Biography
Nothing is known about him prior to his appearance in Padua in 1567 as an organist at Crosieri Cathedral. That same year he tried to gain the prestigious job as first organist of the cathedral there. In 1568 he acquired the position of primary organist at the Scuola Grande di San Rocco, a Venetian establishment almost as prestigious as St. Mark's; he held this post until 1584 at which time he returned to Padua to take the post at the cathedral that he at first failed to win. In December 1585 he was fired from his job in Padua, probably because of an unexcused absence, but he returned to Venice to become organist of yet another Venetian church, Santo Stefano. In 1586 he became first organist at St. Mark's, the position just vacated by Andrea Gabrieli; thus he was first organist alongside Giovanni Gabrieli, who was second organist. Unfortunately Bellavere died after only holding this post for nine months.
Bellavere was a talented composer and could have become a major member of the Venetian school, had his career not been cut short; possibly he died fairly young, though reliable information on his age is missing.
Read more about this topic: Vincenzo Bellavere
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