#ESPRESSOMASTERCLASS
Espresso Masterclass is a masterclass dedicated to chamber music and organized by Le Dimore del Quartetto under the artistic direction of Simone Gramaglia. A full immersion with international masters in the setting of historic mansions. The ensembles, selected by the artistic direction within the network of Le Dimore del Quartetto, participate free of charge.
EDITION 2023
The 2023 edition of Espresso Masterclass returns to Cassine (in the province of Alessandria – Piedmont) from September 22nd to September 24th. The ensemble selected are Cuarteto Iberia, M4GNET Quartet e Quartetto Rilke.
Lessons are held by Simone Gramaglia (viola of Quartetto di Cremona and artistic director of Le Dimore del Quartetto), Marc Danel (violinist of Quatuor Danel and artistic director of Dutch National String Quartet Academy) and Peter Jarůšek (cello of Pavel Haas Quartet).
Musicians are hosted at Casa Arcasio, Villa Felice and Palazzo Zoppi.
CALENDAR OF ACTIVITIES
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 22ND
From 9 am to 11.30 amConcert conversations dedicated to kindergarten, primary, secondary and junior high school students, held at Chiesa di San Francesco, Oratorio della S.S. Trinità and Chiesa di San Lorenzo in Cassine
From 3 pm to 6 pm Open rehearsal at Casa Arcasio and Oratorio della S.S. Trinità
From 3 pm to 6 pm Activities for schools: guided tours of Complesso Conventuale di San Francesco in Cassine, guided excursions along the Strada Franca del Monferrato
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 23RD
From 10 am to 11.30am Open rehearsal at Casa Arcasio and all’Oratorio della S.S. Trinità
From 3pm – 4.30 pm Open rehearsal at Casa Arcasio, all’Oratorio della S.S. Trinità e a Palazzo Zoppi
9.30 pm Concert of M4GNET Quartet, Quartetto Rilke and Cuarteto Iberia at Chiesa di San Francesco
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 24TH
From 9am to 10.30am Open rehearsal atOratorio della S.S. Trinità and at Palazzo Zoppi.
From 10.30 am to 11.30 am Concert of Cuarteto Iberia at Casa Arcasio.
From 12 pm to 13 pm Concert of Quartetto Rilke at Palazzo Zoppi.
From 3pm to 4pm Concert of M4GNET Quartet at Villa Felice.
From 3pm to 4 pm Open rehearsalat Oratorio della S.S. Trinità
Ore 16.30 – 17.30 Concert of Corpo Bandistico Cassinese F. Solia in the square in front of Cassine’s town hall, Piazza Vittorio Veneto
All events are open to the public while places last
MAESTROS
A versatile and intellectually curious instrumentalist, Simone Gramaglia combines his passion for music with that for philosophy and literature, through an intense activity as a musician (both chamber and soloist), teacher and artistic director (Le Dimore del Quartetto, MusicWithMasters, Sergio Dragoni Competition) that has enabled him to constantly promote musical culture, doing his best to support young people in particular. Throughout his career he has performed in the world’s most prestigious concert halls and collaborated with influential figures on the international music scene. He was the first Italian violist to play Stradivari’s “Paganini” viola for an extended period (Nippon Music Foundation).
Marc Danel , founder and first violin of the Danel String Quartet since 1991, has played regularly with the Amadeus and Borodine Quartets and also with musicians such as Walter Levin, Fiodor Droujinine, Hugh Maguire and Pierre Penassou. Since his debut with the Quartet, Marc Danel has played regularly in Europe’s most prestigious halls such as Amsterdam Concertgebouw, London Wigmore Hall, Frankfurt Alte Oper, Paris Salle Gaveau, and Moscou Conservatory.
Danel Quartet has more than 30 recordings to its credit and reveals itself as a chamber ensemble open to creation and the world, collaborating with many composers.
He is artistic director of the Nederlandse Strijkkwartet Akademie (Amsterdam) and professor of violin at the Conservatoire de Lyon (CNSMD). Marc Danel also works as a violin professor at the Higher School of Music and Education in Namur (Belgium). He gives master classes at the Royal College of London and also at the Conservatory of Minsk (Belarus). He has been in artistic residence with the Danel Quartet at the University of Manchester (UK) since 2005.
