MARCO POLO

MARCO POLO association, through ACCADEMIA LIBERA NATURA E CULTURA, has developed a calendar of high level events, collaborating with numerous associations from the Val di Cecina, involving the municipalities of Montecatini Val di Cecina, Volterra and Castelnuovo, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Russia. Four festivals take place on the natural stages of the castles and villages of Querceto, Mazzolla, Pignano and Montecastelli.

The piano, the opera, tango and chamber music are the protagonists of the ARTE & MUSICA festival, but also performances of jazz and world music are scheduled. Enriched by training courses, ARTE & MUSICA creates a synergy between the local and the international scene and brings together different nations and languages in a climate of friendship and dialogue.

LOCATIONS

QUERCETO

In the heart of Val di Cecina between Volterra and the Etruscan coast lies the dreamy village of Querceto, surrounded by fields and forests. The medieval castle of the Ginori Lisci family covers almost the entire Querceto. Querceto has been completely restored and has a lively social cultural life

MAZZOLLA

The dreamy village of Mazzolla, close to Volterra, lies between the fields and forests and was originally an ancient settlement of Etruscans. In the center is the villa of the family Viti, situated with style elements from the Middle Ages and 18th century. It overlooks the nature reserve of Berignone.

PIGNANO

Today Borgo Pignano is an elegant countryside hotel in Tuscany, but like other spots in this glorious countryside, it was first settled during Etruscan times. Large stones at the base of the church, villa and some of the outlying walls are vestiges of the people who lived here over 2,500 years ago.

VOLTERRA

In one of the most important cities of the Etruscan city federation are several historical properties of the family Inghirami. Together with local foundations they form the logistical core of the masterclasses and projects, initiated by the ACCADEMIA LIBERA NATURA E CULTURA.

EVENTS AND COURSES

ARTE & MUSICA

Classical music, opera and tango are the protagonists of the festival, but also performances of jazz and world music are scheduled. The festival creates synergy and brings in a climate of friendship and dialogue.

PIANO FESTIVAL

Every year an international pianofestival takes place in Querceto under the direction of the Italian pianist Paolo Francese. Concerts and masterclasses of a high standard are scheduled in the last week of July.

SUMMER ACADEMY

Summer courses in Querceto, Mazzolla and Volterra in the fields of art, music, cuisine and language. We want to participate actively in the elimination of linguistic and cultural barriers and open space for personal growth.

CALENDER 2021

MAY

29/05 – 05/06 SATURDAY | WORKSHOP PIANO also in streaming | Querceto – cancelled
Teacher: Jens Schlichting DE

JUNE

05/06 – 12/06 SATURDAY | WORKSHOP PIANO also in streaming| Querceto
Teacher: Jens Schlichting DE

12/06 – 19/07 SAT/SAB | WORKSHOP SCULPTURE | Querceto
Teacher: Reinhard Pontius DE

12/06 – 19/07 SAT/SAB | WORKSHOP ITALIAN CUISINE & LANGUAGE | Querceto
Teacher: Rebecca Vischer IT/CH

JULY

10/07-17/07 SAT/SAB | WORKSHOP PAINTING | Querceto
Teacher: Dorine Kuiper NL

10/07-17/07 SAT/SAB | WORKSHOP YOGA/PILATES | Querceto
Teacher: Maritza Marbus NL | Cancelled

11/07 SUN/DOM | VINOPERAFESTIVAL| 21.30 | Querceto – Cortile interno dei Castello
Lirica al Castello | Concerto

12/07-17/07 SUN/DOM | MASTERCLASS COMPOSING | Querceto
Teacher: Gian Vincenzo Cresta IT

16/07 FRI/VEN| PIANOFESTIVAL| 21.00 | Querceto – Granaio
Award concert, compositions made by the students of the course: composition’

17/07-24/07 SAT/SAB | WORKSHOPS QI-GONG/PERCUSSION GWOKA | Querceto
Teacher: Isabelle Mansuy FR & Robert Ngoka FR

