Collegium Vocale Crete Senesi

A festival of excellence in the Crete Senesi

The Collegium Vocale Crete Senesi is one of the most precious highlights of the Tuscan musical summer. Born from the meeting between maestro Philippe Herreweghe—founder of the legendary Belgian ensemble Collegium Vocale Gent in 1970—and the Crete Senesi region, the festival takes place every year in Asciano, in the province of Siena, and in some of the most evocative locations in the area. It is an event that has earned an international following thanks to the exceptional quality of its performances and the incomparable setting in which it unfolds.

The landscape as part of the concert

The Crete Senesi, with their clay hills, gullies, and medieval villages, offer a backdrop that is an integral part of the experience. Concerts are held in churches and abbeys chosen for their acoustics and architectural beauty: above all the Church of San Francesco in Asciano, reopened specifically for the festival, and the Monastery of Sant'Anna in Camprena, near Pienza, also famous as a film set. In these spaces, early and vocal music finds a natural resonance that no modern concert hall can match.

A repertoire from the Renaissance to the Romantic era

The program, personally curated by Herreweghe, spans centuries of music: from Renaissance polyphony to the Baroque repertoire, and from classical chamber music to Romantic masterpieces. Alongside the Collegium Vocale Gent, internationally renowned ensembles, soloists, and emerging young talents linked to the maestro's artistic circle perform. Each edition offers a coherent journey, designed as an exploration of the diverse expressions of the voice and period instruments.

A complete experience

The festival is more than just music: many concerts are accompanied by dinners that highlight the local products and conviviality of the Sienese territory, transforming the evening into an experience that combines listening, taste, and landscape. This intimate, detail-oriented formula makes the Collegium Vocale Crete Senesi a beloved destination for music lovers from all over Europe, who choose Asciano and the Crete Senesi every summer as their musical pilgrimage site.

Asciano and the Crete Senesi

Located in the heart of Tuscany, the town of Asciano is the ideal gateway to the Crete Senesi. A village rich in history and art, it houses masterpieces of the Sienese school and is located a short distance from Siena, Montalcino, and Pienza. For the region, the festival represents a high-level opportunity for cultural and tourism promotion.