Ascona Music Weeks
 Chiesa San Francesco, Locarno |
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| General information | |
| place | Ascona |
| genre | Classic |
| Period | since 1946 |
| Website | www.settimane-musicali.ch |
The Ascona Music Weeks (Settimane musicali Ascona) are a festival of classical music . The festival, founded in 1946, is the second oldest festival in Switzerland after the Lucerne Festival . Every year between the end of August and mid-October, international artists and orchestras perform in Locarno and Ascona in the Swiss canton of Ticino .
history
The Music Weeks were founded in Ascona in 1946 by lawyer Leone Ressiga Vacchini (1911–1976) with the support of the pianist Alessandro Chansen and later also the composer Wladimir Vogel . Initially it was a music week (Settimana Musicale) in spring with several concerts within seven days. The concerts first took place in a dance hall, and from 1949 in the new gym of the community school in Ascona, called “Sala del palazzo scolastico”. From 1968 the church of the Collegio Papio (Ascona) and the church of S. Francesco (Locarno) were the venues for around 15 concerts, which took place between the end of August and the beginning of October. For certain concerts (such as recitals by up-and-coming artists) other venues are now also used, for example the hall of the Sopracenerina electricity company in Locarno. In 2020 there should be a big anniversary edition on the occasion of the 75th anniversary. Due to the corona crisis and the necessary protection concept against Covid-19, the 75th edition will take place in a very reduced version without a symphony orchestra.
Music and artist
Due to the dramatic conditions in post-war Europe and few performance opportunities, the Ascona Music Weeks were able to attract internationally known artists for their event after it was founded. The personal and familiar atmosphere was generally appreciated, even if there was no actual concert hall available. The collaboration with the Orchestra of Italian Switzerland (OSI), which was initially still a radio orchestra, was always important for the music weeks . Performers included Walter Gieseking , Isaac Stern , Martha Argerich , Philippe Entremont , Mstislaw Leopoldowitsch Rostropowitsch , Yo Yo Ma , Neville Marriner , Murray Perahia , Beaux Arts Trio , Cecilia Bartoli , Renaud Capuçon . The artistic director, Francesco Piemontesi , who has been in office since 2015, appears as a pianist himself. The program, in which all genres of classical music are represented, usually consists of 6 to 7 symphony concerts, 2 or 3 concerts with a chamber orchestra or choir and 5 or 6 recitals by soloists or chamber music formations.
audience
The motto of the music weeks was always “Great music, great performers”. Since the founding times, there have been many tourists as well as newcomers from German-speaking Switzerland and Germany in the audience. Ticino did not have its own tradition of classical music. This led to the fact that the program relied on the great well-known works in order not to scare off the local audience, as the long-time president Dino Invernizzi wrote in the anniversary volume for 60 years of music weeks (in 2005). There was little space for modern or contemporary music. Under the artistic direction of Francesco Piemontesi one has become a little more willing to experiment. Thus, the piano cycle was about 2019 Catalog d'oiseaux by Olivier Messiaen in a day at four different venues by pianist Pierre-Laurent Aimard listed under the stars.
Organizational form
For decades the Ascona Music Weeks were organized by the tourist office. The artistic direction lay with a committee which was chaired first by Leone Ressiga Vacchini and then by Dino Invernizzi. Since 2015, the Music Weeks have been in the hands of a foundation under the presidency of Francesco Ressiga Vacchini, who was Mayor of Ascona between 1992 and 1996. At the same time as the foundation was established, the artistic direction was delegated to the Ticino pianist Francesco Piemontesi (* 1983). In addition to the President, there is a representative of each of the founding members on the Board of Trustees: Organizzazione turistica Lago Maggiore e Valli ( Tourist Association), Ascona Municipality, Patriciate of Ascona and the Friends of the Settimane Musicali.
Commissioned compositions
Every year from 1978 to 2003 the Music Weeks commissioned a composition. With the withdrawal of « Pro Helvetia » as a sponsor, the Music Weeks discontinued this project. Very few commissioned works were successful, including the violin concerto by [Norbert Moret], which was premiered by Anne-Sophie Mutter in 1988 in the Church of S. Francesco, accompanied by the Orchestra of Italian Switzerland under the direction of Marc Andreae.
circle of friends
The festival is supported by a group of friends (Amici delle Settimane musicali Ascona) . In particular, this promotes young talents as part of the music weeks and organizes concerts for children and young people.
Web links
Remarks
- ^ Ascona-Locarno. Retrieved June 8, 2020 .
- ^ Stagioni di grande musica, 1946-2005, Settimane Musicali di Ascona. Edited by Settimane Musicali di Ascona. (Festschrift on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the music weeks)