17/07 – 24/07 e 24 – 31/07 SAT/SAB | MASTERCLASSES | Querceto
Teachers: Paolo Francese IT, Anna d’Errico IT pianoforte | Alberto Delle Piane IT chitarra | Luigi Bisanti IT flauto

18/07 SUN/DOM | PIANOFESTIVAL| 21.00 | Querceto – Terrazzone del Castello
Luca Cimmarughi | pianoforte

22/07 THU/GIO | PIANOFESTIVAL| 21.00 | Montecatini VC – Piazza
Award concert, students of the courses: flute, guitar | L. Beethoven, F. Chopin, J. Brahms, W.A. Mozart

23/07 FRI/VEN | PIANOFESTIVAL| 21.00 – Querceto – Granaio | Free entrance
Award concert, students of the courses: flute, guitar | L. Beethoven, F. Chopin, J. Brahms, W.A. Mozart

29/07 THU/GIO | PIANOFESTIVAL| 21.00 | Querceto – Granaio
Letizia Michielon | pianoforte

AUGUST

31/07-07/08 SAT/SAB | WORKHOP VOICE&ART | Querceto
Teacher: Florence Mazzuchelli F

31/07-07/08 SAT/SAB | WORKSHOP TANGO ARGENTINO | Querceto
Teachers: Lydia Müller&Ezequiel Sanucci D/ARG | Ximena Zalazar Firpo&Willem Meul ARG/BE

07/08-14/08 SAT/SAB | WORKSHOP TANGO ARG/ArtENTINO | Querceto
Teachers: Ximena Zalazar Firpo e Willem Meul ARG/BE

08/08 SUN/DOM | VOL’TANGO | 21.30 | Querceto – Terrazzone dei Castello
ESTRO Tango | spettacolo di Tango Argentina

13/08 FRI/VEN | VOL’TANGO | 21.30 | Querceto – Terrazzone
Milonga con musica dal vivo

14/08 – 21/08 SAT/SAB | WORKSHOP ITALIAN CUISINE & LANGUAGE | Querceto
Teacher: Rebecca Vischer IT/CH

14/08 – 21/08 SATURDAY | WORKSHOP AKKORDEON | Querceto
Teacher: Stefanie Koch DE

15/08 SAT/SAB | VOL’TANGO | 21.30 | Borgo Pignano – Piazza
Concert

26/08 SAT/SAB | JAZZ | 21.30 | Borgo Pignano – Piazza
Stefanie Boltz Trio | Concert

29/08 SAT/SAB | JAZZ | 21.30 | Querceto – Terrazzone del Castello
Stefanie Boltz Trio | Concert

SEPTEMBER

04/09 – 11/09 SAT/SAB | WORKSHOP VOICE | Querceto
Teachers: Sarah Behrendt DE

12/09 – 19/09 e 19/09 – 26/09 SUNDAY | WORKSHOP SCUPTURE | Mazzolla
Teachers: Thomas Reuter e Eva Skupin DE

CALENDER 2020

20 YEARS – 20 ANNI – 20 JAHRE – 20 ANS

L’ACCADEMIA è stata ideata 20 anni fa da Luciano Busdraghi e Ursula Vetter. E nata da un impulso di comprensione internazionale, di desiderio d’incontro, di pace, con una missione: dare alle persone la possibilità di scoprirsi, di essere invece di apparire, un’opportunità per togliersi le maschere, di concedersi un momento per riflettere su se stessi, per scoprirsi e re-inventarsi, per poi di nuovo andare verso il mondo, verso l’altro.

L’ACCADEMIA è nata in un momento di paura e di incertezza. La tempesta Lothar attraversava l’Europa dalla Francia alla Cecoslovacchia, sradicava gli alberi, scopriva i tetti delle abitazioni, devastava la foresta nera. In questi giorni stiamo vivendo una situazione molto più grave in una reclusione molto più forte di quella tempesta dell’inverno 1999/2000. Possiamo sperare in questo grande ritiro di scoprire i nostri lati nascosti, i nostri desideri profondi, le nostre aspirazioni! Per poi di nuovo andare verso il mondo, verso gli altri – verso l’altro, percepirlo come diverso e in quella diversità trovare il punto d’incontro.