Since 2004, cellist Peter Jarůšek has been a member of the Pavel Haas Quartet, founded two years earlier by his wife Veronika Jarůšková. In 2005 the quartet, one of the world’s most acclaimed chamber groups, won the prestigious Paolo Borciani Prize in Reggio Emilia and the Prague Spring International Competition. A year later, the quartet joined the “BBC New Generation Artists” project in London, and at the same time the European Concert Hall Organization named it one of its “Rising Stars.” To date, the quartet has released eight CDs on the Supraphon label. All of their albums have won major international awards: the Diapason d’Or de l’année, the BBC Music Magazine Award twice, and the Gramophone Award six times. In addition to playing in the quartet, Peter Jarůšek performs regularly in the most renowned concert halls and festivals and is a sought-after lecturer in chamber music master classes around the world.
PAST EDITIONS
The edition of Espresso Masterclass in Lurago Marinone, in the province of Como, took place on October 15th and 16th, 2022, thanks to Francesco Micheli that with the Fondazione Musicale Umberto Micheli hosted and supported the organization, making it possible for the masterclasses to be free of charge.
The ensembles protagonists of this edition have been the Barbican Quartet (United Kingdom), the Kleio Quartet (United Kingdom) and the Trio Sheliak (Italy).
Over the course of the weekend, the musicians-in-residence had the opportunity to participate in classes held by Simone Gramaglia, viola of Quartetto di Cremona, and members of the Kuss Quartet, Jana Kuss, Oliver Wille, William Coleman and Mikayel Hakhnazaryan.
MAESTROS
SIMONE GRAMAGLIA
Simone Gramaglia is considered one of the best violists of his generation. A founding member of Quartetto di Cremona, throughout his career he has performed in the world’s most prestigious concert halls and collaborated with influential figures on the international music scene. His chamber and solo repertoire ranges from Bach to the 20th century, with a particular focus on Contemporary Music. Simone Gramaglia combines his passion for music with that for philosophy and literature, through an intense activity as a musician, teacher and artistic director (Le Dimore del Quartetto, MusicwithMasters, Sergio Dragoni Competition) that has allowed him to constantly promote musical culture, doing his best to support young people in particular. He was the first Italian violist to play Stradivari’s “Paganini” viola for an extended period (Nippon Music Foundation). He writes the column “L’Angolo del Quartetto” in Archi Magazine.
KUSS QUARTET
The Kuss Quartet has been setting new standards for many years with its ambitious concept-based programming. Its mission is to offer unique experiences to traditional audiences and new listeners alike. Leader Jana Kuss and second violinist Oliver Wille have been playing side by side for over 30 years. With curiosity, they and their long-standing colleagues, William Coleman and Mikayel Hakhnazaryan, seek confirmation of the eternal “muss es sein” of string quartet playing. In 2019, the Kuss Quartet was the first German string quartet to be lent the legendary Stradivari “Paganini Quartet” by the Nippon Music Foundation. On these instruments, the quartet played the complete string quartets of Beethoven in June 2019 at the invitation of Suntory Hall Tokyo. Today, the Kuss Quartet inspires the next generation in frequent master classes. William Coleman (Salzburg) and Oliver Wille (Hanover, Birmingham, Biella) are professors at European universities, while Mikayel Hakhnazaryan teaches chamber music at the Hochschule in Karlsruhe and Jana Kuss at the Accademia Perosi in Biella (Italy).
Espresso Masterclass returns to Cassine (in the province of Alessandria-Piedmont) from September 23rd to September 25th.
The selected quartets, Trio Hermes, Quartetto Alioth e Erinys Quartet will be hosted at Casa Arcasio, Villa Felice and Casa Dapino.
The classes will be held by Simone Gramaglia (Quartetto di Cremona’s viola and Le Dimore del Quartetto’s Artistic Director), Jennifer Stumm (professor of viola at the University of Music and Arts of the City of Vienna and International Chair of Viola Studies at the Royal College of Music in London) and Mark Messenger (Head of Strings and professor of violin at the Royal College of Music of London).
CONCERTS
Friday, September 23rd Trio Hermes at Casa Arcasio, Cassine (AL)
Saturday, September 24thErinys Quartet at Chiesa di San Francesco, Cassine (AL)
Sunday, September 25thQuartetto Alioth at Chiesa di San Francesco, Cassine (AL)
MAESTROS
SIMONE GRAMAGLIAA versatile and intellectually curious musician, Simone Gramaglia combines his passion for music, philosophy and literature with an intense activity as a musician (both in chamber music and as a soloist), as a teacher and as an artistic director (Le Dimore del Quartetto, MusicWithMasters, Sergio Dragoni Competition) allowing him to constantly promote musical culture and supporting in particular young people. During his career he has performed in the most prestigious concert halls in the world and has collaborated with influential figures on the international music scene. He was the first Italian violist to play for a long time the viola “Paganini” by Stradivari (Nippon Music Foundation).
