The Volterra Project

An international classical guitar laboratory

The Volterra Project was born in 2007 from the vision of Greek-American guitarist Antigoni Goni, who remains its artistic director. More than just a summer course, it is a true Summer Guitar Institute: an immersive experience that every July brings a select group of classical guitarists from dozens of different countries to Volterra, in the heart of Tuscany, in the Province of Pisa. Classical Guitar Magazine has described it as a "revolutionary" project for its non-competitive approach to training.

360-degree training

What sets the project apart from other summer workshops is its "360-degree" vision of a musician's growth. Alongside top-tier guitar masterclasses, students attend lessons on musical physiology—to learn how to play healthily and without tension—and music business seminars led by internationally renowned professionals. The stated goal is to train well-rounded performers capable of navigating the various aspects of a musical career and bringing the guitar beyond traditional concert halls and into the living spaces of the community.

The numbers behind a long-standing project

In nearly twenty years of activity, The Volterra Project has welcomed over 160 students from more than 30 countries, around twenty world-renowned guitarists, and numerous music professionals and physiologists. This artistic network has also given rise to the Volterra Project Trio, a chamber ensemble born from the institute's experience that has gone on to perform international tours.

Concerts open to the city

The moment the project meets the public is during the evening concerts, often free of charge, hosted in the historic halls of Volterra—particularly the Sala del Maggior Consiglio in the Palazzo dei Priori, one of the oldest municipal buildings in Italy. Over the years, programs have ranged from 19th-century repertoire (Legnani, Mertz) to transcriptions of Brahms and Granados, and even tributes to Astor Piazzolla, featuring performances by Antigoni Goni herself and guest faculty.

Volterra, a unique setting

The Etruscan city of Volterra, perched among the hills of the Valdicecina, offers an ideal setting for an experience that blends study, inspiration, and beauty. Amidst medieval walls, stone squares, and panoramic views of the balze, the festival transforms this Tuscan village into a small capital of classical guitar for a few days.