The course is open to professional percussionists, composers, conservatory students of all levels, chamber music ensembles dedicated to the contemporary repertoire, multimedia artists, improvisers and instrumentalists of all kinds, with no age limits; a short but intense deep-dive into the increasingly diverse landscape of composed, improvised and experimental percussion performed, framed by rehearsals, masterclasses, discussions, presentations, collaborations and performances.
What the course offers
Goals
The course will be fully developed over the winter and spring of 2023, with the program and performances being defined in collaboration with the potential participants of the course. The course will be adapted to the number of applicants and their ability level and repertoire choices/wishes.
For percussionists, a solo piece (or more) is requested and will be workshopped with the tutors as well as performed in a concert. For composers, there will be the possibility of discussing one’s works with the tutors, work on the electronics and propose/participate in collaborative projects, to be performed on the last day. For other figures, the course program will be discussed on the participant’s needs.
Some of the proposed ensemble repertoire:
Living and working in Switzerland, American percussionist Brian Archinal has been collecting awards and praise for his musical activities as a percussionist, educator, artistic director, and event producer. Together with ensembles like Ensemble Nikel (Tel Aviv, Israel), ET | ET (Basel, Switzerland) and Collegium Novum (Zurich, Switzerland), he pursues the forefront of musical exploration and collaboration.
As Professor of Percussion at the Bern University of the Arts (Hochschule der Künste Bern), his pedagogy is built around an experimental approach to musical interpretation and performance, as well the role of multimedia in performance.
Brian has performed internationally at some of the most prestigious festivals for contemporary music including: Wien Modern AU, ArsMusica BE, Manifeste FR, Darmstadt GE, Donaueschingen GE, Ultraschall GE, November Music NE, Warsaw Autumn PO, Biennale di Venezia, IT, Warsaw Autumn PO, Huddersfield CMF UK, as well as Time Spans US, and has recorded for various music labels such as Kairos, Bastille Musique, NEOS, WERGO, MODE Records, GOD Recordings Klarthe, Tzadik, Galaxa, Innova, Musiques Suisses, and Silentes.
Alessandro Perini studied Composition (with Luca Francesconi and Ivan Fedele among others), Electronic Music and Science of Musical Communication in Italy and Sweden.
His artistic production ranges from instrumental and electronic music to audiovisual and light-based works, net-art, land-art and vibration-based works, recently focusing on custom-built machines.
He has taken part in festivals such as Biennale di Venezia, Milano Musica, BTzM Bludenz, Open Spaces Dresden, Festival Musica Strasbourg, Music Current Dublin, New Directions (Sweden), Procesas (Lithuania), UNM and Nordic Music Days (Iceland, Norway, Sweden), Moscow Forum, ReMusik Saint Petersburg, Tempus Fugit and Distat Terra (Argentina), MATA New York, KLANG Copenhagen, as well as being in residence at Fondazione Spinola Banna per L’Arte (Italy) in 2014 in the music program.
A recent CD issued by KAIROS, “The Expanded Body”, gathers some of his solo and chamber music works.
He has participated in multiple artistic residencies including in Chiaravalle (Milano, Italy) for the Imagonirmia Prize (2016), realising a series of site-specific sound art projects; in 2017 he was in residence at I-Park Foundation in Connecticut (2017); in 2018 at Fondazione Spinola Banna per L’Arte (Italy), where he designed machines to process the clay found on-site; and again in 2018 at the BIOART Society in Finnish Lapland. He was the recipient of the Commendation Award at the Global Digital Arts Prize, NTU Singapore (2019).
He has taught audiovisual production for the arts at the Conservatory of Como (Italy) and electronic music at the Malmö Academy of Music, as well as in workshops in Italy, Switzerland, Lithuania and South America. He is currently artistic supervisor at the Inter Arts Center in Malmö, taking care of incoming artists in residence and co-organizing sound-oriented activities, and teaching Composition at the Conservatory of Cesena (Italy).
Born in Rovigo in 1995, Luca Guidarini is a composer, musicologist, and sound director.
Luca’s music deals with the relationships between the technological means, the musicians, and the performance itself, and it has been performed in festivals such as Biennale Musica di Venezia, Cerimoniali Ritmici (Rome), Crossroads Festival (Salzburg), Traiettorie (Parma), IMPULS (Graz), Kontaktas (Vilnius), among others.
His musicological research focuses on music theory, compositional and improvisational techniques of composers and performers of the late XXth and XXIst Century and were presented at institutions like McGill University (Montreal), IRCAM (Paris), KUG (Graz), Inter Arts Center (Malmö).
He is part of the research groups DALM (Dialogic approaches on living music) of University of Pavia. Luca is a member of the ensemble Collettivo_21 as sound director and composer.
