Imola Summer Music Academy and Festival
A month of advanced musical training and free concerts in Imola's historic palaces
About Imola Summer Music Academy
Great Classical Music in the Heart of Imola
Every summer, the city of Imola, in the Province of Bologna and the heart of Emilia-Romagna, transforms into a large, spread-out conservatory. The Imola Summer Music Academy and Festival is the event promoted by the Fondazione Accademia Internazionale Incontri col Maestro, one of Europe's most prestigious advanced musical training schools, which has been nurturing some of the best pianists and instrumentalists on the international scene for decades.
For over a month, from late June to late July, the Academy hosts resident and visiting students from all over the world who come to Imola to study and perfect their skills alongside the Foundation's great masters. But the initiative is not just for musicians: the entire city is invited to experience music thanks to a packed calendar of public concerts.
A Free Festival
The heart of the event is its public and free dimension. Every evening, and often in the afternoon too, the Academy's young talents perform alongside their teachers in a highly professional setting, in front of an attentive audience. It's a rare opportunity to hear emerging artists destined for the world's major stages, alongside established performers, all for free.
Historic Venues for Music
The festival enhances Imola's architectural heritage by transforming its most evocative spaces into concert halls:
- Rocca Sforzesca — the imposing 15th-century fortress overlooking the city;
- Courtyard of Palazzo Monsignani — an elegant palace along the historic Via Emilia;
- Cloister of the former Osservanza Convent — a secluded space with refined acoustics.
Internationally Renowned Masters
The strength of the initiative lies in its faculty: masterclasses and advanced courses are led by the directors of the Foundation's academies, among the most authoritative names in music education for piano, violin, cello, viola, flute, guitar, chamber music, composition, and orchestral conducting. Imola thus confirms its role year after year as a benchmark for top-tier musical training, from technical preparation to concert production and live performance.
Imola Summer Music Academy — edition 2026
Imola Summer Music Academy and Festival 2026
The 15th edition takes place from June 27 to July 31, 2026. The Academy hosts resident and visiting students who come to Imola to study and perfect their skills with the Foundation's masters, with the opportunity to perform in a highly professional setting before an audience.
The courses and masterclasses are led by the Foundation's faculty: André Gallo (piano), Boris Belkin (violin), Enrico Bronzi (cello), Antonello Farulli (viola and string quartet), Andrea Manco (flute), Giovanni Puddu (guitar), Marco Zuccarini (chamber music), Giorgio Colombo Taccani (composition), and Marco Boni (orchestral conducting).
The concert venues are the usual historic sites in the city: the Rocca Sforzesca, the courtyard of Palazzo Monsignani, and the cloister of the Osservanza Convent. Admission to the concerts is free.
Programme Imola Summer Music Academy 2026
The detailed calendar of evening and afternoon concerts for the 15th edition will be published on the Academy's official website in the weeks preceding the festival. The concerts will feature the young students of the Academy alongside their teachers.
The 2026 courses and masterclasses are entrusted to the Foundation's masters:
- Piano — André Gallo
- Violin — Boris Belkin
- Cello — Enrico Bronzi
- Viola and string quartet — Antonello Farulli
- Flute — Andrea Manco
- Guitar — Giovanni Puddu
- Chamber music — Marco Zuccarini
- Composition — Giorgio Colombo Taccani
- Orchestral conducting — Marco Boni
Highlights Imola Summer Music Academy 2026
Concerts by the Academy's young talents alongside the Foundation's great masters, in the settings of the Rocca Sforzesca and Palazzo Monsignani, all with free admission.
Prices Imola Summer Music Academy 2026
Practical information — Imola Summer Music Academy
Getting Here
Imola is easily reachable by train on the Bologna–Rimini line (Imola station) and by car from the Imola exit of the A14 motorway. The concert venues are in the historic center, a short distance from each other.
Tickets
All festival concerts are free admission, both in the evening and afternoon. Reservations are generally not required, except for specific events.
Information
Fondazione Accademia Internazionale Incontri col Maestro — Tel. +39 0542 30802 — [email protected]. Full program and updates on the official website.
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Where does it take place — Imola Summer Music Academy
Rocca Sforzesca
Piazzale Giovanni dalle Bande Nere 1, 40026 Imola