Avevamo preparato un vasto calendario per festeggiare i 20 anni di lavoro per l’incontro, la cultura e la pace, di ACCADEMIA LIBERA NATURA E CULTURA, con più di 20 concerti, 20 corsi e seminari, una grande mostra con un artista di rilievo internazionale e invece ci troviamo davanti alla più grande incognita da quando abbiamo fondato questa avventura sociale e culturale.

In questo momento – come sempre nei momenti difficili – possiamo ricordarci delle fonti ispiratrici, delle origini, del mito fondatore. L’essenza, la motivazione profonda del nostro lavoro è indubbiamente l’incontro. Incontro che – per definizione – si basa sulla conoscenza di se stesso per poter veramente incontrare l’altro. In questo senso ci stiamo preparando ad un festeggiamento molto più intimo, magari ognuno a casa sua ancora per un periodo da definire, ma avremmo riscoperto quello che consideriamo il nostro fondamento: l’incontro, l’abbraccio.

MAY

21-31/05 THU/GIO | WORKSHOP SCUPTURE | Mazzolla – cancelled
Teachers: Thomas Reuter e Eva Skupin DE

31/05 – 06/06 SATURDAY | WORKSHOP PIANO | Querceto cancelled
Teacher: Jens Schlichting DE

JUNE

06/06 – 13/06 SATURDAY | WORKSHOP AKKORDEON | Querceto cancelled
Teacher: Stefanie Koch DE

27/06 – 04/07 SAT/SAB | WORKSHOP SCULPTURE | Querceto
Teacher: Reinhard Pontius DE

27/06 – 04/07 SAT/SAB | WORKSHOP ITALIAN CUISINE & LANGUAGE | Querceto
Teacher: Rebecca Vischer IT/CH

JULY

11/07-18/07 SAT/SAB | WORKSHOP PAINTING | Querceto cancelled
Teacher: Dorine Kuiper NL

11/07-18/07 SAT/SAB | WORKSHOP YOGA/PILATES | Querceto cancelled
Teacher: Maritza Marbus NL

15/07 WED/MER |VINOPERAFESTIVAL| 21.30 | Monterosola – Volterra – cancelled
Amsterdam Consort&Chiara Mattioli NL/IT | Concert

18/07-25/07 SAT/SAB | WORKSHOPS QI-GONG/PERCUSSION GWOKA | Querceto cancelled
Teacher: Isabelle Mansuy FR & Robert Ngoka FR

22 – 27/07 SAT/SAB | MASTERCLASSES | Querceto
Teachers: Paolo Francese IT pianoforte | Alberto Delle Piane IT chitarra | Luigi Bisanti IT flauto

24/07-27/07 SUN/DOM | MASTERCLASS COMPOSING | Querceto
Teacher: Gian Vincenzo Cresta IT

24/07 FRI/VEN| PIANOFESTIVAL| 21.00 | Querceto – Granaio | Free entrance cancelled
Award concert, compositions made by the students of the course: composition’

30/07 THU/GIO | PIANOFESTIVAL| 21.00 – Querceto – Granaio | Free entrance cancelled
Award concert, students of the courses: flute, guitar | L. Beethoven, F. Chopin, J. Brahms, W.A. Mozart

AUGUST

01/08-08/08 SAT/SAB | WORKHOP VOICE&ART | Querceto
Teacher: Florence Mazzuchelli FR

01/08-08/08 SAT/SAB | WORKSHOP TANGO ARGENTINO | Querceto cancelled
Teachers: Lydia Mueller DE & Ezequiel Sanucci ARG

