Music School Radiconvento Musica
The music courses held at the former Convento dell’Osservanza are primarily oriented towards children and teenagers living in Radicondoli who would like to learn how to play a musical instrument.
The teaching staff comprises about a dozen musicians, while other staff organize the extracurricular activities offered to students (canteen, afterschool programme, mime and acrobatics activities, painting, handicrafts).
The school's instructors also teach a weekly music workshop held at the local preschool. Primary school children from Radicondoli can take part in choir activities one afternoon a week.
The polyphonic choir for adults RadiconventoCoro has been singing for many years and often performs in concerts.
Activities
Music and instrument instruction, rhythm, music theory, ensembles, orchestra
Concerts
Summer Music Weeks
Orchestra Workshop: RadiconventOrchestra
ABRSM Centre
The instruction follows special pedagogical and educational principles that draw on the students' needs and backgrounds.
The teaching method is grounded in the joy of playing musical instruments and making music with and for others. Interacting with peers, playing together and listening to one another provide students with motivation for studying an instrument and an incentive to constantly improve their technical and musical skills.
Children usually choose an instrument (violin, cello, clarinet, flute, or piano) at the age of six. There is no selection process at the time of enrolment. From the beginning of the course, instrument lessons are supported by studying rhythm and playing in an ensemble.
There are various ensembles that students can join depending on the level they have achieved in their studies.
On school days, many students spend the afternoon in the convent's halls and garden. This extra time helps to make music an integral part of each student's daily life and also allows students to sit in on their peers' lessons. In the afternoons, children have the opportunity to take arts courses such as painting or movement and theatre, choosing from a wide range of expressive arts that can contrast with and be integrated into their music studies.
The end of year concerts reflect this integration among the arts.
The Aim
Music instruction can prove to be an indispensable tool for personal development. Learning to play a musical instrument trains us to listen to ourselves and to others, and helps us build character while honouring those around us.
Of crucial importance to this educational concept is the principle that music instruction must be accessible, economically and otherwise, to all those who seek it.
Playing in an ensemble fulfils a primary role, and students experience this in different ways starting in the first year of instruction.
The aim of the project is to experiment with this model of music school, assess its effects on individuals and the community over time, and promote its principles.
Places & Dates
Concerts performed by the school's students
2019, 2 March, Spring concert
2019, 23 March,“chi l’avrebbe mai detto”: student grown up in the Convent
2019, 21 June, End of Year Concert
2020, 27 June, End of Year Concert
Intensive courses at Convento dell'Osservanza
2018, 11-22 June
2019, 10 - 21 June
2020, 15 - 27 June
Musical holidays in Alpe di Siusi (Italy)
2018, 25 August – 1 September
2019, 24 - 31 August
2020, 22 - 29 August
RadiconventoCORO
2019, 14 December, Concert of choirs “Armonie in collina”, Chiesa della Collegiata
Orchestras
2018, 30 September, Concert of RadiconventOrchestra, Chiesa della Collegiata, Radicondoli (Italy)
2018, May "Incontro di Archi" (String session): Ensemble RadiconventOrchestra, Ensemble archi del Trasimeno - Giovani Archi Montepulciano, in Castiglion del Lago (Italy)
2019, 26 May, "Incontro di Archi": Ensemble RadiconventoMusica, Ensemble archi del Trasimeno - Giovani Archi Montepulciano, in Montepulciano (Italy)
2019, 29 September, Concert of RadiconventOrchestra, Chiesa della Collegiata, Radicondoli (Italy)
Special events at Convento dell’Osservanza
2018, December, Christmas party and music with the students' parents
2019, 13 December, Christmas party and music with the students' parents
