Barbara Zanichelli was born in Parma, where she earned diploma at the conservatory in violin, before going on to study voice with the Russian teacher Anatoli Goussev in Milan. She furthered her studies of performance practice in baroque music with Cristina Miatello, Claudine Ansermet and Roberto Gini; in the bel canto repertoire with Luciana Serra and Sergio Bertocchi, Sherman Lowe; and in contemporary vocal techniques with Luisa Castellani, under whose guidance she also earned a Concert Diploma with honors from the Conservatory of Lugano (Switzerland). In the same Conservatory, in 2009, she earned a Pedagogy Diploma, with honors under the guidance of Marianne Kohler.As soprano in the vocal quintet "Vox Altera", she was awarded first prize in the "Luca Marenzio International Competition" for madrigal ensembles which took place in Coccaglio in September 1999 (the jury of which was presided over by Claudio Gallico and Anthony Rooley).
She actively concertizes both as a soloist and in ensembles, interpreting primarily early and contemporary music, appearing at important venues and festivals in both Italy and abroad as Accademia di S.Cecilia, Auditorium parcodella Musica, Festival Nuova Consonanza, Accademia Filarmonica Romana in Rom; Milano Musica, Musica e poesia a S.Maurizio e Settembre Musica MITO in Milan; Ravenna Festival; Abbaye de Rouyemont, Cité de la Musique in Parigi, Festival de Ribeauvillé, Festival de Saintes in France; Tage Alter Musik in Herne, Alter Musik Konzerthaus Berlin, Erfurt-Festival Güldener Herbst, Schwäbisch Gmünd-Festival Europäische Kirchenmusik, Dortmund Konzerthaus in Germany; Wiener Musikverein, Festival Resonanzen-Konzerthaus of Vienna, Innsbruck Festwochen der Alten Musik, Graz-Steiriches Kammermusik Festival, Musikwochen Millstatt in Austria; South Bank Centre in London; Festival van vlaanderen in Antwerpen-Utrecht-Bruge, Bruxelles-Kaaitheater; Rotterdamde Doelen; Geneve-Saison de l’Ensemble Contrechamps, Basel-Freunde alter Musik, Freiburg-Festival international de Musiques sacrées, Cantar di Pietre, Berner Studiokonzerte DRS2, Oggi Musica, Ceresio Estate, Novecento-passato e presente in Switzerland; Valencia- Ciclo de Música Antigua, Sociedad Filarmónica de Bilbao, Barcelona-Festival Música Antigua , Festival de Música Antigua de Sevilla in Spain; tournée in Usa, Russia, Latvia, Columbia.
She has sung under the direction of M.W.Chung, T.Fisher, A.Richard, E.Gatti, B.Kujken, P.Németh, R.H.Platz, L.Pianca, G. Bernasconi, O.Dantone, F.M.Bressan, V.Parisi, C.Cavina, G.Capuano, W.Merz, among others, and has premiered works by composers such as K. Stockhausen (World Premiêre HIMMELFAHRT, 1°Hour of KLANG and URANTIA, 19° hour), G. Bryars, F.Hoch. S.Gervasoni, L.Kupper and M.Stedron, closely collaborating with the authors themselves in the preparation of the performances.Her great interest in medieval music, ranging from Gregorian Chant to Ars Nova, has led over the years to collaborations with specialists in this repertoire, above all with the ensemble Mala Punica, directed by Pedro Memelsdorff, an internationally renowned innovator and interpreter of Ars Nova. In addition, she has furthered her studies through courses in Semiology and Gregorian Chant, held in Cremona by N. Albarosa, J.B. Göschl, G.Conti, Tito Molisani and she founded the female vocal ensemble STUDIUM.
An active singing teacher, she has held master classes in vocal technique and style at the Conservatory of Potenza, at the Early Music Courses in Gijon, as well as courses organized by the province of Florence and by various choral organizations.Since 2007 she has been teaching at the Conservatory of Italian Switzerland in Lugano, as assistant of Luisa Castellani.
Barbara Zanichelli may be heard on radio recordings in Italy and Europe, and has recorded for various labels including ERATO, ARCANA, CHANDOS, VIRGIN, GLOSSA, STOCKHAUSEN-VERLAG, NAIVE, AEON.