Siena Jazz presents the JazzAble Project

5 June 2024 | JazzAble

Siena Jazz has been selected among the winners of the PNRR “Next Generation EU” call, promoted by the Italian Ministry of Universities and Research, with the JazzAble project.
The initiative was conceived and presented by the prestigious Siena institution and involves two leading partners: the G. Frescobaldi Conservatory of Ferrara and the CPM Music Institute of Milan.

The project was officially launched during this year’s International Jazz Day, held in the Sala Sant’Ansano at the Santa Maria della Scala Museum Complex in Siena. Among the speakers were Siena Jazz President Massimo Mazzini, General Director Marina Vermiglio, Conservatory Director Annamaria Maggese, CPM Educational Director Luca Nobis, and Siena Jazz Artistic Director Jacopo Guidi.

International Jazz Day is a global celebration where artists and independent organizers from more than 190 countries present an extraordinary range of performances, educational initiatives, and community events. Siena Jazz deliberately chose this symbolic occasion—presided over by UNESCO Director General Audrey Azoulay and legendary pianist and composer Herbie Hancock, who stated that “Jazz has a spirit of openness that calls on us to look beyond our differences, not only breaking down barriers but also promoting peace”. In many ways, JazzAble embodies this very vision.

With JazzAble, Siena Jazz strengthens its role as a driving force for cultural excellence, internationalization, and social inclusion, consolidating its position as a leading institution in the italian cultural landscape.

Siena Jazz: Leading the Italian Image Abroad

The PNRR funding represents a tangible recognition of Siena Jazz’s artistic role and its ongoing commitment to promoting Italian culture worldwide. “My main thanks go to Minister Bernini,” said Nicoletta Fabio, Mayor of Siena, “with whom I shared the urgency of Siena Jazz’s participation in this call. Some may have criticized the speed of our recent appointments at Siena Jazz, but it was necessary in order to meet strict deadlines. I am very satisfied: this marks the beginning of a revival for one of our city’s most vital institutions.”

Massimo Mazzini, President of Siena Jazz, added: “This excellent result rewards not only our institution’s efforts but those of the entire city, starting with the municipal administration. Now we must redouble our commitment, as our project makes clear: this is a success that will benefit the whole community. It is a promotion for everyone.”

Marina Vermiglio, General Director of Siena Jazz and Project Manager, explained: “Internationalization and access to funding were central to Siena Jazz’s relaunch. Even though the Ministry opened the call back in July 2023, it was only a week before the deadline that we were able to finalize a concrete proposal, thanks to the push of our new board. This outcome shows that we responded to last summer’s turbulence with results. We are extremely proud and aware of the great work ahead.”

The project, made possible by this significant funding, aims to:

• Strengthen Siena Jazz’s international network and expand collaborations with
conservatories and cultural institutions worldwide.

• Promote student and faculty mobility, making international opportunities more
inclusive and accessible.

• Organize world-class events that will bring Siena and Italy onto prestigious global
stages.

• Boost the local and national impact, attracting tourism, creating job opportunities,
and enhancing the region’s cultural and artistic heritage.

Specific objectives include:

• Creating new professional opportunities for AFAM graduates.
• Strengthening networking among students and young artists.
• Developing research projects and PhD programs in jazz improvisation and popular
music in Italy.
• Expanding international mobility.
• Encouraging new artistic productions and works.
• Promoting contemporary Italian musical heritage.
• Enhancing interdisciplinarity and inclusion, especially for women in the sector.

JazzAble also envisions a wide set of concrete actions, including:

• J-International House: a permanent observatory on AFAM (Higher Education in Art and Music) musical studies.
• J-Hub: training programs for recent graduates, a spin-off program for young artists, and a digital platform for international mobility and cooperation.
• J-table: focus groups on artistic research projects and doctoral program development.
• J-Bridge: partnerships linking research and artistic production with non-European
institutions.
• J-Ab Fest: a cultural festival to showcase Italian excellence.
• J-Art: new interdisciplinary artistic productions.
• J-W, “No woman no Art”: initiatives supporting women’s inclusion in the AFAM
sector.

The press conference concluded with a Blind-Concert, a free event featuring Siena Jazz students Matteo Addabbo (Hammond organ), Anna Nicotra (piano), and Gabriele Peretti (drums). The performance, held in total darkness, offered audiences a profoundly different listening experience—immersing them in sound, amplifying sensory perception, and highlighting diversity and inclusion. Blind and visually impaired musicians also participated, supported by innovative audio technologies that Siena Jazz has long been committed to developing, now extended through the Blind-Tag project.

Guests also had the chance to explore the tactile path at Santa Maria della Scala, featuring relief reproductions of artworks and monuments created by students from the Duccio di Buoninsegna Art School, in collaboration with the Siena branch of UICI and Rotary Est Siena.