ArtePiano International Festival & Competition

ArtePiano International Festival & Competition

The ArtePiano International Festival & Competition is a classical music event that brings Castelnuovo di Farfa to life every summer—a charming medieval village in the Rieti province, nestled in the heart of the Sabina area and the Lazio Region. For two weeks, the town becomes an open-air music campus: its narrow streets and historic churches fill with pianos, students, and masters arriving from all over the world. The festival is directed by pianist Niel du Preez and is supported by the Lazio Region, the Fondazione Varrone, and the local municipal administration.

A festival in the Sabina hills

More than just a concert series, ArtePiano is a cultural and social project that weaves great music together with the history and flavors of the local area. Students and audiences experience every corner of the village: study rooms are hosted in historic buildings named after great composers, while shared lunches, receptions, and dinners create a sense of community rarely found in international festivals. The Sabina region, with its PDO olive oil and rolling hills, serves as an authentic ambassador for this experience.

International masterclasses

The festival spans two weeks. The first is dedicated to strings and guitar, featuring masterclasses in violin, violin and piano duo, classical guitar, and the unique AMBO workshop on piano improvisation through movement. The second week is entirely reserved for piano, with an international faculty that allows each student to work with multiple masters and explore diverse interpretive approaches. Alongside individual lessons, seminars are held on interpretation, analysis, stage fright management, and competition preparation.

Evening concerts

Every evening, the village transforms into a concert hall. The stunning Church of San Nicola di Bari in the historic center hosts recitals by faculty members and young performers, with programs ranging from Beethoven and Brahms to Rachmaninoff and Stravinsky. Many events are open to the public, offering visitors the chance to hear internationally acclaimed artists for free in an intimate and evocative setting.

The international piano competition

The competitive heart of the event is the ArtePiano International Competition, which brings together young pianists from numerous nations every year. Following the semi-finals, the top contestants perform in the final round accompanied by an orchestra during a grand musical celebration. The competition has already launched the careers of several winners, some of whom return in later years as faculty or soloists.

Music, solidarity, and the local area

ArtePiano never loses sight of its social dimension: the event traditionally concludes with a charity concert in support of organizations within the Rieti area. For Castelnuovo di Farfa and the entire Sabina region, the festival has become a defining identity, capable of attracting musicians and enthusiasts while showcasing an authentic corner of Lazio to the world.