Echos. Places and Music — International Music Festival (concert in Grondona)

Echos in Grondona: great music in the valleys of the Alessandria area

Echos. Places and Music is one of the longest-running and most appreciated music festivals in Piedmont. Founded in 1999 as an «act of love for a territory outside the major classical music circuits», in nearly thirty years it has presented over 570 concerts, showcasing more than 120 locations across dozens of municipalities in the province of Alessandria. The festival is organized by the Associazione Musicale Ondasonora APS under the artistic direction of pianist Sergio Marchegiani.

The stage in the Municipality of Grondona

The small town of Grondona, nestled among the hills and Apennine valleys of the Alessandria province, welcomes the festival in the intimate Chiesa dell'Assunta. This is the hallmark of Echos: bringing internationally renowned performers to highly evocative settings — churches, abbeys, castles, historic palaces, and wine cellars — and restoring centrality to the smaller towns of the region. For those visiting this part of Piedmont, the concert is a precious opportunity to combine musical listening with the discovery of local heritage.

A festival spread across the territory

Each edition consists of approximately 24 concerts distributed across numerous municipalities in the Alessandria area, from the urban center of Alessandria to the villages of the Monferrato and the valleys. Alongside big names from the concert scene, the festival provides space for young talents supported by dedicated scholarships and complements the main program with special projects such as «Places of Wine», a mini-series of concerts in local wineries, and the presentation of the «Silver Key» award to a major personality of Italian piano music.

Why it is worth it

• Classical music concerts with internationally acclaimed performers in unique historical and scenic settings.
• Free admission subject to availability for most events.
• The chance to discover small towns like Grondona, far from the usual tourist routes.
• An experience that weaves together music, architectural heritage, and the Piedmontese Apennine landscape.