Article

Pietro Masella

Published Online November 22, 2007

Last Edited December 5, 2013

Pietro (Ottavio) Masella. Oboist, teacher, b Montreal 6 Jan 1924, d there 10 Mar 2007. Pietro Masella took his first oboe lessons from Giuseppe Agostini in 1935. His first experience as an orchestra player was in the Montreal Symphony Orchestra (MSO) under the baton of Bruno Walter in 1941.

Masella, Pietro

Pietro (Ottavio) Masella. Oboist, teacher, b Montreal 6 Jan 1924, d there 10 Mar 2007. Pietro Masella took his first oboe lessons from Giuseppe Agostini in 1935. His first experience as an orchestra player was in the Montreal Symphony Orchestra (MSO) under the baton of Bruno Walter in 1941. While on military service he took courses 1943-6 at the Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Montréal with Bruno Labate and Michel Nazzi and also played with the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra; he later studied 1946-50 at the Paris Conservatory with Pierre Bajeux. Back in Canada he joined the CBC Montreal Orchestra and the McGill Chamber Orchestra and returned to the MSO in 1952, where he remained until his retirement in 1982. He also appeared with the Masella Wind Trio (see Rafael Masella) 1950-60. He taught 1970-6 at the Conservatoire de Hull and 1974-8 at the Vanier CÉGEP in Ville St-Laurent.

See also Raffaele (his grandfather), Frank (his father), and Joseph, Rodolfo, Alfred, Paul, Mario, and Giulio (his brothers).