High school and youth choirs ateliers
9 ateliers are programmed for high school and youth choirs
FESTIVAL THEME 2026: IN PRAISE OF FOLLY
B1 | Something Wicked This Way Comes
lecturer: David Ashley (United Kingdom)
Come and join us for a musical adventure about untold stories set in a magical world over the rainbow. No need for ruby slippers as we’ll meet witches and wizards along our journey exploring incredible adventures and the true power of friendship.
mixed choir | language: English
B2 | Il matto e il suo arcano
lecturer: Maria Ciavarella (Italy)
The Fool in the tarot cards is a traveller with a stick and a bundle, ready to set off on his journey in search of the thread that links madness to genius, overcoming conventions. In his suitcase he carries enthusiasm, wonder and the courage to open himself up to music that is decidedly over the top... of the stave!
mixed choir | language: Italian
B3 | Trifollia
lecturer: Raffaele Cifani (Italy)
What if each of the three pillars that support a song – lyrics, music and artist – were to embark on a dreamlike and surreal journey in the name of Vocal Pop, culminating in a SuperFoolishMedleyMashup of the most famous songs of recent years?
mixed choir | language: Italian
B4 | The Bonds We Make
lecturer: Marleen De Boo (Belgium)
Singing together is a kind of exercise in “collective folly”: buoyed by the energy of the choir, we dare to show ourselves, listen to others and discover that community is built on the beauty of imperfection.
mixed choir | language: English
B5 | Son più matti in questo mondo
lecturer: Jacopo Facchini (Italy)
Amidst "frottolas", kyrie eleison and the sounds of bombards and trombones, the Renaissance tells us — with irony and rhythm — of the eternal contrasts of humanity: war and peace, sacred and profane, reason and madness. Because, after all, there are more madmen in this world than leaves on green meadows.
mixed choir | language: Italian
B6 | Il Carnevale di Venezia
lecturer: Giorgio Susana (Italy)
Venice is a poem of stone floating on water. Since the days of the Serenissima, behind the masks and sumptuous costumes of its staging, human beings have celebrated their wonderful madness every year for centuries, losing themselves between reality and dreams, between desire and imagination.
mixed choir | language: Italian
B7 | Curious Harmonies
lecturer: Başak Doğan (Turkey)
Jazz is a mood, it is groove that channels the music flow, it is heady movement and open minded curiosity that leads individual voices to create collective energy and vibrant harmonies full of character, freedom and joy.
female voices choir | language: english
B8 | Mai dire don't
lecturer: Luigi Leo (Italy)
A musical journey into that vital energy that is freedom. Freedom to play, to rebel, to love without measure, to weather the storm and emerge shining bright. Freedom that faces the madness of the world with the courage not to fade away.
female voices choir | language: italian
B9 | Loving you, what madness!
lecturer: Dario Piumatti (Italy)
There are those who sing to the moon and are not heard. Those who declare themselves ready to do anything to stay close. And then euphoria, panic, rebellion and melancholy in the same heartbeat, because loving is always an extreme act.
mixed choir | language: italian
Ateliers: How to practice?
During the festival, each choir participates in only one workshop, unless there are objective reasons agreed upon with the organisers. Upon registration, each group has the opportunity to indicate its preferences, but the final division of choirs into workshops will be determined by the artistic direction and festival organisers based on various factors such as: composition, size of the group, previous participation in the festival, and other characteristics. The choices expressed at the time of registration are therefore to be considered indicative.The workshops are held in Italian or English, as indicated in the section dedicated to their description. No simultaneous translation service is provided by the organisation. In Montecatini Terme, each participant receives the teaching booklet for their workshop, which they must keep carefully for study during the festival.