01/08 SUN/DOM | VOL’TANGO | 21.30 | Querceto – Terrazzone del Castello cancelled
Milonga con musica dal vivo

06/08 THU/GIO | VOL’TANGO | 21.30 | Pignano – Borgo Pignano cancelled
Ruben Peloni y los Tanturi Sestetto| ARG/IT

07/08 FRI/VEN | VOL’TANGO | 21.30 | Querceto – Terrazzone del Castello cancelled
Milonga con il Ruben Peloni Trio

08/08-15/08 SAT/SAB | WORKSHOP TANGO ARGENTINO | Querceto
Teachers: Ximena Zalazar Firpo e Willem Meul ARG/BE

08/08 SAT/SAB | VOL’TANGO | 22.00 | Querceto – Terrazzone cancelled
Milonga

12/08 WEDNESDAY |VOL’TANGO | 21.30 | Ponteginori cancelled
Milonga con dj

13/08 THU/GIO | VOL’TANGO | 21.30 | Volterra – Pinacoteca cancelled
Spettacolo di Tango Argentino | EstroTango & Duo Arrabalera

14/08 FRI/VEN | VOL’TANGO | 21.30 | Querceto – Terrazzone cancelled
Milonga con musica dal vivo

15/08 SAT/SAB | JAZZ | 21.30 | Borgo Pignano – Piazza cancelled
Stefanie Boltz Trio

15/08 – 22/08 SAT/SAB | WORKSHOP ITALIAN CUISINE & LANGUAGE | Querceto
Teacher: Rebecca Vischer IT/CH

16/08 SUNDAY | JAZZ | 21.30 | Querceto – Granaio cancelled
Stefanie Boltz DE | jazz

22/08-29/08 SAT/SAB | WORKSHOP VOICE | Querceto
Teachers: Sarah Behrendt DE

23/08 SUN/DOM | CLASSICA | 21.00 | Querceto – Granaio cancelled
Pierre Fouchenneret, violino & Romain Descharmes, pianoforte

26/08 WED/MER| LIRICA | 21.00 | Borgo Pignano – Cortile cancelled
Sarah Behrendt, soprano & Joachim Baar, pianoforte

28/08 FRIDAY | LIRICA | 21.00 | Querceto – Granaio
Award Concert masterclass of Sarah Behrendt

29/08-05/09 | SATURDAY | WORKSHOP MUSIC&HOLIDAY | Querceto
Teachers: Joachim Baar – piano DE, Jeanette Dorée – violin DE, Insa Huelsebusch – viola DE, Charlotte Mercier – violoncello FR

29/08 SATURDAY| WORLDMUSIC | 21.30 | Montecatini VC – Piazza della Republicca
Quadro Nuevo | DEU

SEPTEMBER

05/09-12/09 SAT/SAB | WORKSHOP PHOTOGRAPY | Querceto
Teacher: Rita Dollmann DE

CALENDER 2019

JUNE

09/06 SUN/DOM| WORLD MUSIC | 21.30 | Querceto – Piazza
Cafè del Mundo | flamenco

13/06 THU/GIO| WORLD MUSIC | 21.30 | Pignano (Volterra) – Cortile
Cafè del Mundo| flamenco

22/06-29/06 SAT/SAB | WORKSHOP PHOTOGRAPY | Querceto
Teacher: Rita Dollmann DE

22/06-29/06 SAT/SAB | WORKSHOP SCULPTURE | Querceto
Teacher: Reinhard Pontius DE

27/06 THU/GIO | MUSICAL | Querceto – Piazza
Fantasia di Musical students from italian soprano Chiara Mattioli | Cabaret, Les Misérables, Grease, Cats, Sister Act, The Phantom of the Opera,…

29/06-06/07 SAT/SAB | WORKSHOP VOICE | Querceto
Teacher: Gwen Sampé FR

30/06 SUN/DOM | JAZZ | 21.30 | Querceto – Piazza
Gwen Sampé voice & Harry Swift, contrabbasso | jazz

