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workshop berio 2025

Choral conducting and research workshop
as part of the Festival Luciano Berio
“Invito”: per un centenario (1925-2025)

Cremona, August 29-31 and September 12-13, 2025
Milan, September 14, 2025
Radicondoli (SI), October 17-19, 2025

An initiative byUnder the patronage ofWith the support and collaboration of

the project

Within the works of Luciano Berio (1925-2003)—a composer known for his deep interest in the possibilities of the voice—choral music represents a field of great significance. Among both famous works and lesser-known pieces, the choir recurs throughout his oeuvre, conceived both as a traditional ensemble and as a musical concept. For this reason, organizing a choral conducting and research workshop “in the name of Berio” has a precise and twofold significance. On the one hand, some of the composer’s ideas on the relationship between music-making and thinking find a perfect “breeding ground” in the choir. On the other, Berio’s human and artistic journey was rich in connections with other composers whose choral works can be interpreted in light of his words and ideas, as expressed in his writings or other sources.

This workshop, conceived by the Centro Studi Luciano Berio and ITER Research Ensemble on the occasion of the composer’s centenary, was born from these premises. It is designed for choir conductors with experience and a strong interest in choral music of the past century. The repertoire includes both published and unpublished works by Berio, particularly those from his early output, as well as pieces by composers who were close to him on a biographical, musical, or intellectual level.

Compared to a traditional conducting masterclass—primarily focused on musical or technical aspects—this workshop offers a different approach. The work on the repertoire will not be limited to the rehearsal process; rather, it will be complemented by historical and musicological analysis, conceived as an integral part of shaping the performance. Participants will therefore engage in two types of activities:

  1. Seminar sessions (online), focusing on an in-depth study of the pieces, conducted by different “teams” composed of members of ITER Research Ensemble;
  2. Rehearsal sessions (in person), where the group will gather to work as a laboratory choir.

The workshop includes two public events:

  1. A public rehearsal with a final performance in Milan on September 14, 2025, organized by Cori Lombardia APS;
  2. A concluding concert in Radicondoli (SI), the composer’s home place, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Luciano Berio’s birth.

➤ Read the full call for applications

➤ OUTCOME OF THE SELECTION PROCESS

The selected conductors

Mateja Černic

Mateja graduated with a Master’s degree in Choral Conducting from the “F.A. Bonporti” Conservatory in Trento, studying under Lorenzo Donati. In 2021, she won third prize and the award for best Italian conductor at the “Fosco Corti” International Choral Conducting Competition. She conducted the female choir Bodeča Neža (Gorizia), with which she achieved excellent results in several national and international competitions. She is currently the conductor of the vocal group Mittelvox Ensemble and also leads the youth choir Emil Komel (Gorizia). She collaborates with the Coro del Friuli Venezia Giulia as both conductor and rehearsal director. As a singer, she has been part of prominent Italian, Slovenian, and international choirs. She has taught at the Advanced School for Choral Conductors Guido d’Arezzo, the Accademia Corale Italiana, and the choral conducting program for music teachers in Slovenia. Since 2024, she has been Professor of Choral Conducting and Composition at the “F. Torrefranca” Conservatory in Vibo Valentia.

Alessandra Esposito

Alessandra holds diplomas in Organ and Organ Composition from the “G. Tartini” Conservatory in Trieste, and in Choral Conducting and Choral Composition from the “B. Marcello” Conservatory in Venice. She is currently studying Orchestral Conducting at the “G. Frescobaldi” Conservatory in Ferrara. She is the resident organist at the National Shrine of Monte Grisa in Trieste, as well as at the churches of San Bartolomeo and Sante Eufemia e Tecla in Trieste. She teaches music in both lower and upper secondary schools. Since 2018, she has been conductor and artistic director of the female vocal group LeSandrine in Trieste. Since 2020, she has been the conductor of the youth choir at the “G. Oberdan” Scientific High School in Trieste, the oldest school choir in Italy. She also conducts the corporate choir of Allianz in Trieste.

Stefano Klamert

Stefano holds a diploma in Organ and Organ Composition, with parallel training in Choral Conducting, vocal pop/jazz arrangement, and other areas closely related to choral singing. From 2005 to 2016, he conducted the Youth Choir of the “G. Oberdan” Scientific High School in Trieste. Between 2007 and 2011, he co-conducted the Trieste InterSchool Choir, a network project involving high school choirs in the province of Trieste. He currently conducts the Liceo Oberdan – Senior Choir. He has been a member of numerous high-level choral ensembles, including the Italian Youth Choir, FENIARCO Academy Choir, European Youth Choir, Torino Vocal Ensemble, Corale Nuovo Accordo in Trieste, and the Civic Chapel Choir of the Cathedral of San Giusto in Trieste, where he also served as assistant conductor.

