XXXVII FEstival

Voci D’Europa

Starts on TV, Streaming and Social Network the XXXVII edition of the International Festival of Polyphonic Music “Voci d’Europa”.

(>> First Press Release – Italian only)

>> RELIVE THE FIRST PART OF THE FESTIVAL
>> RELIVE THE SECOND PART OF THE FESTIVAL

“I admit: thinking about “Voci d’Europa” this year was not easy. In each edition we would like to find the pleasure of cultural exchange, the vivacity of the sung emotions, the beauty of internationality, the richness of sharing, the elevation of humanity that becomes music… but never as this year we have realized the importance that closeness plays in all of this. We have begun to be afraid of contact, to demonize the breath… we, who learn to perceive the slightest breath and movement as essential in chorus and choral music and often “feel” it without even seeing it. Vibrations and physicality have been brutally supplanted by virtuality and masks: from here a new need arises, which has the flavor of a challenge.

Following the example of those who created the Festival, we believed in the power of culture and wanted to give voice and space to the greatness of vocal music, although in a different formula; we choose to give a new meaning to the Festival, even if distant from each other, from our audience and from our international guests who were unable to come to Sardinia this year.

The Dolci Accenti Ensemble (Sassari) and the Vocal Ensemble Ricercare (Cagliari), which are two local professional musical formations specialized in the study of Baroque music and which will perform masterpieces by Claudio Monteverdi, will break the silence of our rehearsal rooms and with them we will bring the cultural beauties of our territory beyond the physical borders that we cannot cross in this historical phase. The Coro Polifonico Turritano will sing Benjamin Britten and the two contemporary authors James Whitbourne and Bob Chilcott: as the latter describes in a comment on his compositions, in front of a new discovery or the achievement of a social goal, humanity is pervaded by a new and fresh wind, by a spirit of change that looks to the future and is called hope. We will sing notes of hope for the Festival itself, until we reach as many people as possible. The virtual edition of the “Voci d’Europa” Festival will then be broadcast to spread the culture, beauty and strength of our territory.”

The Artistic Director
Laura Lambroni

THE PROTAGONISTS OF THE FESTIVAL

Ensamble Vocale Ricercare (Cagliari)
– Conductor: Riccardo Leone

Sopranos: Alice Madeddu, Maria Paola Nonne, Maria Ganga, Letizia Asunis
Altos: Federica Moi, Veronica Mereu
Tenors: Manuel Cossu, Alessio Faedda
Basses: Alessandro Porcu, Andrea Macis

Curriculum Ensamble Vocale Ricercare

Established in 2003 within Riccardo Leone’s ensemble music class at the Conservatory “G. P. da Palestrina” in Cagliari, the ensamble is made up of singers and instrumentalists who have numerous concert experiences to their credit.

Since the year of its establishment, the ensamble has participated in numerous reviews and music festivals – “Cagliari ritrovata”, “Echi lontani”, “Concordia Vocis”, “Festa europea della musica”, “Spaziomusica”, “Il respiro dell’Arte”, “Voci nella città”, “Animanera”, “Momenti di Giubilo”, “Festival Internazionale della Musica Corale” (Sassari) – with a repertoire that ranges from Gesualdo da Venosa, Cipriano da Rore and Claudio Monteverdi to Buxtehude, Bach, Charpentier , Scarlatti, Carissimi, up to touching contemporary composers. Also it has performed several absolute premieres, such as some pieces by Gilberto Bosco (Pagine, on pieces taken from La vedova scalza by Salvatore Niffoi), Lucio Garau (Can(z)oni, on texts by Benvenuto Lobina), Osvaldo Coluccino and Stefano Taglietti. The ensemble has participated in the following projects: In honorem Beatae Virginis and She never told her love of the Conservatory “G. P. da Palestrina” of Cagliari (2005); Dark project (tracks with live electronics), in which it performed pieces by Oppo, Scelsi and Pusceddu. In 2004 it recorded Il Combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda of Monteverdi, a CD produced by the Conservatory “G. P. da Palestrina ”of Cagliari. In 2011 it recorded Oppo’s Tetrafonies, Mendelssohn Bartholdy’s Jauchzet dem Herrn alle Welt and La Licata’s Stele di Sicilo.

For a few years Ricercare has been taking part in the “Echi Lontani” International Festival with the multi-year project that provides for the complete performance of Monteverdi’s Madrigals. It is conducted by Riccardo Leone.

