Tuscan Saxophone Festival

Bacchereto, the saxophone capital of Tuscany

For one week each year, the hillside village of Bacchereto, a hamlet of Carmignano in the heart of the Montalbano area, in the province of Prato, becomes the Tuscan reference point for saxophone enthusiasts. The Tuscan Saxophone Festival is an event that blends high-level musical training with live performance, enlivening the squares and historic spaces of this corner of Tuscany with the sounds of a versatile instrument, capable of moving naturally from classical repertoire to experimental jazz.

The Summer Saxophone Workshop

The heart of the event is the Summer Saxophone Workshop, an intensive masterclass aimed at students and enthusiasts of all levels. For several days, participants study side-by-side with established musicians and teachers in a program that includes:

• Individual lessons with the workshop's master instructors;
• Jazz workshop, to explore improvisation and jazz language;
• Orchestra and wind ensemble workshop, culminating in a group concert;
• A music competition open to students.

The days alternate between study and rehearsals with moments of discussion, offering young instrumentalists the rare opportunity to learn directly from professionals and perform at the end of the course.

Evening concerts

Every evening, the workshop opens its doors to the public with a series of free concerts hosted in the Pieve di Bacchereto and its garden. The program spans from classical and contemporary music to jazz, featuring master instructors, guest ensembles, and workshop students. Past editions have featured groups such as Duo Novecento, dedicated to the classical repertoire for sax and piano, jazz projects, and tributes to great Italian film scores, in addition to the final concert by the student orchestra.

A local event

The Tuscan Saxophone Festival is promoted and coordinated by musician Filippo Grassi, in collaboration with the historic Filarmonica Giuseppe Verdi and the Polisportiva di Bacchereto, and is part of the Carmignano Estate program. The choice of Bacchereto, a small village nestled among the hills and vineyards of Carmignano, gives the festival an intimate and cozy atmosphere, far from large stages but rich in warmth and passion for music. For one week, the saxophone becomes the protagonist of an event that unites education, band tradition, and performance, while enhancing the historical and landscape heritage of this area of Tuscany.