Roberto Gelosa

Roberto teaches music at the “Don Milani” middle school in Seregno. In 2022, he completed a Master’s degree in Choral Conducting and Composition at the Como Conservatory. Between 2017 and 2019, he studied choral conducting at the Milano Choral Academy under Marco Berrini. As a conductor, he collaborates with Piccole Variazioni in Carnate, conducts the Carnate Polyphonic Choir, and the vocal group Melophonia. He was formerly the conductor of the Fior di Montagna Choir in Monza. As a singer, he has worked with various Italian choirs, including the Italian Youth Choir, UT insieme vocale-consonante, Cathedral Choir of Siena “Guido Chigi Saracini”, Mousikè Vocal Ensemble, CeT Choir, and Ars Cantica Choir. In 2015, he earned a Master’s degree in Trombone from the “G. Cantelli” Conservatory in Novara.

Matteo Gentile

Matteo graduated in Musicology from the University of Pavia and is currently studying Choral Conducting and Composition at the “G. Verdi” Conservatory in Turin under Elena Camoletto. He has furthered his conducting studies with Brady Allred, Ban Sheng Toh, Dario Tabbia, Lorenzo Donati, Luigi Marzola, Petra Grassi, and Davide Benetti. He studied orchestral conducting with Ennio Nicotra at the Ilya Musin Society. He is the founder and conductor of the youth vocal ensemble Novi Cantores Torino and the female youth ensemble Cromantiche. He also conducts several other choirs in the Turin area, including university choirs from PoliTo and UniTo. He collaborates with the University Choir of Turin, Accademia Maghini, and Accademia Corale Stefano Tempia. At the Associazione Musicale Musicaviva, he founded and conducts the Accademia Corale Musicaviva. Since 2017, he has also been active as an orchestral conductor, composer, arranger, and music journalist.

the repertoire

Group A (choral works by Luciano Berio)

Luciano Berio (1925-2003)
E si fussi pisci
for mixed chorus (2002)

Luciano Berio (1925-2003)
Due canti siciliani
for tenor solo and male chorus (1948, unpublished)

Luciano Berio (1925-2003) / arr. by an unidentified author
Due canzoni popolari
(post 1947, unpublished)

  1. Dolce cominciamento
    for soprano solo ad libitum, female chorus and piano
  2. Avendo gran disio
    for tenor solo ad libitum, mixed chorus and piano

Luciano Berio (1925-2003)
Coro introduttivo del radiodramma “La fanciulla di neve”
for mixed chorus (RAI, 1958)*

* score reconstructed from the choral parts (Edizioni Suvini Zerboni Archives) by Angela Ida De Benedictis, published in Angela Ida De Benedictis, Radiodramma e arte radiofonica: Storia e funzioni della musica per radio in Italia (Torino: EDT; De Sono, 2006), 102–105.

Group B

Luigi Dallapiccola (1904-1975)
Prima serie dei cori di Michelangelo Buonarroti il Giovane MR 15a
for mixed chorus (1933)

  1. Il coro delle malmaritate
  2. Il coro dei malammogliati

Claude Debussy (1862-1918)
Trois chansons de Charles d’Orléans
for mixed chorus (1898-1908)

  1. Dieu! qu’il la fait bon regarder!
  2. Quand j’ai ouy le tabourin
  3. Yver, vous n’estes qu’un villain

Igor’ Stravisnkij (1882-1971)
Three Sacred Choruses
for mixed choir (1932-1952), Latin version

  1. Pater noster K046
  2. Ave Maria K057
  3. Russian Credo K055
    new version by Rebecca Favale and Giovanni Cestino (ITER Research Ensemble)

Group C

Louis Andriessen (1939-2021)
Un beau baiser
for mixed chorus (1980)
from George Sand

Giorgio Federico Ghedini (1892-1965)
Due canti sacri
for mixed chorus (posthumous ed., 1983)

  1. Maria lavava…
  2. Dove vai Madonna mia

Maurice Ravel (1875-1937) / arr. by Clytus Gottwald (1925-2023)
Toi, le cœur de la rose
for female chorus (2008)
from L’Enfant et les sortilèges M.71

Franz Schubert (1797-1828) / arr. by Luciano Berio (1925-2023)
An die Musik D 547
for mixed chorus and piano (1984)

Karlheinz Stockhausen (1928-2007)
Choral Nr. 1/9
for mixed chorus (1950)

The photo in the thumbnail of this project is by Gisela Bauknecht (courtesy of the Centro Studi Luciano Berio).