Civica Scuola di Musica Claudio Abbado

The School, which has been named after Claudio Abbado in June 2014, offers a wide range of professional, technical, introductory and amateur curricula for all ages (from pre-school to post-graduate), cutting across all the different languages, repertories and professional fields. All students take part in a vast selection of public ensemble and orchestra events. The School has been authorised by the Italian Ministry of Education, Universities and Research (MIUR) to issue university-level qualifications (AFAM). Many of its former students have become acclaimed professionals, including Alessio Corti, Lorenzo Ghielmi, Enrico Onofri, Emilio Pomarico and Carlo Rizzi. Over the years outstanding teachers have graced our classes, including Laura Alvini, Roberto Gini, Cathy Berberian, Maria Tipo, Charles Rosen, Petre Munteanu, Bruno Bettinelli, Paolo Borciani, Salvatore Sciarrino and Irvine Arditti.

Awards and Acknowledgements

For its 150th anniversary, the Civica Scuola di Musica was awarded the Ambrogino d’Oro from the city of Milan and a medal from the President of the Republic.

Departments

Department of Early Music

Mediaeval, Baroque and Renaissance Music, Courses Workshops and Master Classes

Group practice sessions linked to the activities of Orchestra Barocca.

Department of Classical Music

Preparatory Course, Instrument Courses, Chamber Music Group Playing, Opera Singing, Vocal Coaching, Conducting Orchestra, Choral Practice, Workshops, Master Classes

Group music with Orchestra dei Giovani (conducted by Carlo de Martini) and with Orchestra della Civica (various conductors).

Department of Music Research

Electronic Music, Electric Guitar, Logic, Protools, Finale, Image Music Audio Technology, Music Writing And Communication

Art skills interlinked with technology and computer science, intensive vocational courses and specialization courses.

City Choruses

Choral Singing Courses

Students of these courses will also learn how to stage public events. The chorus is conducted by Mario Valsecchi.

Jazz courses

Instrument Courses, Group Music, Jazz Singing, Choir

Organized in agreement with Associazione Culturale Musica Oggi, through the experiences of Enrico Intra, Maurizio Franco and Franco Cerri, include permanent bands: Civica Jazz Band (conducted by Enrico Intra and Maurizio Franco), Workshop Big Band (conducted by Fabio Jegher), Time Percussion (conducted by Tony Arco), Guitar Ensemble (conducted by Franco Cerri), Swing & Dixieland Band (conducted by Paolo Tomelleri), Coro dei Civici Corsi di Jazz and Coro da Camera Clam Chowder (conducted by Giorgio Ubaldi). Furthermore, the Break in Jazz show has been a mainstay of Piazza Mercanti in Milan for several years now and Orchestra Senza Confini show at Piccolo Teatro.

Cem Music Training

Instrument Courses, Group Music Courses, Singing

These courses are intended for amateurs and provide the basics of music knowledge, building your abilities, teaching you how to sing and play in a group and enabling you to hone your singing skills and even begin composing. The CEM music training courses have originated a permanent group known as Four For Sax, a sax quartet involved in many of the local shows such as MITOFringe and Musei a Cielo Aperto.

International programmes

The School has a high percentage of students from abroad. In particular, 40% of students of early music come from Europe, whereas the remaining 60% come from South America, Australia, Canada, US and Japan. The majority of students of opera
singing and vocal coaching at the Department of Classical Music come from the Far East, particularly Korea, China and Japan; many more come from Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Russia, Ukraine, Turkey, Australia, the Philippines, France and Germany.
Orchestra Barocca has played at the traditional review held at the Sforza Castle in Milan, at other local open music events and even at shows in the Netherlands and in Switzerland.