Fondazione Accademia Musicale Chigiana Siena

The Chigiana Academy was founded by Count Guido Chigi in 1932 to organize master classes in the main musical instruments. The founder, in addition to lavish his personal property, he was able to call in Siena many world renowned musicians as teachers of the various courses. Suffice it to recall Pablo Casals, Antonio Guarnieri, Alfredo Casella, Arrigo Serato, Sergiu Celibidache, George Enescu, Andrés Segovia, Alfred Cortot, Jacques Thibaud, Nathan Milstein, Yehudi Menuhin, Hermann Scherchen, Guido Agosti, Gino Bechi, Gina Cigna, André Navarra Riccardo Brengola, Giorgio Favaretto, Fernando Germani, which was followed after his death, Franco Ferrara, Petrassi, and more.   The high initial quality of the teaching staff is maintained in more recent times, in which we are called to Siena in the role of teachers top notch artists and notoriety. Courses from Siena came out today famous names in international music, such as Carlo Maria Giulini, Zubin Mehta, Daniel Oren, Roman Vlad, Claudio Abbado, Salvatore Accardo, Uto Ughi, Daniel Barenboim and Alirio Diaz. The success of this initiative was great and the fame of Chigiana spread rapidly around the world, attracting many young Siena of disparate backgrounds with whom you get to score the representativeness of over 50 countries. So proved far-sighted idea of ​​the founder who dedicated his creature then all his energies until his death in 1965.     Besides the organization of courses, preceded the rest since 1923 a season of concerts in winter still life called "Micat in Summit." Among the other major musical events related to Count Guido Chigi, one can not forget the VI Festival of the International Society of Contemporary Music, made in Siena in 1928.    In 1939 was created the week Musicale Senese under the artistic direction of Alfredo Casella. It was the pride of proposing the rediscovery of the music of Antonio Vivaldi, an author of which was unknown at the time most of the production. In 1961 the Academy was transformed into Chigiana Foundation thanks to a bequest in favor of all of the assets of the Count Chigi, who nsieme to substantial funding from Monte dei Paschi di Siena allows to live.   The venue in which the Academy is the Palazzo Chigi, which also has a very presiosa collection of works of art of various kinds.    In addition to the famous art gallery that includes masterpieces by Sassetta, Beccafumi, Botticelli, Pink, Manetti, etc.., The Academy Chigiana has a great musical and literary library of about 70,000 volumes, rich in rare editions, autographs, manuscripts of various ages, and a valuable collection of musical instruments. Currently Chigiana organizes Summer Courses Postgraduate music for all major musical instruments, singing and the direction of Orchestra. Enactment of the Summer Concerts Courses are made by teachers and students in the province. Since 1983, the Academy Chigiana announces the biennial International Composition Competition "Alfredo Casella". Named after the illustrious Italian musician so tied to Siena.