Salvatore Di Vittorio
A Sicilian-born composer who bridges Italian musical heritage with American energy as a conductor in New York.
Born 1967 (age 59)·Italian composer and conductor·Birthday: October 22·Generation X
Biography
Salvatore Di Vittorio carries the rich orchestral traditions of his native Italy across the Atlantic, acting as a cultural ambassador through music. Born in Palermo in 1967, he was steeped in the sounds of Respighi and the Italian symphonic school, which he studied and later helped revive through scholarly work. His path wasn't confined to academia or composition alone. In 2006, he founded the Chamber Orchestra of New York, establishing a dynamic ensemble that became his primary instrument as Music Director and conductor. Under his baton, the orchestra has become known for pairing contemporary American works with rediscovered European classics, creating dialogues between centuries and continents. Di Vittorio's own compositions, often lush and neo-romantic, are frequently featured, making him a rare figure who both writes the music and leads its performance, crafting a singular sonic identity for his adopted city.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Salvatore was born in 1967, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Salvatore Was Born
The biggest hits of 1967
#1 Movie
The Jungle Book
Best Picture
In the Heat of the Night
#1 TV Show
The Andy Griffith Show
Salvatore's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1967Born
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1972Started school
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1980Became a teenager
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1983Could drive
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1985Could vote
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1988Turned 21
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1997Turned 30
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 40
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 50
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 59 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Founded and serves as Music Director and Conductor of the Chamber Orchestra of New York.
- Completed and orchestrated several unfinished works by early 20th-century Italian composer Ottorino Respighi.
- Has had his original compositions performed by orchestras internationally, including in Italy and China.
Did You Know?
He is the first composer to complete Respighi's early Violin Concerto (in A major), which was premiered in 2009.
Di Vittorio studied composition at the Manhattan School of Music.
His work has been recognized by the Italian government, which awarded him the title of 'Cavaliere' (Knight).
“My music is a bridge between the old Italian masters and the new world.”
