Fanano Saxophone Week

A week dedicated to the saxophone in Fanano

The Fanano Saxophone Week is one of the most anticipated musical events of the summer in the Modenese Apennines. Conceived and directed by the Quartetto Saxofollia — the ensemble formed by Giovanni Contri, Fabrizio Benevelli, Marco Ferri, and their saxophonist colleagues — the event takes place in the village of Fanano, in the province of Modena, in Emilia-Romagna, at the foot of Monte Cimone.

The event was created with a dual purpose: on one hand, a high-level summer specialization course that attracts Italian and international students, and on the other, an evening series of free admission concerts open to all citizens and tourists vacationing in the Cimone area.

Masterclasses and study paths

The educational heart of the week is the Fanano Saxophone School, which offers daily individual lessons and chamber music activities with internationally renowned teachers. Participants can choose between two distinct paths: saxophone 360°, with a classical focus, and jazz saxophone, the latter also open to rhythm section instrumentalists to foster a truly complete study, collaboration, and exchange experience.

The Fanano Saxophone International Competition

The Fanano Saxophone International Competition is also held during the week, a musical competition promoted by the association Amici del Progetto Musica E.T.S. with the artistic direction of the Quartetto Saxofollia. Created to promote the saxophone and its repertoire, the competition offers young musicians an opportunity for comparison and growth; finalists and winners perform in one of the evening concerts of the series.

Concerts between churches and squares

Every evening, the town comes alive with a concert, hosted in the evocative Church of San Giuseppe or outdoors in Piazza Corsini. The program features classical ensembles, saxophone quartets, and jazz trios, with leading Italian and foreign artists, confirming Fanano as a rare crossroads where the saxophone is celebrated in all its forms, from chamber music to authorial jazz.