JENNIFER STUMM
Violist and conductor, Jennifer Stumm is known for the “opaline beauty” (Washington Post) of her sound, Jennifer has appeared on the world’s great stages such as Carnegie Hall, the Berliner Philharmonie, the Kennedy Center and the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. She is a winner of the William Primrose, Geneva and Concert Artist Guild competitions and the prestigious BBC New Generation Artist and Borletti Buitoni Trust awards (she was the first violist ever to win first prize). She is founder and director of Ilumina, an artist collective and social equity initiative based in São Paulo that promotes emerging artists.
Jennifer Stumm is a professor of viola at the University of Music and Arts of the City of Vienna, holds the International Chair of Viola Studies at the Royal College of Music in London, gives master classes around the world, and is particularly interested in the interaction between the arts and the field of innovation and technology and how that interaction can impact social progress, productivity, and the world of ideas; her talk on the viola and the fortune of being different “The Imperfect Instrument” went viral on TEDx and was named “editor’s pick.”
MARK MESSENGER
Mark Messenger is a violinist, conductor and teacher.
As a soloist, conductor, and chamber musician (a member of the Bochmann and Bingham Quartets since 1984), he has worked internationally with – among others – Lord Yehudi Menuhin, Ivy Gitlis, Maxim Vengerov, Bernard Greenhouse, Natalie Clein, Raphael Wallfisch, Thomas Carroll, Yonty Solomon, Howard Shelley, John Lill, Dame Thea King, Michael Collins, David Campbell, Chris Garrick, and Sir John Dankworth.
He regularly serves on international commissions as a judge and external examiner and gives master classes and lectures around the world. In 2004 he was appointed artistic director of London String Quartet Week and served on the board of the London String Quartet Foundation. He has worked with Oxford University Press, New Holland Publishing, and the Associated Board, for which he has just completed the edition of the complete works for violin and piano by Edward Elgar.
In addition to being head of strings at the Royal College of Music in London, Mark Messenger is also a consultant to the Norwegian Academy in Oslo.
Espresso Masterclass 2022 has been realized with the support of
Espresso Masterclass 2021 has taken place in Cassine (Province of Alessandria) from September 24th to26th, 2021.
The selected quartets, Azalaïs Quartet, Moser String Quartet and Zorà Quartet have been hosted at Casa Arcasio and Villa Felice.
The classes have been held by Simone Gramaglia (coordinator, violist of Quartetto di Cremona and artistic director of Le Dimore del Quartetto), Jana Kuss (violin) and Martti Rousi (cello).
CONCERTS | 2021
Friday, September 24th Moser String Quartet at Oratorio della S.S. Trinità, Cassine (AL)
Saturday, September 25th Zorá Quartet at Chiesa di San Francesco, Cassine (AL)
Sunday, September 26th Azalaïs Quartet at Chiesa di San Francesco, Cassine (AL)
MAESTROS
SIMONE GRAMAGLIAA versatile and intellectually curious musician, Simone Gramaglia combines his passion for music, philosophy and literature with an intense activity as a musician (both in chamber music and as a soloist), as a teacher and as an artistic director (Le Dimore del Quartetto, MusicWithMasters, Sergio Dragoni Competition) allowing him to constantly promote musical culture and supporting in particular young people. During his career he has performed in the most prestigious concert halls in the world and has collaborated with influential figures on the international music scene. He was the first Italian violist to play for a long time the viola “Paganini” by Stradivari (Nippon Music Foundation).
JANA KUSS
MARTTI ROUSI
One of Finland’s leading instrumentalists, Martti Rousi began his studies in his hometown of Turku in 1968 and studied with Timo Hanhinen and Seppo Kimanen and then with Arto Noras at the Sibelius Academy. Already in 1982 he won first prize in the Turku cello competition, after which he played with all the major Finnish orchestras. In 1986 Rousi won the silver medal at the prestigious Tchaikovsky competition in Moscow. Since then he has performed with leading Scandinavian and European orchestras. Since 1993 Rousi has been the artistic director of the Turku music festival, and in 1995 he became a professor at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki.
The masterclass #2 was held at Villa Valvitiano in Perugia (Italy) from September 14th to 16th, 2020, by Maestros of exception such as Simone Gramaglia, Jana Kuss, Enrico Bronzi and Vanessa Benelli Mosell. The ensembles selected to participate are the Trio Bohémo, Chaos String Quartet and Quatuor Tchalik.