JULY

05/07 FRI/VEN | JAZZ | 21.30 | Pignano (Volterra) – Cortile
Gwen Sampé voice & David Sandes, piano | jazz

06/07-13/07 SAT/SAB| WORKSHOP PAINTING | Querceto
Teacher: Dorine Kuiper NL

06/07-13/07 SAT/SAB | WORKSHOP PHOTOGRAPY | Querceto
Teacher: Rita Dollmann DE

06/07-13/07 SAT/SAB| WORKSHOPS QI-GONG/PERCUSSION GWOKA | Querceto
Teacher: Isabelle e Robert FR

07/07 SUN/DOM | OPERA | 21.30 | Querceto – Cortile interno del Castello
Cavalleria Rusticana | Opera lirica di Pietro Mascagni

13/07-20/07 SAT/SAB | WORKSHOP PIANO | Querceto
Teacher: Jens Schlichting DE

13/07-20/07 SATURDAY | WORKSHOP ITALIAN CUISINE & LANGUAGE | Querceto
Teacher: Rebecca Vischer IT / CH

16/07-20/07 SATURDAY | MASTERCLASS COMPOSING | Querceto
Teacher: Gian Vincenzo Cresta IT

19/07 FRI/VEN | CONCERTO | 21.00 – Querceto – Granaio | Free entrance
Award concert, compositions made by the students of the course: composition

19/07 VEN/FRI | CINEMA MUTO | 21.00 | Mazzolla – Piazza
The General di Buster Keaton con Jens Schlichting al pianoforte

20/07-27/07 SATURDAY | MASTERCLASSES | Querceto
Teachers: Paolo Francese, pianoforte IT, Alberto Delle Piane, guitar IT, Luigi Bisanti, flute IT, Marco di Giacomo, violin | Gianvincenzo Cresta, interpretation (20/07-23/07)

21/07 SUN/DOM | CONCERTO | 21.00 – Querceto – Granaio
Lilia Boyadjieva/Dora Bratchkova BUL | pianoforte/violino| L. Van Beethoven, M. Ravel, D. Shostakovich

24/07 WED/MER | CONCERTO | 21.00 – Montecatini VC – Piazza della Chiesa
Award concert students of the courses: piano, flute, violin, guitar | L. Beethoven, F. Chopin, J. Brahms, W.A. Mozart

25/07 THU/GIO | CONCERTO | 21.00 – Querceto – Granaio
Award concert, students of the courses: piano, flute, violin, guitar | L. Beethoven, F. Chopin, J. Brahms, W.A. Mozart

27/07-03/08 SATURDAY | WORKHOP VOICE&ART | Querceto
Teacher: Florence Mazzuchelli FR

27/07-03/08 SATURDAY | WORKHOP PIANO | Querceto
Teacher: Jens Schlichting DE

27/07-03/08 SATURDAY | WORKSHOP ITALIAN CUISINE & LANGUAGE | Querceto
Teacher: Rebecca Vischer IT / CH

AUGUST

02/08 VEN/FRI | CINEMA MUTO | 21.00 | Mazzolla – Piazza
Nosferatu il Vampiro di F.W. Murnau con Jens Schlichting al pianoforte

03/08-10/08 SATURDAY | WORKSHOP TANGO | Querceto
Teachers: Ximena Zalazar Firpo & Willem Meul

06/08 TUE/MAR | TANGO ARGENTINO | 21.30 | Pignano (Volterra) – Cortile
Tango Argentino – Show | Estro Tango & Trio Piazza Tango ARG/BE/FR

15/08 THU/GIO | TANGO ARGENTINO | 21.30 | Borgo Pignano – Pignano
Ruben Peloni Trio |ARG/IT

31/08-07/09 SAT/SAB | WORKSHOP MUSIC&HOLIDAY | Querceto
Teachers: Joachim Baar – piano DE, Jeanette Dorée – violin DE, Insa Huelsebusch – viola DE, Charlotte Mercier – violoncello FR