In 1951, twelve young and promising italian musicians, mainly roman and mostly graduates of the at the Accademia di Santa Cecilia in Rome, got together “inter pares” to create a unique chamber orchestra comprising six violins, two violas, two cellos, one double bass and one harpsichord.

Notably, maestro Arturo Toscanini, on hearing them rehearsing in April 1952 at the Italian Radio studios, enthused over the young orchestra in front of journalists and musical personalities, and dedicated his photograph to the group with the words “bravi, bravissimi …no! la musica non muore”, (bravo, the music will not die).

www.imusici.info

I Solisti Veneti has toured the world, playing over 6,000 concerts in over ninety countries, in places as diverse as Salzburg and Seoul.

As part of its 50th anniversary celebrations in 2008 the European Parliament honoured the Orchestra with an official plaque where they are praised as “Ambassadors of culture and music across the borders”.

The ensemble has recorded with many world-famous artists, including Salvatore Accardo, Plácido Domingo, Jean-Pierre Rampal, Marilyn Horne, James Galway, Mstislav Rostropovich, Sviatoslav Richter, Paul Badura-Skoda, Heinz Holliger and Ugo Orlandi.

www.solistiveneti.it

The Vienna Chamber Orchestra was founded in 1946 and today looks back on a rich musical tradition with numerous highlights.

These include Benjamin Britten’s conducting in the founding year, the debut of the nine-year-old Daniel Barenboim in 1952, and an appearance by Alfred Brendel in 1964. The orchestra’s artistic path has since been shaped by outstanding figures such as Carlo Zecchi, Philippe Entremont, Yehudi Menuhin, Sándor Végh, Heinrich Schiff, and Stefan Vladar. With a multitude of internationally renowned soloists, the ensemble has continuously expanded its artistic renown.

The orchestra’s international reputation is evidenced by its extensive touring. In the past two years alone, it has performed in Japan, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Morocco, and Argentina. Its second tour to Vietnam is scheduled for November 2025.

www.kammerorchester.com

The I VIRTUOSI ITALIANI complex, born in 1989, is one of the most active and qualified groups on the international music scene, regularly invited to the most important theatres, festivals and seasons around the world.

They are recognized for a particular aptitude in creating increasingly innovative projects, constant research in various languages, in addition to the excellent artistic quality demonstrated over years of activity.

There are numerous collaborations with soloists and conductors of international importance.

The Virtuosi Italiani have performed for the most important theaters and for the main Italian musical institutions such as the Teatro alla Scala, the Teatro La Fenice, the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, the GOG of Genoa, the Unione Musicale of Turin, the ‘University Concert Institution of Rome, the Teatro alla Pergola of Florence, the Philharmonic Society of Rome, the Teatro Filarmonico of Verona, the Società del Quartetto of Milan and many others.

www.ivirtuositaliani.eu

Founded in 1992 by Guido Rimonda and Cristina Canziani with the aim of performing the works of composer and violinist Giovanni Battista Viotti, it became the orchestra of the Viotti Festival in 1997.

Over the years, it has played with soloists such as Salvatore Accardo, Shlomo Mintz, Uto Ughi, Andrea Bacchetti, Pietro De Maria, Isabelle Faust, Richard Galliano, Igudesman & Joo, and many others.Every year, it is a guest at important national concert seasons and tours abroad (France, Japan, Guatemala, United States, Bahrain, Georgia, South Africa).

On the twentieth anniversary of its foundation, the ensemble conducted by Guido Rimonda achieved another important milestone with the Viotti Project on the Decca Records label.

The name Camerata Ducale is inspired by the Cappella Ducale dei Savoia, the Turin orchestra which, in the 18th century, under the aegis of the House of Savoy, was composed of the most important Italian violinists of the time, such as Giovanni Battista Somis, Gaetano Pugnani, and Viotti himself.

https://www.viottifestival.it/

CIDIM – Italian National Music Council is a non-profit-making musical association, entered in the register of legal persons under D.P.R. 361/2000 as communicated by the Prefettura of Rome on 12 October 2004.

CIDIM was founded in 1978 as “Centro Italiano Di Iniziativa Musicale” by 33 concert associations with the object of providing Italian music institutions with the availability of an association which would act as a reference point at a time when extensive changes were being made in the legislation relative to musical activities and which would coordinate complex musical and cultural activities.
In 1981 CIDIM was recognized by the IMC – International Music Council (NGO maintaining a formal associate relationship with UNESCO) as the Italian National Music Council.

A precise description of the role of CIDIM requires consideration of the fact that the National Music Councils were created according to international guidelines laid down by the IMC and by the EMC, namely that of being centres of music services with tasks in sectors differing from the normal circuit of the production and distribution institutions which manage and organize musical events (concerts, festivals, courses and competitions) and which therefore benefit from a major visibility. For example, CIDIM promotes talented young Italian musicians recommending them to operators in the music world and coordinating, in partnership with the latter, their circulation both in Italy and abroad. CIDIM’s activity has consequently a social and cultural value which remains however frequently unknown by the general public for the very good reason that it is carried out offstage.

www.cidim.it

Founded in 2008, the Artes Association is headquartered at Viale Marconi 36/D in Prato, Tuscany, and has two branches in Siena and Piove di Sacco (Padua).

According to its bylaws, Artes’ purpose is to “promote and encourage musical culture” and “contribute to the cultural and civic development of its members, as well as the wider diffusion of democracy and solidarity in human relationships”.

Specifically, Artes aims to promote and encourage the arts through organising courses, conferences, workshops and competitions for emerging musicians.

Among the projects curated by Artes are the Advanced Training Courses, the Florence Conducting Masterclass, the Italian Opera Workshop, and the music courses held at the Artes Music School in Prato.
These courses are taught by renowned teachers such as conductors Riccardo Frizza (Metropolitan Opera, New York), Günter Neuhold (Salzburg Festival), György Györiványi Ráth (Hungarian National Opera), Luciano Acocella (Orchestre National de France), Donato Renzetti (Teatro alla Scala, Milan), Antonello Allemandi (Wiener Staatsoper), and the composer Andrea Portera, who was awarded the Silver Medal of the President of the Italian Republic for artistic merits.

Artes is the founding and promotional body of several international conducting competitions, including the Antal Doráti Competition, held in Budapest every four years; the State Opera Plovdiv Competition, held in Plovdiv every two years; and the European Union Conducting Competition.

In addition to these activities, Artes engages in music production. Numerous festivals have been held in the municipalities of Prato, Calenzano, Carmignano, Poggio a Caiano and Montemurlo, as well as in the surrounding areas of Florence, San Giovanni Valdarno, Anghiari, Padua and Piove di Sacco. Festivals have also been held abroad in Budapest, Nice, Sofia, Tirgu Mures and Almaty.

The association’s artistic director is maestro Andrea Vitello.

www.artesitalia.it