Written by This summer the 49th edition of the Siena Jazz International Summer Workshop runs from July 24th to the 7th of August, 2019. Once again the faculty will feature an all-star line-up of internationally musicians and educators including, Ambrose Akinmusire, Donny McCaslin, Aaron Parks, Stefano Battaglia, Achille Succi and Kenny Werner to name just a few. (ed: The full faculty list is below)
The Sienese Jazz Association is a nonprofit cultural institution whose main goal is to support the Siena Jazz Foundation activities. Originally founded in 1977, and known as“Associazione Jazzistica Senese”, in 1991 the foundation was given its current name “Associazione Siena Jazz”. Siena jazz is among the first members of I.A.S.J. – International Association of Jazz Schools, headquartered in Holland (The Hague) and has organized the Siena Jazz International Summer Workshop for almost 50 years.
The workshops are held in the Fortezza Medicea building, with over 1.000 sq.mt. of state-of-the-art teaching facilities, a sound archive, library and workshop that form the “Arrigo Polillo” National Center for Jazz Studies, the research branch of the Foundation. During the International summer courses, the City of Siena provides extra facilities bringing the total facilities available to 27 Classrooms.
The 49th year of this year’s Summer Workshops are devoted to making jazz music, to sharing experience, to exchanging personal musical languages and to harmonizing cultures from different countries. Students from all five continents have gathered for many years at the Siena Jazz Seminars, discovering new affinities while getting to know each other, playing music together, while sharing their passion and love for jazz.
At the core of the learning process lies the acquiring of greater expertise and the all-important sharing of experience. Each day students will work with two different ensemble music groups with different make-ups under the instruction of different teachers, and will further take part in two lessons of instrumental improvisation technique, these sessions are also led by different teachers and composed of a maximum of 8 students.
The ensemble music groups are always lead by the teachers, creating a stimulating learning environment, rich in empathy and with a real sense of sharing. This creates a wonderful atmosphere of a true summer camp.
Every evening there are musical events including faculty performances, student jam sessions, and ensemble music group recitals. Jam sessions are held in the gardens of several of Siena’s historic contrade—a unique way to combine Sienese hospitality with the city’s medieval charm.
Faculty concert at Siena Jazz Workshop: pianist Matt Mitchell, vocalist Diana Torto, saxophonist Miguel Zenón, bassist Matt Penman and drummer Henry Cole. Photo credit: Francesco Martinelli
Throughout the two weeks of the workshop, a real Jazz community is created. With 120 students of different nationalities, enjoying the experience of making musical friends and collaborating with 34 top-quality international teachers, great artists in their own right, from Italy and other parts of the world.
This year’s International Teachers include:
- Theo Bleckmann/Becca Stevens/Jen Shyu/Diana Torto/ voice, combo class
- Fulvio Sigurtà/Avishai Cohen/Giovanni Falzone/Ambrose Akinmusire/ trumpet, combo class
- Miguel Zenon/Achille Succi/Donny McCaslin/ Maurizio Giammarco/sax, combo class
- Aaron Parks/Stefano Battaglia/Matt Mitchell/Kenny Werner/piano, combo class
- Charles Altura/Roberto Cecchetto/Nir Felder/Lage Lund/guitar, combo class
- Harish Raghavan /Furio Di Castri/Linda Oh/Paolino Dalla Porta/double bass, combo class
- Fabrizio Sferra/Ferenc Nemeth/Henry Cole/Ettore Fioravanti/drums, combo class
- Matt Penman/Dayna Stephens/Joe Sanders/Ben Wendel/ combo class
- Francesco Martinelli/History of Jazz
Siena Jazz Summer Workshop 2019 – Enrollment, prices, and accommodation
Photo Credits: Francesco Martinelli, Caterina Di Perri – and (c) info: all rights go to original recording artist/owner/photographer(s).
Last modified: May 9, 2019
