassié. Workshop "Berklee at Umbria Jazz".
2002	Commissioned to compose the official March "San Gottardo" for the Cantonal Shooting Sport Association.
	Concerts with the Desamper Big Band at "Estival Jazz" Lugano and at the "Montreux Jazz Festival Off".
	Workshops with Gary Burton/Makoto Ozone, George Gruntz e Gunter Wehinger (Zurich Jazz School). Lessons in Brazilian music with Rodrigo Botter Maio.
	Three-month stay in New York: concerts with various groups (among them Michael Rabinowitz, bassoon player for the Mingus Orchestra) and Jam Sessions. Lessons with Ken Peplowski.
2003	In New York City films a music video of his song "Luce di lei" directed by Mario Ducoudray of "Wanderlust Films".
	Participated in the "Blues to Bop" festival in Lugano with the Desamper Big Band.
	Regular performances at the "Gig Jazz Bar" in Zurich with the pianist Alessandro D'Episcopo and with the Duo d'Acier.
2004	Recording of three Latin-Pop Songs for the "Speedy Bossa" project produced by Bibomusic Inc. The songs were written together with Vicenco under the pseudonym of Cristian Molla.
	With the Desamper Big Band, concert at the Montreux Jazz Festival "Under the Sky" and participation at the tv-show "VIParade (Swiss German television)" presented by Sven Epiney, where the band featured the three singers of the Musical "Rat Pack" which was performed in Zurich.
	Guest at Giuliano Fournier's radio transmission "Broadway Hollywood Las Vegas" on Swiss Italian radio, in order to introduce the Desamper Big Band's CD "Batteries not included".
2005	Participation of Duo d'Acier and the Desamper Big Band at the TV show "Compagnia bella" (Swiss television) presented by Claudia Norghauer.
	The three Speedy Bossa Songs have been released with the CD-Compilation "Bibolatino Vol. 1" in April.
2006	"Belli in zona" project with Giordano Muto: CD-recording at Studio 2 of the Swiss Italian Radio (RSI) in February. The CD will be published by the label "Altrisuoni". The daily news "Il Quotidiano" broadcasts the interview about the CD production with Belli in zona at the Swiss television.
	Recordings of his own pop-songs at the Powerplay Studio in Maur in co-production with Urs Wiesendanger.
	Foundation of a classical duo together with cello player Mattia Zappa (Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich).
2007	The CD "Belli in zona" appeared in January. Label: Altrisuoni
	The CD "Belli in zona" gets presented at the cultural broadcast "Il balcone" (Swiss Italian television) as well as at the interview "Il camaleonte" (Swiss Italian radio). The Marco Santilli Quartet recorded their demo cd "Viaggio sujazztivo". Another demo cd that has been produced was that of"Santilli’s Coffee Correction".
2008	Recording of a demo cd with Mattia Zappa and public performance at the festival TonhalleLATE by improvising on techno house background. A new project gets established with Paolo Alderighi. It includes a repertoire of Marco's own composed jazz pieces of Mediterranean flavour. Soloist performance at the "Festival der gehobenen Unterhaltungsmusik" at the "Stadttheater" Winterthur. In what concerns pop there have been new compositions in oder to complete an album by spring 2009. Further, participation at the tv show of Teddy Reno with his own song "Non so cantar" that has been broadcasted on Canale Italia (2 milioni viewers).
2009	Marco has published an EP with the songs „Scantinati scandinavi“ and „Non so cantar“ in view of the pop album „Partenza“. Both songs appealed to various radio stations within Switzerland and Italy and they were taken into their music program. In addition, there have been a number of radio interviews as well as articles published on the outcome of the EP (for further info please visit the website www.santillimusic.com). Marco performed both EP songs at the Open Air event “Notte Bianca” at Locarno. Towards the year’s end the album “Partenza” containing 11 songs has been completed. Urs Wiesendanger (Powerplay Studio, Maur), Marco’s co-producer, made a terrific job. The legendary drummer John Robinson JR took part in several recordings. In the field of jazz music. Marco was putting the final touches on the repertory of the duo with Paolo Alderighi. Their aim is to make a CD recording in 2010. Marco was on tour with “Belli in zona”. In what concerns classical music, he became in charge of the arrangements for the music cycle “Opera viva” of the Zurich Opera and took actively part in the orchestra. He participated for the first time in a production of Armin Brunner at the Musikfesttage in Wallisellen.