Workshop

STEP 1

To celebrate its 10^th edition, Virtuoso&Belcanto further expands its educational offerings with four prestigious workshops in addition to the usual master classes and competitions.

Students admitted to the master classes can participate in the workshops free of charge, while external students can register by paying a fee.

Deadline for applications for admission: April 30^th, 2025.

lecturer: Federico Maria Sardelli

period: Tuesday, July 22^nd to Saturday, July 26^th, 2025

language: english

The Focus Vivaldi workshop is dedicated to an in-depth study of historically informed performance of the music of Antonio Vivaldi. It will be taught by Federico Maria Sardelli, an eminent scholar of the Venetian composer, conductor and musicologist who has published many critical editions of Vivaldi’s works, often conducted by him in first performances in modern times. Around Vivaldi he has published several books that have been highly praised by the public and Italian musicology: L’affare Vivaldi (Sellerio, 2015), a historical novel that traces the vicissitudes of Vivaldi’s manuscripts from the composer’s death to the fortuitous rediscovery; Il volto di Vivaldi (Sellerio, 2021), in which the author analyzes history and issues of Vivaldi’s iconography; Lucietta: Vivaldi’s Organist (Sellerio, 2023), a historical novel in which we relive – between imagined and documented facts – the daily life of the Ospedale di Pietà; Vivaldi secondo Vivaldi (Il Saggiatore, 2024), in which the author condenses years of study of the manuscripts to offer well-documented guidelines for the interpretation of Vivaldi’s autographs.

Workshop structure:

• Inaugural lecture devoted to the theoretical/executive framework of the Vivaldi repertoire (July 22^nd)
• Four practical sessions (July 23^rd 26^th), three hours each
• Final public performance, Saturday, July 26^th, as part of the Festival’s master concert series.

lecturer: Federico Maria Sardelli

period: Tuesday, July 22^nd to Friday, July 25^th, 2025 (morning and afternoon)

language: italian

Parallel to the practical workshop, there will also be a series of in-depth meetings for musicians, musicologists and enthusiasts with no prerequisites. This opportunity is made especially valuable by the possibility of combining theoretical meetings and observation of musical practice by participating as auditors in the Focus Vivaldi workshop sessions.

Workshop structure:

• Morning (July 22^nd-24^th): three thematic meetings to delve into the figure of Antonio Vivaldi: his historical context, compositional practice and tools for a correct interpretation of his works.
• Afternoon (July 22^nd-26 ^nd): Access as auditors to Focus Vivaldi workshop activities, to combine theory and practice in a comprehensive view of Vivaldi’s interpretation.

lecturer: Adrian Brendel

guest lecturers: Joanna MacGregor, Yejin Gil, Paola Prestini, Jeffrey Zeigler

module 1: July 22^nd-25^th

module 2: July 30^th-August 2^nd

language: english

For years this innovative workshop taught by Adrian Brendel has been dedicated to exploring contemporary repertoire. Each year, V&B hosts a composer in residence, and in 2025 we will have the pleasure of having Paola Prestini with us.

V&B Contemporary offers students the opportunity to add three collective sessions to their training and the chance to play in a dedicated event. Two modules are offered in 2025, one for each week: each student can decide whether to apply for just one or both.

The workshop is completed with two series of public masterclasses, taught by Yejin Gil and Joanna MacGregor, in which students admitted to V&B Contemporary can actively participate by agreeing on the proposed repertoire.

MODULE 1

• July 23^rd-25^th: group sessions with Adrian Brendel
• July 27^th: site-specific evening concert in the Convictus garden

MODULE 2

• July 30^th-31^st, August 1^st: group sessions with Adrian Brendel and Paola Prestini
• August 1^st: site-specific evening concert in the Convictus garden
• August 2^nd: Rehearsal and concert for students selected to play in the V&B Closing Concert

lecturer: Jan Bjøranger

period: July 28^th-August 3^rd

language: english

This workshop aims to create a small chamber orchestra engaged in the preparation of a 30-minute repertoire to be played in the Festival Closing Concert (Sunday, August 3^rd, 12:00). The program will be chosen and communicated in advance. Rehearsals will take place during the second week of the Festival and there may be intermediate performances before the official concert on August 3^rd.

Selection will take into account experience, motivation and balanced distribution of opportunities. It is possible to apply for multiple workshops, consistent with one’s stay in Lucca and other activities attended. For example:

• A student attending the Festival for at least 10 days, with only the solo course, will have more opportunities to participate in one or more workshops.
• A student who is present for only one week and enrolled in multiple courses (solo and chamber music) will have less opportunity to be admitted to a workshop, to avoid organizational overlap.

External students can participate in workshops by applying by April 30, 2025 using the dedicated form.

Participation fees:

• Focus Vivaldi 45€
• Vivaldi secondo Sardelli 65€
• Contemporary V&B 45€ (per single module)
• V&B Chamber Music Orchestra 45€

Workshop participants will be able to purchase a subscription to the concerts of the first or second week of the Festival at the special price of 15€.