Riccardo "Wizard" Merlini plays drums with Mr. Pig (cover band of Mr. Big) and is teaching at the National Academy of Modern Music.



Riccardo Merlini got his first drum kit at age four, but his love for drums really started burning when he heard Toto drummer, followed by Virgil Donati and Mike Portnoy. More recently Merlini discovered Thomas Lang and Mark Minnemann. Merlini studied at the conservatory of Rovigo.



Riccardo "Wizard" Merlini placed third with 1,013 single strokes in 60 seconds during The Battle of the Hands of the WFD competition at NAMM Summer Session 2007 in Austin, Texas.