Italian violionist and composer. Piani's father Pietro Giacomo Piani, a native of Bologna, played the trumpet at the court of Naples. Giovanni Antonio Piani studied at the Conservatorio della Piet dei Turchini under Gian Carlo Cailo (1652-1722) and Nicola Vinciprova. From 1704 onwards he lived in Paris, where he was in the service of Louis-Alexandre de Bourbon. During his time in Paris, Jean-Baptiste Senaill was his pupil.
In Paris, Piani published his 12 Sonatas for Violin or Flute and Continuo Op.1. He received a ten year old royal privilege for this publication, to prevent unauthorized reprints. Nevertheless, already in 1716 Le Cne published under Piani's name six sonatas from this collection. In the history of music, Piani's Op.1 is remarkable because the indications crescendo, diminuendo and Messa di voce are foundfor the first time in a print publication.
From 1721 to 1760 Piani was the highest salaried member of the Imperial Chapel, where he was in 1741 appointed director of instrumental music by Empress Maria Theresia.