Festival Tracks

Pre-formed vs. Assigned Groups: You may apply with a pre-formed ensemble or request to be placed in an assigned ensemble. Assignments will be based on ability level and repertoire compatibility.  You are welcome to work and perform solo repertoire as well, however the main aim of this festival is the collaborative experience.

Vocal Performance Track 🎤

For singers looking to refine their technique, interpretation, and ensemble experience.

What to Expect:

• Private Lessons & Ensemble Coaching: Each singer will receive up to 4 private lessons and will engage in choral and chamber ensemble singing, working closely with other vocalists and instrumentalists.
• Repertoire Focus: Specializing in Italian early and classical repertoire, with emphasis on ornamentation, diction, and crossover versatility.
• Masterclasses/Workshops: Daily events covering historical vocal techniques, stylistic interpretation, and ornamentation. Special sessions on historical performance practices, including partimento, rhetoric in music, and phrasing.
• Performance Opportunities: Participants will perform in festival concerts, either as soloists or as part of small ensembles.

Instrumental Track 🎻🎹

For violinists, violists, cellists, pianists looking to refine their artistry in solo and ensemble settings.

What to Expect:

• Private Lessons & Ensemble Coaching: Each participant will receive up to 4 individual lessons with their chosen faculty member (based on availability) and 3 ensemble coaching sessions per session.
• Repertoire Focus: Emphasis on historically informed performance of Renaissance, Baroque, and Classical repertoire, with opportunities for modern reinterpretations.
• Masterclasses/ Workshops: Faculty-led masterclasses covering stylistic interpretation, ornamentation, and performance techniques specific to period instruments and historical practices. Workshops on galant style, schema theory, partimento writing.
• Chamber & Solo Performance: Participants will have the opportunity to perform in festival concerts, either in assigned chamber groups or as soloists.

Chamber Music Track 🎻🎹

For instrumentalists and singers interested in historically informed chamber performance.

What to Expect:

• Private lessons and Ensemble Coaching: Up to 4 individual lessons and 3 ensemble coaching sessions per session with leading early music artists
• Repertoire: Focus on Renaissance, Baroque, and Classical chamber music, with options for historically informed modern reinterpretations.
• Performance: Every ensemble will have a chance to perform in festival concerts, with coaching on stylistic authenticity.
• Workshops & Lectures: Daily sessions on historical context, stylistic analysis, and practical application.
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Ways to Experience Musica Viva

Participants have the choice between the following packages:

🎻 Tier 1 | Chamber & Vocal Ensembles – For Pre-Formed Groups

🎯 Best for: Pre-formed chamber groups and vocal ensembles seeking advanced coaching and performance opportunities.

• 4 private ensemble coaching sessions per session with renowned faculty.
• 2 individual lessons per participant to refine solo technique.
• Masterclasses, workshops.
• Performance opportunities in festival concerts.
• Access to the International Mini-Conference on Historical Performance & Music Theory.

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🎵 Tier 2 | General Admission – For Instrumentalists & Singers

🎯 Best for: Singers, string players, and pianists who want personalized instruction and collaborative ensemble experience.

• 3 individual lessons per session with festival faculty.
• Assigned to an ensemble for chamber music or vocal collaboration or alternatively work on your solo pieces.
• 3 ensemble/ performance coaching sessions per session.
• Daily workshops and masterclasses.
• Participation in the festival concerts with chamber groups or as a soloist.
• Entry to the International Mini-Conference on Historical Performance & Music Theory.

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🎭 Tier 3 | Full Festival & Cultural Immersion – The Complete Musica Viva Experience

🎯 Best for: Participants looking for a deep musical and cultural immersion in Florence, including exclusive Italian cultural experiences.

✅ All benefits of Tier 2, PLUS: 1 additional private lesson per session for further artistic refinement, and a Cultural Activities Package, including:

• Italian language & diction workshop.
• Historical dance classes.
• Guided Florence art & history tours.
• Tuscan wine tastings & traditional Italian cooking classes.
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What Happens After Registration?

• If applying as a solo participant, you may be assigned to an ensemble based on your skill level and interests if yo wish. You’ll be asked to submit information about your current repertoire, technique focus, and faculty preferences.
• You will receive repertoire assignments & study materials.
• You’ll gain access to festival resources, sheet music, and historical performance practice materials to familiarize yourself with key concepts ahead of time.

This ensures that every participant arrives fully prepared and ready to immerse themselves in an inspiring artistic and educational experience!

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📜 International Mini-Conference

🎶 Music in the Galant Style & Beyond – A Modern Renaissance

📅 August 20 – 22, 2025

📍 Villa La Stella, Florence, Italy

The International Mini-Conference on Historical Performance & Music Theory is a unique meeting point for performers, educators, and scholars, where theory and practice converge. Topics cover historical performance practices, music cognition, Renaissance and Baroque improvisation techniques, ornamentation, rhetorical analysis, and partimento studies. The event includes workshops, scholarly presentations, and panel discussions led by distinguished musicologists, theorists, and performers.

The conference provides a rare opportunity to explore the artistic methods of the past in a way that informs and transforms modern performance. Participants engage with new perspectives on historical interpretation, expanding their understanding of music as a living language.

For musicians, educators, and researchers, this conference offers unparalleled access to the latest research and practical applications in historical music studies. Attendees gain cutting-edge insights, network with leaders in the field, and develop new artistic approaches that enhance both their performance and teaching.

Whether you are a performer seeking historical depth, an educator wanting to integrate historical techniques into modern teaching, or a scholar delving into music theory and performance research, this conference is an essential opportunity to immerse yourself in the artistic brilliance of the Renaissance in a contemporary setting.

Conference Highlights

📖 Keynote Speaker: Dr. Robert Gjerdingen

🎼 Theoretical & Historical Perspectives – Galant style, partimento, improvisation, and historical rhetoric.

🎵 Innovations in Historically Informed Performance – Connections between early and modern music.

🏛 Experimental Renaissance – Bridging historical traditions with contemporary sounds and electronic music.

📢 Call for Papers Open – Deadline: May 1, 2025

🔗 Selected presentations will be published in the conference proceedings.

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For more information and how to apply for the conference click here

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