The word «sinfonia» – symphony – entered the Italian language thanks to Dante’s Commedia.
It appears in the third Cantica with the verse «the dulcet symphony of Paradise». Coming from the whirling linguistic forge of him who «was of the mother tongue a better smith», the word undertook a glorious path in the history of music until today. It is this which in 2021 moved two orchestras from Tuscany, Camerata Strumentale di Prato and La Filharmonie, to connect in an act of gratitude towards Dante, on the 700th anniversary of his death. Guiding musicians to draw inspiration from the Divina Commedia with an International Competition of Symphonic Composition seemed an appropriate idea to the two institutions. This competition is an invitation to dialogue with Dante and to listen to the sound of his Commedia. A spur to hoist a new sail «To run o’er better waters» and to find new «symphonies».
CAMERATA STRUMENTALE DI PRATO
Twenty two years after its formation, the Camerata Strumentale is today a hub of musical activities dedicated to spreading a culture of listening, and establishing the spirit of community. The collaboration with the Scuola Comunale di Musica «G. Verdi» has underlined a vocation that the Camerata has followed from its conception, that is to make the orchestra become an available tool for everyone and to let people approach music with awareness.
This works perfectly well for all generations thanks to the establishment of a joint residence of the Orchestra and the Scuola Comunale in the Palazzo della Musica in Prato. From the spirit embedded in the Camerata, many projects and workshops have come to fruition, including the Youth Orchestra «Prato Sinfonietta» and the Chorus «Città di Prato», two bodies that involve hundreds of participants who enjoy making music together. These initiatives have in Jonathan Webb, Music Director of Camerata Strumentale since 2014, an inspired and enthusiastic promoter. The focus of this musical workshop is the artistic programming of its Orchestra, which follows an organic and ideal path through its content, making music an ethical model of sharing and social harmony, transforming the public into a community.
Founded in 1998 from an idea of Riccardo Muti and thanks to the participation of public and private forces, the Camerata is sustained by the Municipality of Prato and Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Prato. Alessandro Pinzauti was Music Director from the beginning to 2014. A significant artistic contribution to the growth of the orchestra has come from artists such as Piero Bellugi, Franco Rossi and Bruno Bartoletti. Throughout the years, the Orchestra has constantly collaborated with many artists, among whom Filippo Maria Bressan, Gary Graden and St. Jacob’s Chamber Choir from Stockholm, Lorenzo Fratini and the Chorus of Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, pianists Pietro De Maria, Alessio Bax, Louis Lortie, violinist Boris Belkin and Mezzosoprano Monica Bacelli. Active in Opera, Oratorio and symphonic-choral music, the Camerata has been guest ensemble for the Accademia Musicale Chigiana, Amici della Musica di Firenze and Palermo, Sagra Musicale Umbra. It has toured to South America, performing many concerts in Argentina, Brasil, Chile and Uruguay, in Europe and Italy with music projects promoted by CIDIM. Riccardo Muti has directed the Camerata in Prato and Ravenna Festival. Recordings by the Camerata are published by CPO and Brilliant.
LA FILHARMONIE – ORCHESTRA FILARMONICA DI FIRENZE
Established in 2016, the Florence Philharmonic Orchestra – La Filharmonie represents a meeting point for all those who, in different ways, work in the sectors of music, art and live performance. The Orchestra, with its more than 40 elements is the beating heart, the main reason of the project.
Enthusiasm and youth of the musicians, mostly under 35 years of age, is united to an already prestigious professional profile, including experiences with the most important national and international orchestras (Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Orchestra della Toscana, Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano G. Verdi, Camerata Strumentale di Prato, Orchestra Giovanile Luigi Cherubini, Orchestra Giovanile Italiana). La Filharmonie flexibly faces symphonic music, chamber music, music theatre, ballet and new forms of artistic expression. The offer is multi-dimensional since within the many elements of the orchestra, there are already established chamber music ensembles. It is also open to multimedia and interdisciplinary experiences and it is finally transversal: it moves between various genres of the contemporary scene, not always recognizable as part of a classic-romantic repertoire. Its Season of Opera, Ballet and Symphonic Concerts held in Teatrodante Carlo Monni- Campi Bisenzio (Florence) is the result of a constant search for elements of innovation, new sonorities, and settings, in dialogue with the vast lyric- symphonic repertoire.
Each performance is then enriched by a series of didactic workshops in collaboration with schools of the territory, which encourage new generations to approach this world, creating tomorrow’s audience. Renowned names and guest artists support the young orchestra professors throughout the concert seasons, among which Roberto Abbado, Enrico Bronzi, Mariangela Vacatello, Anders Hillborg, Sandro Laffranchini, Marc Niemann, Aisa Ijiri, Davide Alogna, Robin Eubanks, Yehezkel Yerushalmi, the Soloists of Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Nuovo Balletto di Toscana. Particular attention is posed on contemporary music with many premieres and new commissions to famous composers or emerging talents. Nima Keshavarzi, the music director and Giulio Arnofi, the artistic director are supported by the prestigious collaboration of M° Roberto Abbado as guest conductor and honorary artistic consultant.