Rita D’Arcangelo, born in Guardiagrele, Italy, began her flute studies at the “State Conservatory of Music” in Pescara where she graduated with distinction studying with Sandro Carbone. She holds postgraduates degrees from the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester (PGDipRNCM), the International Academy of Music in Milan where she studied with Raffaele Trevisani, and the Hochschule für Musik in Mannheim (Orchestral Diploma and Solist Diploma) where she studied with Jean-Michel Tanguy. She had the privilege to attend the first Italian Masterclass of Sir James Galway and since then attended Sir James Galway’s masterclasses in Italy and Switzerland at last in Weggis 2008 where she was awarded the Marc Rich Foundation Scholarship for artistic achievement and the 14K All gold Nagahara flute Headjoint as the 1st Prize awarded by popular vote.

She has won the 1st prize at the 15th National Flute Festival (Ente Concerti Castello di Belveglio), the 1st prize at the flute competition of the Rotary club of Pescara, the 2nd prize (1st not awarded) at the 11th International Flute Competition “A.Ponchielli” in Cremona (Italy) and the 2nd prize (1st place in the section flute solo) at the 11th International Flute Competition “F. Kuhlau” in Uelzen (Germany).

Her first orchestral experiences were in the Youth Orchestra of Abruzzo and afterwards she served as first flute with several orchestras in Italy and abroad like the orchestral academy of the Orchestra Sinfonica “A.Toscanini” in Parma, “l’Orchestre des Jeunes de l’Union Europenne”, University Orchestra of Milan, Kurpfäelzische Kammer Orchester (KKO), Philharmonie der Nationen (with which she toured in Germany, Holland, Italy, England, Poland and China). Since september 2008 she is 1st flute of the Hyogo Performing Arts Center Orchestra in Japan under the artistic direction of Yutaka Sado.

As soloist she has recorded for the german radios SR2 and the SWR. As chamber musician she has been collaborating with different ensembles among the others the “Yehudi Menuhin Live Music Now” in Germany. She was invited to perform the W.A.Mozart’s Concerto in D-Major K314 for the opening of the Mozart Year 2006 in the City of Mannheim in Germany in the prestigious Rosengarten Theater. She has performed the Joaquin Rodrigo’s Concierto Pastoral with the Baden-Badener Philharmonie in 2008 and she will perform in 2009 in Japan at the Hyogo Performing Arts Center Orchestra the Saverio Mercadante’s Concerto in e-minor and the Joaquin Rodrigo Concierto Pastoral