Cilento and Vallo di Diano International Organetto Festival

An international competition in the heart of Vallo di Diano

The Cilento and Vallo di Diano International Organetto Festival is the spring event that transforms Sant'Arsenio, a small town in the province of Salerno, into the Italian capital of the organetto. This is not a simple folk festival: the event is structured as a proper musical competition, with auditions before a jury, a final ranking, and prizes for the best performers. In Campania, where the diatonic accordion has accompanied tarantellas, patronal feasts, and serenades for generations, an event of this kind holds value far beyond the competition itself.

The organetto, a symbol of Cilento's folk culture

The organetto, or diatonic button accordion, is the instrument that has kept entire communities dancing across the Cilento, Vallo di Diano, and Alburni regions. The festival was founded with the clear goal of preserving and revitalizing this cultural heritage, highlighting an instrument that risked being confined to the memories of the elderly. The competition format, open to all ages, acts as a bridge between past and future: alongside players who learned by ear in the town squares, very young musicians often emerge from local music schools.

How the competition day unfolds

Everything is concentrated into a single day, usually a Sunday in April, at the Teatro ITC A. Sacco in Sant'Arsenio. The morning is dedicated to auditions: contestants perform one after another before the committee, which evaluates technique, repertoire, and interpretative skill. In the afternoon, the trials conclude, and the most anticipated moment arrives in the evening with the proclamation of the winners, followed by honorary performances by the awardees and guests invited by the artistic direction.

• Contestant auditions starting in the morning
• Jury evaluation and final ranking
• Evening awards ceremony and gala concert
• Festival Trophy, induction into the Hall of Fame, and music scholarships

From Vallo di Diano to the World Trophy

The international dimension is not just in the name: winners can be selected for the Trofeo Mondiale de l'Accordéon Online, a competition that connects local talent with a global audience. This is why the festival attracts contestants from outside the region every year: recent editions have seen players arriving from Calabria, Basilicata, and Emilia-Romagna, in addition to all of Campania.

Who organizes the Festival

The event is promoted and directed by masters Ivano De Simone, Antonio Donnantuoni, and Pietro Infantino, together with the Campus Musicale directed by Vittoria Benvenga, with the patronage of the Sant'Arsenio municipal administration and the support of the Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park. The involvement of the Park Authority is no coincidence: folk music is considered an integral part of the intangible heritage of this territory, which is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Why it is worth attending

Visitors from outside the area will find more than just a competition: a full day of live music with dozens of different performances, including tarantellas, waltzes, and traditional rural tunes played without unnecessary amplification. It is also an excellent opportunity to discover the Vallo di Diano off-season, when the villages are not crowded and spring makes a walk between Sant'Arsenio, Polla, and Teggiano delightful. For enthusiasts of organology and Southern Italian folk music, this event is now a permanent fixture on the Campanian calendar.