Born in Montebelluna, Italy (12-05-1996). He studied percussion at the Conservatories of Padua, Krakow (PL), Parma and Bern. Specialised in experimental music for years, he has collaborated with projects such as Art Percussion ensemble, Sampl, Ex Novo Ensemble, INPUT DUO, Taverna Maderna and Collettivo_21.
He has participated in master classes with artists such as Alvin Curran, Lê Quan Ninh, Simon Løffler, Simon Steen-Andersen, Pierre Jodlowski.
He has been selected for the scholarship “Creation of percussion” organised by the Cini Foundation of Venice.
He collaborates with composers such as G. Mancuso, E. Radigue K. Sheehan, L. Guidarini, Iadema, Z. Toraman.
He has performed in festivals and venues such as Fondazione Prometeo of Parma, Crossroads Festival in Salzburg, Kontaktas festival in Vilnius, Swiss percussion days in Basel, O’Culto Lisbon.
He is currently supported by the Gertrud Rüegg Foundation and the Nicati- de Luze Foundation.
Attendance as an actual student is €340; free access for auditors (subject to availability).
Lessons begin on 26/06/2023 and end on 01/07/2023 (total no. 6 effective days).
The course will be held in English. Lessons will be held at CDM’s premises.
The cost of the course includes:
Deadline for registration is: 10 April 2023.
A fee of €50 must be paid at the time of registration.
Payment details
Account holder: Associazione Montaldeo Musica
IBAN: IT02V0326848450052776248700
BIC/SWIFT: SELBIT2BXXX
Reason of payment: Name and Surname, music masterclass
By 17 April you will be informed about the selection of the participants to the masterclass; in case of non-selection, the registration fee of €50 will be refunded. Payment of the rest of the fee, amounting to further €290, must be made by the 24 April. The accommodation fee of €300 will be paid on site, upon arrival. Any payment and bank charges are the responsibility of the applicant.
In the event of late payment, for which bank transfer date of sending is decisive, a late payment fee of €75 will be charged.
Application Info
Composers: send an idea/draft for a specific project/creation, with tech rider (see LINK for materials provided by the organisation), number of performers (if needed). Look into LINK for info about site-specific works; also works to be discussed during individual lessons/lectures. Confirm availability to work with ensemble and/or for collaborative projects (one or more).
Percussionists: also (if interested) send an idea/draft for a specific project/creation, plus a repertoire to be worked on during individual lessons. Confirm availability to work with ensemble and/or for collaborative projects (one or more).
Other artists: get in touch with Alessandro Perini (www.alessandroperini.com) for special arrangements, site-specific work, Arduino-related projects, instrument building and so on.
For any specific collaborative project that needs it, a work group will be created, in order to have time to discuss the performance, send and receive scores/indications and study materials before the actual masterclass.
CDM Info
Site-specific info: LINK – this link will be updated based on the participants’ needs.
Tech rider info: LINK – this link will be updated based on the participants’ needs.
Casa San Michele offers accommodation in affiliated facilities (flats) in the village of Montaldeo (AL). If necessary, the structure is available to those who wish to stay the nights before or after the beginning and the end of the course (upon reservation) at an additional cost of €25 per night. The cost includes accommodation in a shared flat with a room with bed linen and dinner (the latter at the CDM facility), served in the dining room or in the garden. Water is always available in the common area of CDM; other consumptions will be considered extra. The lunch break is at your own discretion: two affiliated restaurants and a grocery shop are within easy walking distance, so you can choose from sandwiches to traditional dishes. The cost of lunch is not included in the cost; however, the use of the SPA is included, limited to the times agreed on the occasion of the course and in accordance with current regulations. Rubber slippers (non-slip) and a swimming costume are compulsory for use of the SPA.
The balance of any extras can also be paid on the spot by credit or debit card or bank transfer.
Please note that in the village of Montaldeo there are no tobacconists, pharmacies or ATMs; all necessary services are easily accessible by car or bicycle in the neighbouring villages.
The nearest railway stations are Ovada, Novi Ligure, Arquata Scrivia; a transfer service is available from the arrival station to Montaldeo at a cost of €15. The nearest airports are Turin, Milan, Genoa, with respective train connections. For those travelling by car, Google Maps shows the exact location by searching for “Casa San Michele Montaldeo”; the nearest motorway exits are Ovada (A26), Novi Ligure (A26/A7), Arquata Scrivia (A7).
Registration fees, net of bank charges, will not be refunded under any circumstances (save for the initial fee of €50 in case of non-selection), except in the event of cancellation of a course due to force majeure or failure to reach a minimum number of participants. The accommodation fee will not be charged in the event of cancellation by the member.
CdM San Michele, in addition to taking all possible precautions and necessary equipment on site to prevent contagion and to comply with current regulations, will communicate after the registration the protocol to be followed for a course and a stay as safe as possible.
Casa San Michele di Giulia Pastorino // Partita IVA: IT02568410068