Thanks to Ilaria Borletti, president of the Borletti Buitoni Trust and creator of the Franco Buitoni Award, for hosting and supporting the organization, making it possible for the masterclasses to be free of charge.
MAESTROS
SIMONE GRAMAGLIAA versatile and intellectually curious musician, Simone Gramaglia combines his passion for music, philosophy and literature with an intense activity as a musician (both in chamber music and as a soloist), as a teacher and as an artistic director (Le Dimore del Quartetto, MusicWithMasters, Sergio Dragoni Competition) allowing him to constantly promote musical culture and supporting in particular young people. During his career he has performed in the most prestigious concert halls in the world and has collaborated with influential figures on the international music scene. He was the first Italian violist to play for a long time the viola “Paganini” by Stradivari (Nippon Music Foundation).
JANA KUSS
ENRICO BRONZI
Cellist and conductor. As soloist, Enrico Bronzi has won the most prestigious international competitions and has collaborated with great artists such as Martha Argerich, Alexander Lonquich, Gidon Kremer, and ensembles like Hagen Quartet, Kremerata Baltica, Camerata Salzburg and Tapiola Sinfonietta. Bronzi has coupled his soloist activity with his career with Trio di Parma, founded in 1990. Since 2007, he has been teaching at Universität Mozarteum Salzburg.
VANESSA BENELLI MOSELL
Italian pianist Vanessa Benelli Mosell is a rising star on the international music scene, continuously praised for her dazzling virtuosity, technical brilliance and the sensitivity of her musical insight that she brings to her piano playing , as well as to her conducting and directing from the keyboard. Benelli Mosell’s charismatic artistry and natural leadership are quickly establishing her as one of the most interesting personalities in the young conductor’s generation. Combining sheer power and boundless imagination, her electrifying musicality has been shaped significantly in mentorships with Karlheinz Stockhausen and Yuri Bashmet. As a chamber music performer she collaborated with Renaud and Gautier Capuçon, Julian Rachlin, Vadim Repin, Massimo Quarta, Daishin Kashimoto, Radovan Vlatkovich, Henri Demarquette.
The masterclass #1 was held at Villa Valvitiano in Perugia (Italy) from October 4th to 6th 2019, by Maestros of exception such as Simone Gramaglia, Sergei Bresler and Jamie Walton. The ensembles selected to participate are the Quatuor Bergen, Quartetto Eos and Trio Immersio.
Thanks to Ilaria Borletti, president of the Borletti Buitoni Trust and creator of the Franco Buitoni Award, for hosting and supporting the organization, making it possible for the masterclasses to be free of charge.
MAESTROS
SIMONE GRAMAGLIAA versatile and intellectually curious musician, Simone Gramaglia combines his passion for music, philosophy and literature with an intense activity as a musician (both in chamber music and as a soloist), as a teacher and as an artistic director (Le Dimore del Quartetto, MusicWithMasters, Sergio Dragoni Competition) allowing him to constantly promote musical culture and supporting in particular young people. During his career he has performed in the most prestigious concert halls in the world and has collaborated with influential figures on the international music scene. He was the first Italian violist to play for a long time the viola “Paganini” by Stradivari (Nippon Music Foundation).
SERGEI BRESLER
Sergei Bresler was born in Ukraine in 1978 and immigrated to Israel in 1991. He is the second violin and founding member of the internationally acclaimed Jerusalem Quartet which performs regularly in the most famous venues in the world including Wigmore Hall, Carnegie Hall, Concertgebouw Amsterdam and Berlin Konzerthaus. Sergei has performed as a soloist with Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, Young Philharmonic Orchestra and Ludwigsburg Symphony Orchestra. As a chamber music teacher Sergei has given masterclasses in lots of famous venues as the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, the Young Philarmonic Orchestra, the Ludwigsburg Symphony Orchestra, and many others.
JAMIE WALTON
A powerfully versatile cellist and somewhat of a maverick, Jamie Walton combines a career in both chamber and solo capacities, appearing throughout much of Europe, USA, New Zealand, Scandinavia, Canada, Australia and the UK. Having performed with many of the British finest orchestras such as the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Philharmonia, Jamie has also recorded thirteen concertos: three with the RPO and ten with the Philharmonia which include the Dvorak and Schumann under Vladimir Ashkenazy. Further to this, Jamie’s discography with Signum Classics extends to much of the sonata repertoire and the complete works for cello by Benjamin Britten.
