Founded in Turin in 1988 on the initiative of Francesca Gentile Camerana, the De Sono Music Association ETS represents one of the most authoritative and intellectually rigorous cultural and philanthropic institutions in European chamber performance, musicology, and advanced musical training.
Humanistic Foundations, Statutory Pillars, and Luigi Nono
The name of the association originates from the opening words – «De Sono» – of a renowned philosophical letter by Marsilio Ficino exploring the speculative, ethical, and spiritual dimensions of music. During its foundation, pivotal guidance was provided by Luigi Nono, who worked closely alongside Francesca Gentile Camerana to define the institution's three structural tenets: awarding scholarships to exceptionally gifted young musicians, providing systematic support to pioneering musicological research, and establishing a regular concert season performed by fellows. This historic affiliation was inaugurated on March 25, 1990, with a concert dedicated to Nono’s music performed by the Solistenchor Freiburg.
Three Decades of Advanced Training and International Circuits
Since its inception, De Sono has awarded over 300 scholarships, enabling young musicians to pursue advanced studies across leading international institutions: from the Universität für Musik in Vienna to the Mozarteum University Salzburg, from Paris's École Normale «Alfred Cortot» to the Juilliard School in New York, the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow, and the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome. Many alumni have established distinguished international careers as principal chairs in major orchestras or within acclaimed chamber ensembles, exemplified by the Johannes Trio.
Concert Seasons and Inquiry into 20th-Century and Contemporary Repertoire
De Sono’s concert seasons have consistently hosted premier European ensembles (such as the Arnold Schoenberg Chor and the Budapest Children's Choir) alongside systematic presentations of pivotal Western masterworks. In parallel, the institution has advanced a dedicated curatorial line in 20th-century and contemporary music: from the 1997 monographic tribute to Fabio Vacchi to performances with the Arditti Quartet and the Lyskamm Quartet centered on Marco Stroppa’s chamber output, and the long-running series «Ritorno al futuro», exploring dialectical connections between historical avant-garde composers and their archetypal models.
Musicological Research, Digital Transition, and Scholarly Publishing
De Sono’s scholarly commitment is reflected in an editorial catalogue of over fifty volumes – comprising dissertations, doctoral theses, critical essays, and iconographic compendia – published in partnership with Libreria Musicale Italiana (LIM) and preserved in major research centers including the British Library, the Bibliothèque Nationale de France, and the University of Chicago Library. In historical preservation, following the 2007 digital cataloguing of the Accademia Filarmonica archive (which led to the modern premiere and premiere recording of Paisiello’s Annibale in Torino), De Sono launched a systematic project in 2023 to catalog and digitize historical manuscripts from the Società del Whist archive. Funded through European Union PNRR - Next Generation EU grants for digital transition, the project operates under the academic auspices of DAMS at the University of Turin and the scientific direction of Andrea Malvano.
Orchestral Training, Masterclasses, and Educational Initiatives
Pedagogical milestones include the String Academy (2005–2012) and its associated chamber orchestra Archi De Sono – directed by internationally renowned mentors including Thomas Demenga, Alexander Lonquich, and Massimo Quarta – followed by masterclasses organized in partnership with the «G. Verdi» Conservatory of Turin (2013–2019). In audience development and critical listening, De Sono curates dedicated programs for diverse demographics: the Livemotiv project (launched in 2021 with Fondazione Agnelli for secondary schools), Paolo Gallarati's opera analysis series Saper ascoltare, and lecture-concert series integrated into the DAMS curriculum at the University of Turin since 2016.
Artistic Partnership with Andrea Malvano and Collaboration with Andrea Ravizza
The collaboration between De Sono and Andrea Ravizza developed through a shared aesthetic and intellectual vision with Artistic Director Andrea Malvano. This partnership centers on the speculative transformation of historical and oral repertories into multifaceted chamber structures where contrapuntal discipline reconciles with contemporary acoustic investigation:
This curatorial alignment with the artistic direction confirms a dynamic environment where musicological inquiry and elite chamber performance interact directly with living composition, opening De Sono's seasons to new perspectives in acoustic dramaturgy.