Could you ever imagine a piece of music written 500 years ago sounding like a British rock song of the 21st century? Or that some of the most incredible instruments ever built in the history of music were made in Italy? Have you ever wondered why some of the greatest musicians of all time, before composing unparalleled musical masterpieces of the history  of music, came to Italy to study its language and culture? 

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The Italian Music Appreciation course is the perfect way to approach the world of music in an enjoyable, exciting, and even humorous way. The course (8 lessons/1.5 hours each - in English) is open to everyone, with no age restrictions. No musical background or training is assumed or required.

The talent of Paolo Schianchi, an extraordinary musician, inventor of unique instruments, educator, and communicator (TED Talks, RAI 1 - Italian TV “Uno Mattina”. RAI 2, Canale 5 - Italian TV “Tu Si Que Vales”, EXPO Milan 2015, Rome Auditorium, …) is going to guide you on a journey through the incredible stories hidden behind popular Italian songs and composers which are related to Italy.

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The Italian Music Appreciation Course will introduce you to many curiosities regarding the world of music and give you the opportunity to more deeply explore it. The course will familiarize you with different styles of music, which have remained revered throughout centuries and continue to influence contemporary music and exhibit their richness and beauty: jazz, pop, rock, opera, classical, and traditional music. Paolo Schianchi will guide your listening and explain or comment on every piece of music; indeed, a good listener is only the one who is able to recognize the basic and architectural elements of music.

We will deeply explore every piece of music through the eyes of its composer, from different perspectives: a historical one (a face-to-face meeting with great musicians from the past), and organological one (musical instruments and their peculiarity), the point-of-view of style, and the cultural one.

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Emphasis will be on Italy’s music, with the aim of sharing the country’s unique culture; nonetheless, while exploring Italian music history we will tell the stories of people who have changed history and influenced the way music is played all over the world - beyond boundaries and limits, both geographical, musical, and cultural.