“The main goal of the Academy with these events is to provide an opportunity to showcase both Spanish artists and those from the Roman and international scene,” explains Leyre Alonso, Communications Curator.
The Academy opens its doors to the public with Musica Viva, a series of free-entry experimental music concerts held on weekends. The first event, dedicated to avant-garde jazz, took place on January 31, while the upcoming concerts are scheduled for Saturday, February 22, featuring contemporary jazz, and March 14, showcasing flamenco.
“We always support contemporary art. We encourage experimentation and do not only look back at ancient art,” says Alonso.
The initiative
The idea for the series came from Javier Moreno, a Madrid-born artist who is currently in residence at the Academy for the second time as a fellow. In the first two concerts, he participates as a double bassist, sharing the stage with different musicians. During his first residency, eleven years ago, he had organized similar events. “I want to reconnect with the people I have played with in the past and relive the acoustics of this place,” he shares. “It’s something magical: the sound is strong, immersive, and you can play without amplification.”
The program
At the January 31 concert, Moreno performed a duet with Roman guitarist Francesco Diodati. The two musicians met in Rome in 2012 and immediately found common ground. The repertoire they played is part of an album they are currently working on.
“We perform compositions we have created, along with pieces by other composers we enjoy exploring, such as Elvis Costello. There is also a significant improvisational element that changes every time,” Diodati explains.
As they play, the connection between the two musicians is palpable. It is visible in their glances and the spontaneous smiles exchanged during the performance.
“It’s amazing when you find yourself in uncharted musical territory with the person you’re playing with. Today, we played three, four, maybe five pieces we had never performed before, and suddenly, we were there, feeling great, like being inside a perfectly functioning machine,” says Moreno.
Unexpectedly, Turkish singer Selen Çapacı joined them on stage. She is an expert in Smyrneika, a Turkish musical style from Izmir inspired by Greek tradition.
“We only rehearsed once or twice, on the afternoon of the concert,” she says with a smile.
“The upcoming concerts will be a bit more structured, but there will still be room for experimentation,” Moreno anticipates. “First, with Marcello Allulli and Ermanno Baron in the contemporary jazz concert, and then with David Dorantes’ solo piano performance, where improvisation will also have its place in a more traditional genre like flamenco.”
Attending the Musica Viva concerts provides the unique opportunity to access the Academy’s interior spaces, usually closed to the public, while also enjoying a breathtaking panoramic view of the city.
Read the article in Italian.
