Alberto Cesa Award – Cervasca Stage

The Alberto Cesa Award in Cervasca

The Alberto Cesa Award is a national folk and singer-songwriter music competition promoted by Folkest (Folkgiornale ETS Cultural Association), one of the most important world music and folk festivals in Southern Europe. For over twenty years, the award has served as a showcase for emerging artists working at the intersection of musical research, tradition, and local identity. The Municipality of Cervasca, a small town in the Province of Cuneo, Piedmont, has hosted one of the competition's semi-final stages for several years, held in the Parish Hall of the Church of Santo Stefano, on Via Ubacco.

Who was Alberto Cesa

The award is named after Alberto Cesa (1947-2010), a singer, guitarist, and hurdy-gurdy player who was a central figure in the Italian folk revival and founder of the group Cantovivo in 1974. His work gave voice to stories, struggles, and communities through the language of folk music, weaving together repertoires and cultures from Northern Italy to the rhythms of the Mediterranean. The competition continues his artistic and social commitment by supporting new generations of musicians.

The competition format

The selection process involves two stages: an initial screening by a jury of industry professionals, journalists, and musicians, followed by a series of live selection events held across the country. The semi-final stages visit cities such as Arezzo, Cervasca, Verona, Rome, and Codroipo. Groups that pass the regional semi-finals advance to the summer stage of Folkest in San Daniele del Friuli for the grand finals. Finalists are required to set to music, sing, and arrange a text in the Friulian language by the poet Federico Tavan, a signature challenge of the award.

The evening in Cervasca

The Cervasca stage is a true live semi-final: three groups perform before the public and the jury, presenting their musical projects. It is a precious opportunity to listen to contemporary Italian folk in its many variations, from singer-songwriter pieces to ethnic and Mediterranean sounds, in the intimate and welcoming setting of the local parish hall.

Prizes and opportunities

The competition offers the Nuovo Imaie Award, providing concrete support for the creation of new musical projects, as well as invitations to perform at Folkest and Ethnos in subsequent editions. For emerging artists in the folk scene, a stage like the one in Cervasca represents a gateway to a significant national circuit.