Quarna A Village for Music

A festival born from an ancient musical vocation

Quarna A Village for Music is one of the longest-running music festivals in Upper Piedmont. It takes place in Quarna Sotto, a village perched on the heights of Lake Orta in the Cusio area, in the province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola. The village's bond with music is rooted in nearly two centuries of artisanal tradition: Quarna is, in fact, famous for its historic production of wind instruments, a legacy that still fuels the community's identity today and which gave birth, in 1980, to this concert season, now reaching its 47th edition in 2026.

The 47th season 2026

The 2026 program runs from June to October, alternating chamber ensembles, classical repertoire, jazz, and contemporary styles. The concerts are held in intimate spaces with excellent acoustics, particularly in the evocative Ex Fabbrica Grassi and throughout the historic center, where the environment's intimacy fosters listening and direct dialogue between the audience and the performers.

• June 14 — Inaugural concert with an euphonium quartet
• June 20 — Recital by the Goloubev–Montana Duo
• July 26 – August 1 — Advanced Masterclasses with final student concerts
• September 12 — Concert by the Sus4tet
• October 10 — Gelfini-Olzer Duo with the «Crossroads» program

Advanced Masterclasses

The core of the festival is the Advanced Masterclasses, scheduled from July 26 to August 1, 2026. Aimed at young students and enthusiasts, they include individual lessons on sound, technique, and interpretation, as well as ensemble music sessions and piano rehearsals, culminating in public concerts held by students and teachers in the Sala Grassi. An immersive week of study that brings musicians from all over Italy to Quarna.

The village and the territory

Attending Quarna A Village for Music also means discovering an authentic corner of Piedmont: the views over Lake Orta, the trails through the Cusio woods, and the Ethnographic and Wind Instrument Museum, which tells the story of the village's luthier history. The Municipality of Quarna Sotto and the organizing association make the festival an opportunity for cultural and tourist promotion for the entire Verbano-Cusio-Ossola territory.