Mario Stefano Pietrodarchi was born in Atessa on December 26th 1980. He began studying the accordion at the age of nine before switching to the bandoneon later. From 1993 to 2001, he studied at the F. Fenaroli Civic Music school in Lanciano with M° C. Calista and with M° C. Chiacchiaretta.
In 2007, he graduated with honours from Santa Cecilia Academy of Music in Rome.
He has attended masterclasses in Italy and abroad with J. Mornet, W. Zubitsky, A. L. Castaño, C. Rossi, Y. Shishkin.
A brilliant performer with refined musicality, he has won many national and international competitions such as:
1st Prize at the National Competition "Città di Latina" (1996, 1997);
1st Prize at the National Competition "Città di Montese" (MO) (1997);
1st Prize at the International Competition "S. Bizzarri di Morro D 'Oro" (TE) cat. Junior (1997);
1st Prize at the National Competition "Città di Rieti" (1999);
1st Prize "Adamo Volpi" at the Competition “Città di Loreto” (AN) (2000);
In July 1998, he was selected to represent Italy at the World Trophy C.M.A. (Junior) in Recoaro Terme, Italy; In 2001, he won the World Trophy C.M.A. (Senior) in Lorient, France (21st-24th September).
In June 2002, he was a guest at the "Premio Barocco" - broadcast live from Gallipoli on Rai1 – and performed with the famous singer Antonella Ruggiero.
In October 2003-2004-2005, he took concerts as a soloist with the International Orchestra of Italy in China and Korea under the direction of J. Webb.
In 2005, he collaborated with the Teatro dell'Opera in Rome and the Symphony Foundation "Petruzzelli" of Bari to produce the Opera "Ascesa e Caduta della Città di Mahagonny" by Kurt Weill directed by M° J. Webb.
In 2006, he resided at the Montreal Jazz Festival - “I colori del mare” with Gabriele Mirabassi and Pietro Tonolo - a project of the EGEA record company.
He has been invited several times to perform on the programme Domenica In (RAI 1) and to play with the RAI Orchestra conducted by Pippo Caruso.
In 2008, he performed at the 58th edition of the Festival di San Remo, Italy.
In 2008 and 2009, he recorded the soundtracks by Paolo Buonvino for the films “Caos Calmo” by Nanni Moretti “Italians” by Giovanni Veronesi – among the actors: C. Verdone, R. Scamarcio and S. Castellitto.
On 25th May 2009, he played at the Colosseo (Rome) with M° Andrea Bocelli, Angela Gheorghiu, Andrea Griminelli and the Abruzzo Symphony Orchestra. The event “L’alba separa dalla luce l’ombra” was in aid of the earthquake victims of Abruzzo. It was exclusively broadcast worldwide on RAI 1 and RAI SAT.
On December 25th 2010, he performed with the Orchestra Giovanile Italiana in Concerto per la Vita e per la Pace (Concert for Life and Peace), worldwide broadcast by RAI in Bethlehem.
On January 1st 2010, he played as a soloist in the Orchestra Giovanile Italiana for the New Year Concert at Teatro Comunale in Florence.
In January 2011, he performed for the Fondazione Arena di Verona at the Teatro Filarmonico with the Orchestra dell'Arena di Verona.
On June 1st 2011, he performed at the Arena of Verona together with Erwin Schrott during the festivities for the 150th anniversary of the Italian unification. The show was broadcast live by Rai 1.
On August 1st 2011, supported by the Orchestra Internazionale d’Italia directed by M. Omer Wellber, he premiered “The retourn of the Jackals” – a piece for Accordion, Mandolin, Mag Tape and Orchestra by the Israeli composer Michael Wolpe.
Together with Erwin Schrott and Anna Netrebeko, he performed in the most important cities in Germany, England and Denmark in 2012. In the same year, he recorded the DVD "Live in Portofino" on a guest appearance with Andrea Bocelli.
In 2013, he performed on a guest appearance with Andrea Bocelli, Riccardo Cocciante, Pino Daniele and Simona Molinari at the event "Teatro del Silenzio". On February 22 2014, he performed at the Ulker Sports Arena in Istanbul together with Andrea Bocelli.
From 15 to 19 April 2014, he was a protagonist in the production of the "Verdi Dance" choreographed by Misha van Hoecke at the Teatro dell'Opera in Rome.
In 2018 recorded “Tango Seasons” for Sony Records, alongside Andrés Gabetta leading the fantastic baroque ensemble Cappella Gabetta.
Apart from frequently performing in Italy, he has been giving concerts in England, France, Belgium, Croatia, Serbia, Germany, the U.S.A., Poland, Portugal, Finland, Switzerland, Hungary, Canada, Armenia, Russia, Bosnia Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Turkia, Libano, Belarus and China.
