West Pittston’s Dominick Cristofori D’Alessandro was delighted to play two classical piano pieces at the Embassy of Italy last week, and to have his musical talent recognized by The Italian Cultural Society of Washington, D.C. “It was a really great experience. The embassy was really impressive,” he said, adding he was thrilled to receive the society’s Luciana Montanari-Mendola Award in recognition of his talent as a pianist.

D’Alessandro, 19, is the son of Joseph D’Alessandro and Cynthia Stuccio D’Alessandro. He began his piano training at age 3 with his mother, who “still works with me now.” While he was a student at Wyoming Seminary College Preparatory School in Kingston, he served as accompanist and student director of the Madrigal Singers, with whom he traveled to Germany, Switzerland and Italy.