Piccola Accademia di Montisi
Encyclopedia
Located in Tuscany
, the Piccola Accademia di Montisi is a meeting place for musicians who have an interest in the harpsichord
.
and the surrounding area. Held in Montisi
, the Accademia's annual festival presents instrumental and vocal ensembles which showcase composers informed by the harpsichord. Artists range from rising stars of the genre to distinguished exponents of historic performance such as Alan Curtis
, noted American harpsichordist
, musicologist, and conductor of baroque opera. The 2007 Montisi festival marked the 250th anniversary of Domenico Scarlatti
’s death with performances by Gustav Leonhardt
, Mahan Esfahani
, Capriccio Stravagante and others. The Piccola Accademia plans to visit London in November 2008, participating in the London Bach Society
’s ‘Bachfest’ programme. Performers will include Laurence Cummings
and Warwick Thompson. The 2008 Montisi festival featured performances by Bob van Asperen
, Francesco Cera and ensemble, Mahan Esfahani
, and Pieter Wispelwey
, while the 2009 festival featured performances by Pierre Hantai
, Gustav Leonhardt
, and Mahan Esfahani
.
Tuscany
Tuscany is a region in Italy. It has an area of about 23,000 square kilometres and a population of about 3.75 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence ....
, the Piccola Accademia di Montisi is a meeting place for musicians who have an interest in the harpsichord
Harpsichord
A harpsichord is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It produces sound by plucking a string when a key is pressed.In the narrow sense, "harpsichord" designates only the large wing-shaped instruments in which the strings are perpendicular to the keyboard...
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Background
In recent years, popular access to original instruments has diminished, with many institutions regarding their collections as historical artefacts to be seen and not heard. The Piccola Accademia is addressing this problem by creating a collection of antique and replica harpsichords. This approach aims to guarantee the veracity of the original musical compositions for future generations by ensuring that they are performed upon historically authentic instruments. The ultimate aim is to promote the harpsichord as a vibrant, living medium.Mission statement
The Piccola Accademia describes itself as "committed to providing access to exceptional instruments, teaching and recording facilities to the musical community, as well more broadly raising the profile of quality historic performance and appreciation of the harpsichord through regular performances, festivals, community events and communications".Activities
The Piccola Accademia plays an active role in promoting the harpsichord to modern performers and audiences. This is achieved through the annual Montisi festival and also by educative master classes given by experts. Regular concerts are held in the stunning churches and monasteries within MontisiSan Giovanni d'Asso
San Giovanni d'Asso is a comune in the Province of Siena in the Italian region Tuscany, located about 80 km southeast of Florence and about 30 km southeast of Siena in the area known as the Crete Senesi....
and the surrounding area. Held in Montisi
Montisi
Montisi is a frazione of the comune of San Giovanni d'Asso. It's situated in the Province of Siena, in the Southern Tuscany, near Pienza and Montalcino. The hill on which is Montisi in on the boundary between the Val d'Orcia and the Crete Senesi.- History :...
, the Accademia's annual festival presents instrumental and vocal ensembles which showcase composers informed by the harpsichord. Artists range from rising stars of the genre to distinguished exponents of historic performance such as Alan Curtis
Alan Curtis (harpsichordist)
Alan Curtis is a noted American harpsichordist, musicologist, and conductor of baroque opera. After graduate studies at the University of Illinois , where he wrote his dissertation on the keyboard music of Sweelinck, he studied in Amsterdam with Gustav Leonhardt, with whom he subsequently recorded...
, noted American harpsichordist
Harpsichordist
A harpsichordist is a person who plays the harpsichord.Many baroque composers played the harpsichord, including Johann Sebastian Bach, Domenico Scarlatti, George Frideric Handel, François Couperin and Jean-Philippe Rameau...
, musicologist, and conductor of baroque opera. The 2007 Montisi festival marked the 250th anniversary of Domenico Scarlatti
Domenico Scarlatti
Giuseppe Domenico Scarlatti was an Italian composer who spent much of his life in the service of the Portuguese and Spanish royal families. He is classified as a Baroque composer chronologically, although his music was influential in the development of the Classical style...
’s death with performances by Gustav Leonhardt
Gustav Leonhardt
Gustav Leonhardt is a highly renowned Dutch keyboard player, conductor, musicologist, teacher and editor. Leonhardt has been a leading figure in the movement to perform music on period instruments...
, Mahan Esfahani
Mahan Esfahani
Mahan Esfahani is an Iranian-American keyboardist; he is the first harpsichordist named as a BBC New Generation Artist. As a concerto soloist, recitalist, and collaborative musician, he has gained an international reputation on a variety of early keyboards.- Biography :Born in 1984 in Tehran,...
, Capriccio Stravagante and others. The Piccola Accademia plans to visit London in November 2008, participating in the London Bach Society
London Bach Society
The London Bach Society is a society devoted to performing the music of Johann Sebastian Bach with small, professional forces, using period instruments in order to obtain an authentic style of interpretation.-History:...
’s ‘Bachfest’ programme. Performers will include Laurence Cummings
Laurence Cummings
Laurence Cummings , MA , ARCM, FRCO, HonRAM is a British harpsichordist, organist, and conductor. Cummings was educated at Solihull School, Christ Church, Oxford and the Royal College of Music...
and Warwick Thompson. The 2008 Montisi festival featured performances by Bob van Asperen
Bob van Asperen
Bob van Asperen is a harpsichordist, organist, conductor, clavichordist and early music-specialist.After completing a conventional music course at university, in 1967 he studied under the harpsichord master Gustav Leonhardt. In 1968 he joined the group Quadro Hotteterre, of which he was a member...
, Francesco Cera and ensemble, Mahan Esfahani
Mahan Esfahani
Mahan Esfahani is an Iranian-American keyboardist; he is the first harpsichordist named as a BBC New Generation Artist. As a concerto soloist, recitalist, and collaborative musician, he has gained an international reputation on a variety of early keyboards.- Biography :Born in 1984 in Tehran,...
, and Pieter Wispelwey
Pieter Wispelwey
Pieter Wispelwey is a Dutch cellist. In 1992 he was the first cellist to receive the Netherlands Music Prize, given to the most promising young musician in the Netherlands. He has come to be regarded as one of the world's leading cello soloists.Pieter Wispelwey was born in Haarlem and grew up in...
, while the 2009 festival featured performances by Pierre Hantai
Pierre Hantaï
Pierre Hantaï, is a French conductor and harpsichordist. The son of painter Simon Hantaï, he took up the harpsichord at the age of 11 and studied in Paris with the American teacher Arthur Haas followed by two years in Amsterdam with Gustav Leonhardt...
, Gustav Leonhardt
Gustav Leonhardt
Gustav Leonhardt is a highly renowned Dutch keyboard player, conductor, musicologist, teacher and editor. Leonhardt has been a leading figure in the movement to perform music on period instruments...
, and Mahan Esfahani
Mahan Esfahani
Mahan Esfahani is an Iranian-American keyboardist; he is the first harpsichordist named as a BBC New Generation Artist. As a concerto soloist, recitalist, and collaborative musician, he has gained an international reputation on a variety of early keyboards.- Biography :Born in 1984 in Tehran,...
.