Curriculum Riccardo Leone – Conductor

Riccardo Leone was born in Cagliari in 1959. His musical journey began at the age of five, when he developed the practice of accompanying pop and rock music of the 60s/70s. Immediately and for a long time he was in contact with the ensemble music, thus experiencing what would have been the most important part of his musical life. At the age of eleven he began studying the piano with Orio Buccellato at the “G. P. da Palestrina “in Cagliari; then he studied singing, composition, conducting and harpsichord.
n his musician’s activity he tried not to forget any games played as a child and to practice singing, ensemble music and improvisation. Continuing to alternate these activities, he has participated – in different formations – in about 500 concerts around Europe, Asia and Latin America.
He is currently President of the “Musici & Cantori” Association and member of the “Spaziomusica” Ensemble. He teaches ensemble and chamber music, with a predilection for the lieder repertoire, and ensemble music from the Baroque period at the Conservatory of his city. Since 1982 he has collaborated with the Teatro Lirico of Cagliari. He says of himself: «Mainly I play the piano in various chamber ensembles […], I conduct some instrumental and vocal groups […], I accompany some soloists. I like to create new projects that involve young musicians, just as I was, little more than a teenager, involved in some musical and educational initiatives […]. Since 1976 I have been dealing with non-idiomatic improvisation».

Dolci Accenti Ensamble (Sassari)

Valentina Satta: soprano
Calogero Sportato: archlute and theorbo
Matteo Taras: harpsichord

Valentina Satta

Valentina Satta – Soprano

From Nuoro, he began his musical studies at the Nuoro Civic School with the Ma. Paola Puggioni, and then graduated first in opera singing at the “L. Canepa ”of Sassari, under the guidance of Ma. Maria Mastino, and later, with full marks, in baroque singing, under the guidance of the world-famous soprano Roberta Invernizzi.
She is the winner of a scholarship from the “Giovanni Antonio Sulas” Foundation of Nuoro. She attended masterclasses and advanced courses with some of the most renowned experts on the interpretation of Renaissance-Baroque music, including: Johanna Kanuf, Filippo Maria Bressan, Gloria Banditelli, Alessandro Carmignani, Marco Berrini, Peter Neumann, Roberta Invernizzi, Franco Pavan, Fabio Biondi, Rinaldo Alessandrini, Sara Mingardo.
She collaborates with various chamber ensembles, with which she carries out a rich concert activity: “Baroque Ensemble”, “Ichnos Ensemble”, “Dolci Accenti”, “Musici Malatestiani”, “Ensamble Sezione Aurea”, “I Musicali Affetti”.
In July 2016 she won the 2nd prize of the “Fatima Terzo” International Competition in Vicenza and performed as a soloist with the ensemble “I Musicali Affetti”, directed by Maestro Fabio Missaggia, for the “Grandezze e Meraviglie” Festival in Vignola, for the Municipal Theater of Ferrara and for the Ancient Music Festival “Spazio e Musica”, at the Olympic Theater of Vicenza. In 2017 she sang the role of Proserpina in Monteverdi’s Orfeo, a musical work set up for the concert season of the 49th International Festival of Ancient Music in Urbino, under the direction of Maestro Rinaldo Alessandrini.

Calogero Sportato

Calogero Sportato – Archlute and Theorbo

Graduated in classical guitar, with full marks, at the “V. Bellini” Conservatory of Caltanissetta, and in lute at the Department of Ancient Music of the Conservatory “A. Pedrollo” of Vicenza, he refined his guitar technique following international masters held by international Maestri, such as: Alirio Diaz (Venezuela), Vladimir Mikulka (Czechoslovakia), Angel Torrisi (Argentina). He also attended several international specialization courses in lute and basso continuo held by the Maestri: A. Damiani (Italy), Pedro Memesdorf (Argentina), Paolo Cherici (Italy), Gilbert Bezzina (France), Terrell Stone (USA) and Rolf Lislevand (Norway).
He has carried out an intense concert activity in Italy and abroad for the most important festivals and concert associations. He collaborates as a continuo with various baroque ensembles and orchestras, including: the baroque ensemble “Dolci Accenti”, the trio “Arcadia” from Rome, the baroque orchestra “La lyra di Antifone”, the “Barocchisti” directed by D. Fasolis, the “Auser Musici”.
He has made recordings for the labels Bongiovanni, Sinphonia, Tactus, for Radio due, Radio Svizzera Italiana, Radio Romania Internazionale and for the Romanian state TV.
At the same time, he carries out an intense didactic activity aimed at spreading the Italian music of the 16th and 17th centuries, playing copies of period instruments such as: Renaissance lute, archlute, theorbo, baroque guitar and baroque lute. He is the artistic director of the International Festival of Ancient Music “Note Senza Tempo” and professor of guitar at the Liceo Musicale “D. A. Azuni” of Sassari.

