Giovanni Antonini is an Italian conductor and soloist on the recorder and baroque transverse flute. He studied in his native Milan, and attended the Civica Scuola di Musica in that city and the Centre de Musique Ancienne in Geneva. In 1985, along with Luca Pianca, he co - founded Il Giardino Armonico, a pioneering Italian early-music ensemble based in Milan. Antonini is regarded as one of the leaders of the Italian period instruments movement, and has performed with many distinguished artists including Christoph Pr�gardien, Christophe Coin, Katia and Marielle Lab�que, Viktoria Mullova and Giuliano Carmignola. He has toured worldwide and has received numerous awards for his achievements, including, with Il Giardino Armonico, the Gramophone Award, Diapason d?Or, and Choc du Monde de la Musique. 

January 1st, 1965 in Milan (Age 60)