Matteo Mela was born in 1971 in Imperia, Italy. He was a student of Renzo Doria Miglieta in his hometown but moved to Cremona to pursue his studies of musicology at the University of Cremona. There he met Giovanni Puddu, who played a major role in his musical education; at the same time, he had the chance of attending master classes of such distinguished guitarists such as: Angelo Gilardino, Alirio Diaz, Oscar Ghiglia, David Russell, the Assad brothers. He continued his studies of chamber music at the Accademia Pianistica di Imola with Dario De Rosa, Alexander Lonquich, and Pier Narciso Masi.

As a member of the Mela-Bandini duo Matteo won – between 1991 and 1998 – the first prize in several prestigious chamber music competitions, such as the Aram (Rome) 1992, the F. Cilea Competition in 1993, the GMI in 1994, the Città di Gubbio, Città di Caltanissetta and Perugia Classico Competitions in 1995. Recently he has been collaborating with guitarist Lorenzo Micheli in a number of projects. Matteo also regularly gives recitals and makes TV and radio appearances across Europe and North America (recent engagements have included performances in Rome, Milan, Bologna, Turin, Naples, Paris, Hamburg, Cologne, Warsaw, Oslo, Cincinnati, Phoenix, Dallas, Houston).

Matteo currently teaches at the Accademia di Perfezionamento “G. Caccini” in Montopoli Val d’Arno and at the Accademia Musicale Tema in Milan. He has released a CD of Latin American Dances (Quadrivium, with G. Bandini) and the solo CD Italian virtuosos of the nineteenth century (Kookaburra), as well as the Three Quartets, op. 19, by french composer François de Fossa (CD Stradivarius). His forthcoming new CD includes Astor Piazzolla’s complete guitar music, featuring Ivan Rabaglia (violin), Lorenzo Micheli (guitar), Per Arne Glorvigen (bandoneon) and the Piazzolla String Ensemble.