His initial musical studies were completely self-motivated. He graduated with the highest grade, distinction and mention of honour at the Luigi Cherubini Conservatoire in Florence. Here he also won the scholarship awarded by the Humantarian Society in Milan to the five most promising students in music conservatoires throughout Italy, along with a special prize awarded by the Silio Taddei Foundation for outstanding final exam results. He later graduated with the highest grade and distinction in the Specialist Diploma for Soloists at the same Conservatoire.
He studied under Maria Tipo, with assistance from Pietro De Maria, at the Fiesole School of Music, where he was awarded a scholarship by the Rudolf Serkin Foundation. He also studied under Piero Rattalino at the Portogruaro School of Music, where he received the 'Festival delle Città' scholarship_
Alongside his piano studies he graduated from the University of Bologna with a degree in History of Music and successively obtained a teaching diploma at the same university, to satisfy a desire to teach which he had had since attending courses held by Sergio Sablich at the Conservatoire of Florence.
He teaches at the secondary schools in Florence. He has given concerts in collaboration with various societies and institutions in Italy, Europe and the USA.
His musical style and technical ability have inspired much very encouraging praise from many musicians.
He dislikes piano competitions, and believes that, in the interest of safeguarding and remaining true to one’s individual musical style and personal ideas of interpretation, it is better to avoid them.
He has recorded works of Scarlatti, Debussy and Liszt-Busoni for Sarx Records.

        References

“Matteo Battistelli has a very strong natural talent and hands which are made for the piano keys. He’s a pianist gifted with a very sophisticated and very confident technique. But more than that, his interpretation is built on musical sensitivity refined through experiences that go beyond music.”          [Piero Rattalino]
 
“Matteo Battistelli was one of my most gifted students at the Fiesole School of Music. He has an outstanding talent, together with a brilliant technique, intelligence and sensitivity.”         
[Maria Tipo]
 
“Matteo Battistelli is a pianist born for the stage, who possesses a strong temperament, an uncommon sensibility a mature personality, brillant technique and also the perfect capacity to communicate his ideas."”         
[Stefano Fiuzzi]
 
“Matteo Battistelli is a very good pianist and an excellent musician.”          
[Acquiles Delle Vigne]
 
“Matteo Battistelli is a pianist with a great sensibility. Sound control and perfect technique allow him to completely express the meaning of musical discourse with the highest naturalness and depth.”                    [Vittorio Chiarappa]