Andrea Macinanti was born in Bologna: he attained diplomas in organ, harpsichord and singing from the Bologna and Parma Conservatories, and completed his studies with Klemens Schnorr in Munich. He obtained a master’s degree in the Faculty of Letters and Philosophy at the University of Bologna and a PhD in Philosophy of Music at the University of Geneva with «mention très honorable». 
He was chosen to represent Bologna, the Capital of Culture at the Festival of Reykjavik (Iceland). He is a professor of Organ at Bologna Conservatory. He has recorded numerous CDs; the most successful includes recordings for two organs (with Francesco Tasini) and the others released on the TACTUS label of the complete organ works by Ottorino Respighi and Goffredo Giarda, as well those by Marco Enrico Bossi (17 CD’s), Oreste Ravanello and Giovanni Tebaldini. With Francesco Tasini, he worked on numerous critical editions, including the Fiori Musicali by Frescobaldi, the complete works for keyboard by Alessandro Scarlatti and G.B. Martini (UT ORPHEUS), an anthology in nine volumes of Italian music for organ, the Complete Organ Works of Marco Enrico Bossi. Andrea Macinanti published an analysis and interpretation of the Trois Chorals by César Franck and the book «Fabricato alla guisa del corpo humano» in 2019; he is a member of the Accademia Filarmonica di Bologna. 
He was decorated with the title of «Ufficiale dell’Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana».