Accordion Festival and Giorgio Ceccarelli International Prize

When the accordion plays in the mountains

Every year at the end of August, the villages of the Pistoia Mountains fill with the notes of the bellows. The Accordion Festival and the Giorgio Ceccarelli International Prize transform the municipality of Abetone Cutigliano, in the province of Pistoia, into a meeting point for accordion and organetto players from all over Italy and abroad. Past editions have featured contestants from France, Germany, Romania, Russia, and Ukraine, confirming the truly international vocation of this mountain event.

A prize dedicated to a passionate local

The festival is named after Giorgio Ceccarelli, a beloved local figure: an accordion enthusiast, he was also a public administrator and deputy mayor of Cutigliano, who dedicated much of his life to promoting his territory through music. The prize was established to honor his memory and pass on the love for an instrument that, in Tuscany as throughout Italy, is deeply linked to folk culture and traditional ballroom dancing.

A multi-category competition

The heart of the event is the international competition, divided into numerous categories designed to welcome musicians of all ages and levels: from the very young (starting at age 5) to more mature contestants, with sections dedicated to specific styles (folk, classical, variété), the organetto, ensembles, and adult amateurs. The artistic direction is entrusted to Maestro Tiziano Chiapelli, a concert performer and accordion teacher, while the organization is managed by a pool of local entities including the Centro Studi Beatrice, the Gruppo Trekking Val Sestaione, the Associazione Amici di Asnières-sur-Oise, the Pro Loco Doganaccia, and AUSER Cutigliano, in collaboration with the Accademia Musicale della Montagna Pistoiese.

Concerts spread across churches, huts, and squares

The event follows a "scattered" format: performances and auditions take place in various locations throughout the municipality, from churches and mountain refuges to the squares of small villages. Past venues have included the church of San Rocco in Rivoreta, the Grande Baita in Doganaccia, the church of Madonna di Piazza, the parish church of San Bartolomeo, and the Piazza dell'Acerone in Pian degli Ontani, where the final winners are traditionally announced. It is a way for visitors to discover not only the music but also the heritage and landscapes of the Tuscan mountains.

A free event for everyone

Concerts and public meetings are free to attend, designed for families, enthusiasts, and the curious. The festival thus combines the competitive dimension with that of a popular celebration, in an informal atmosphere that is the hallmark of events in the Pistoia Mountains. For those who love the accordion, the organetto, and the Italian musical tradition, the Abetone Cutigliano gathering is an unmissable stop at the end of summer.