From 24 July to 6 August at the Medici Fortress in Siena come back Siena Jazz International Summer Workshopthe annual event that brings the best to the Tuscan city young musical talents Worldwide.
The intensive course, lasting almost two weeks, sold out the available places in just six weeks, reaching a record number of registrations: 14 instrument and music classes already complete overviews that they will take to Siena 28 internationally renowned teachers, top-notch musicians from Europe and the United States, as well as 90 students from all over the world.
The president of Siena Jazz Massimo Mazzini underlined that “This year too, the historic Siena Jazz International Summer Workshop event confirms its international dimension, a prestigious event for musicians and enthusiasts of the sector from all over the world. For years the Sienese Seminars have been an emblem of artistic comparison and educational excellence, but also of cultural development and tourism enhancement for the Sienese territory and the Tuscany Region, thanks to their ability to attract talents, musicians and enthusiasts. This edition validates the relaunch and development path that Siena Jazz, thanks to the closeness of the municipal administration, has undertaken in recent months, and which will certainly lead to new prestigious goals.”
Simone Graziano ©ANGELO TRANI
There will be ten main concerts in which musicians coming from different experiences will give life to unique performances of their own kind, with reinterpretations of traditional jazz classics, original songs and impromptu improvisations.
The opening one, scheduled for 26 and 27 July, will be, as per tradition, entrusted toSJU orchestra, staff of 23 elements directed by Maestro Roberto Spadoni and assisted by international guests as soloists.
While the1 and 2 August will go on stage Siena Jazz Masterswho will see a vast range of musicians together on stage: from the duo of Theo Bleckmann and Harmen Fraanjeto the quartet of Danish guitarist Lage Lund flanked by Offer Nehemya to the battery; from the post-bop quintet of Miguel Zenon, Avishai Cohen, Aaron Parks, Joe Sanders and Jeremy Dutton, until the Italian-French trio Oliphantrè, passing through the quartet of the award-winning saxophonist Melissa Aldana and by the vanguard of New Yorkers Jen Shyu, Miles Okazaki and Dan Weiss.
As every year in the districts of Siena, jam sessions and performances by ensemble music groups of students and teachers of the courses will also be held, while on July 31st and August 6th will alternate Frontal of pianist Simone Graziano with guest Ben Van Gelder, and the training of students of academic courses directed by the trumpeter Alex Sipiagin.
Also for 2024, the concert activities of the seminar allow important collaborations and partnerships with festivals and summer jazz events at a national level. This year Siena Jazzas well as maintaining the consolidated collaboration with Pisa Jazzwill also be the artistic partner of Riccione Summer Jazz, as well as 2 concerts in the context of the “Giardino per Tutti” event, which establishes a collaboration with the Municipality of Ferrara, which co-produces the event.
Furthermore, starting from this edition, new features are introduced regarding support for students and teachers. The partnership with Villa Flora Foundationin fact made it possible to make available two scholarships.
While, at the instigation of the previous president of the Academy, the Franco Caroni Award (recently passed away), financed by ANCE Siena (National Association of Home Builders) and which will be assigned to 2 teachers of academic courses, specifically one over and one under 35 years old. It is also dedicated to Caroni a scholarship for attending the international seminar, which will be assigned to students of bass and double bass, an instrument to which Caroni has dedicated a lifetime of study.
Alex Sipiagin