Matteo Taras

Matteo Taras – Harpsichord

Born in Sassari, he began studying the piano with Maestro Giovanni Brollo and graduated with full marks under the guidance of Maestro Anna Revel at the “L. Canepa” of Sassari. He later perfected himself by attending the three-year courses of the Piano Academy of Pinerolo. He attended the composition course with R. Dapelo and conducting course with R. Gessi at the European Academy of Conducting in Vicenza. He follow several masterclasses in Piano, with P. De Maria and E. M. Pace, and in Conducting, with L. Shambadal, J. Coanjerts and others.
He began his concert activity at a very young age, specializing in chamber music and accompaniment to singing and ballet. He collaborates with various organizations and festivals, such as the Royal Academy of Dance. As a répétiteur and performer he has worked at various opera and concert organizations, including the “M. De Carolis”, the “Spaziomusica”Festival, the“ Teatro e/o Musica” Cooperative and others.
He devote himself to the study of different repertoires and genres, through which he has the opportunity to deal with important musicians of all kinds and styles, including the flutist A. Amenduni, the violinist A. Moccia, the Portuguese Terrakota and others.
He teaches Piano performance and interpretation at the Liceo “D. A. Azuni” of Sassari.
Since 2018 he is the Artistic Director of the Polifonica Santa Cecilia of Sassari.

Riccardo Pinna – Pianist
Born in Sassari, son of art, Riccardo Pinna began to devote himself to the study of the piano at the age of six under the guidance of Maestro Roberto Neri. He continued his studies at the “Luigi Canepa” Conservatory of Music of Sassari, under the guidance of Maestro Giovanni Baffero. At the age of ten he was 1st overall winner of the first regional competition “Prime Note … Sulle orme di Mozart”, by performing the entire Concerto K 414 in A major for piano and orchestra by WA Mozart, which he subsequently interpreted with the Orchestra of the “Luigi Canepa” Conservatory.
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He continued his studies under the guidance of the Masters Andrea Ivaldi and Mariano Meloni, with whom he graduated with full marks and honors. He is currently enrolled at the “Niccolò Paganini” Conservatory of Music in Genoa to specialize as a Master Collaborator in the class of Maestro Leonardo Nicassio. He has attended several advanced courses and masterclasses with well-known Masters, including Bruno Canino, Norma Fisher, Yuri Didenko and Franca Floris.
Since 2017 he has been part of the Trio “Lieto In… Canto” and is Director of the “Baratz” Choir of Villa Assunta. He currently teaches Piano at the “Mejlogu” Inter-municipal Music School for the Olmedo office. He has numerous piano collaborations with various instrumental and choral musicians and ensembles, including: Il Volo, Franca Masu, Mireia Vives, Borja Penalba, Maria Giovanna Cherchi, Yasmin Bradi, Paolo Zicconi, Gabriele Mirabassi, the Orchestra and the Philharmonic Choir of the Sardinia, the Vocal Academy of Genoa.
He is often invited to events, conferences, festivals and reviews, both in Italy and abroad, where he alternates his activity as a concert performer with that of session musician; among the most important activities: “Il Volo. Magic Night Tour 2017 “(Forte Arena),” Time to Jazz 2019 “for Time in Jazz,” Musica sulle Bocche Fringe International Jazz Festival 2015 “,” Franco Oppo 80. 1 “, Festival “Isola delle Storie di Gavoi”, Festival “Barnasants 25 ed. 2020 “.
His repertoire ranges from classical and ancient music to modern and contemporary.
Beatrice Melis – Harp

Beatrice Melis graduated under the guidance of Prof. A. Penitenti at the “A. Steffani ” Conservatory of Castelfranco Veneto. In 2012 she graduated at the “N. Sala” Conservatory of Benevento, under the guidance of N. Sanzin, with 110/110 cum laude and honorable mention. In 2015 she obtained “cum laude” the Master in Performance at KULeuvenUnivesity (Belgium), LUCA Muziek-campus Lemmens, in the harp class of Mrs. Lieve Robbroeckx.

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In 2018 she obtained a Master in Pedagogy at the Conservatory of Italian Switzerland, in Lugano, under the guidance of L. Pollini. She attended masterclasses held by: J.Liber, M.Bassani, I. Jones, G.Wentink, I. Moretti and F. Pierre.
In 2011 she won the audition for the JuniOrchestra of the Accademia S. Cecilia and she was eligible for the audition of the Arena Theater in Verona.
She collaborated as first harp in various orchestras, including: the Orchestra of the Arena di Verona Foundation, the “Sinfonia Siciliana” of Palermo, the “Frascati Symphonic” of Leuven, the “Faroese Symphonic Orchestra”. In 2016 she won the audition held by the Teatro Lirico of Cagliari with which she collaborated as a second harp.

Interested in the contemporary repertoire, she played with the “Ensemble 900” and the “Gioventù Musicale d’Italia”.

Coro Polifonico Turritano
Established in 1959, it is considered among the best Italian amateur choirs. Founded by Maestro Antonio Sanna, spread the passion for choral music throughout the territory. The choir has an intense artistic activity to his credit, with a repertoire that ranges from Gregorian chant to contemporary choral music, up to Sardinian folk-inspired music. It has 50 prizes on its showcase, including 9 first prizes (Arezzo, Gorizia, Tolosa, Vittorio Veneto, Zagarolo). It distinguished itself in performances of Gregorian and Renaissance music in various national contexts (Gorizia ’83, Arezzo ’84).
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The choir participated in numerous festivals in Italy and abroad. Has recorded for Radio Cologne and RAI. It has recorded for the Fonè: the double CD “Coro Polifonico Turritano”, with music by Palestrina, which received prizes from Audio Records and Choq de la Musique; the CD “Su Concordu Turritanu”, which collects pieces composed by Maestro A. Sanna, inspired by Sardinian popular music, reviewed by the magazines “Suono” and “Cd Classics”; the CD “Ave Maris Stella” of medieval songs, attached to the volume “Il Regno di Torres”.
Under the direction of Maestro Luca Sannai, who continued the artistic commitment in the polyphonic and symphonic-choral field, the Choir achieved the successes of Vittorio Veneto and Zagarolo and performed: he Missa brevis in B-dur and the Missa brevis in F for solos, choir and orchestra of W.A. Mozart; Te Deum for solos, choir and orchestra by M. A. Charpentier; Oratorio di Natale BWV 248 of J.S. Bach. Since 2014 the artistic direction of the choir has been entrusted to Maestro Laura Lambroni, under whose guidance, during the same year, the choir reached the 2nd place at the 1st International Competition of Chivasso and participated as a laboratory choir in training courses for Choir directors held by the teachers D. Tabbia and M. Berrini. Recent productions for choir and orchestra include: Beatus Vir by C. Monteverdi; Dixit Dominus by A. Scarlatti; “The armed man:a mass for peace” by K. Jenkins, in collaboration with the Coro Polifonico Santa Croce of Sorso; the Mass in C major by J. Rheinberger.

Since 1979, it organizes the “Voci d’Europa” International Festival of Polyphonic Music, which includes the participation of the best European choral ensembles.

Voci d'Europa Festival

Locations of the Festival

Basilica di San Gavino
(Porto Torres)
San Pietro di Silki
(Sassari)
San Pietro di Sorres
(Borutta)
Palazzo Baronale
(Sorso)

“The 37th edition of Voci d’Europa will be dedicated to a dear friend of ours, the backbone of the Coro Polifonico Turritano, who is no longer there: Antonella Mellino. Antonella left us in recent days, but her memory as a good, sincere and humble person will stay with us forever.”

(>> The president of the Coro Polifonico Turritano,
Maria Maddalena Simile (italian only)

Thanks

Thanks to the Archdiocese of Sassari – H.E. Mons. Gian Franco Saba, Archbishop of Sassari and Mons. Giancarlo Zichi, director of the Diocesan Office for Cultural Heritage of Sassari – for giving us the permission to register inside the Basilica of San Gavino.

Thanks also to Luigi Canu, for the photo of the soprano Valentina Satta, and to Federico Carboni for the backstage photos.