This is a meeting of two cultures, popular and classical, and in this experience musicians with different origins are united by a common passion for the original music of Celtic countries, but at the same time the music is reinterpreted through a continental sensitivity rich with original compositions and careful arrangements either for "the unaccompanied group" or for "folk group and orchestra".
Associazione
Culturale Folk Studio A
Via Fogazzaro,
1 - 36071 Arzignano (VI)
tel.: 0444/676666/670762 - 0348/3046782 - fax: 0444/451422
e-mail: info@folkstudioa.org
Management:
MUSIC
ON
Via Provinciale, 26
24074 - Gandino (BG)
tel.:
035/732005 - 0336534566
e-mail: mobre@tin.it
The group was formed in 1978 and during those years it was present at all the main Italian folk festivals and also abroad where it performed with success. Of all these festivals, a really memorable one was the Harp Festival of Granard in Ireland. It took part in RAI radio and television programmes and also in a series of episodes on TVA of "Dimensione Civiltà" ("Dimension Civilisation"), it has played in the top theatres and in numerous musical and theatre festivals. It has 4 recordings to its credit. Its first work was enthusiastically reviewed by Michele Luigi Straniero in turin's "La Stampa", by Ernesto Bassignano in "Paese Sera", by G. Rizzetto in the "Arena" of Verona, by Bepi De Marzi in the "Giornale di Vicenza" and by Maurizio Martinotti in "Hi Folks". In the presentation of "Anthem", the second work by the group, Bepi de Marzi (who plays in the Orchestra of the "Solisti Veneti") defines the musicians as "poets of sound filtered from the magic of the past and from the mysteries of the future" and donates one of his compositions to them, which is present on the record".
In 1997 the group took part in the 2nd "Interceltic Festival" in Castello Visconteo at Trezzo d'Adda, the Celtic Summer "Re Appennino Celtic Folk Festival" in the Appenines of Reggio Emilia and the International Folk Festival in Venice and it was on the official poster for the Meranese Summer festival. It also took part in the festival of Ireland at the ancient port of Genova as well as playing various other concerts.
In 1998, the group returns to its experience in December 1996 when the Orchestra Esterhazy had proposed pieces of their new repertoire arranged for orchestra, and a new show entitled "Folk and Noble Jig" was born. Folk Studio A performed this show at Folkest 98 with an official invitation as a "special festival production" (a similar billing was given to Angelo Branduardi with "Sulle Orme dei Patriarchi" (In the Footsteps of the Patriarchs). Here, they enjoyed enormous critical and public success, and the show was then reproposed at the "Celtic Colours Festival" in Castello di Soiano Al Lago (BS), at Dolceacqua in Imola on the invitation of the "Club Tenco" of San Remo in the evocative setting of the Castle of Dolceacqua, in Borzonasca (GE) during the Sagrato at the Abbey of Borzonasca (dating from the end of the tenth century) for the Associazione Culturale Corelli di Savona and for the Summer Show organised by the town council of Vicenza in the cloister of Santa Corona a well as performing the same show in various concerts in the province of Vicenza. In the month of July, published by the national magazine "Avvenimenti", the compilation CD "From Dublin to Edinburgh" came out with two pieces on it from the repertoire of Folk Studio A. The presentation article said: "on the Celtic wave from Dublin to Edinburgh, traditional Irish and British ballads, but also modern pieces interpreted by the great performers of folk", and there was also one of Folk Studio A's pieces on the compilation CD "Celtic Heritage" in the monthly "Avalon", together with a long article in which the group is compared to artists such as Angelo Branduardi, Vincenzo Zitello and Birkin Tree, and is described as "a bard of folk music of Celtic origin in Italy". Space is also given to a long interview with Paolo Sgevano where he is asked about traditional music in Italy and in particular on the music and activities of Folk Studio A.
In
May 1999 the new CD "Folk and
Noble Jig" is released, recorded live with Orchestra, produced
by "Music
On" and distributed by "Robi
Droli". There had been a pre-release presentation at the Teatro
Comunale in Thiene on the occasion of the Thiene Musical Spring festival
organised by the Assessorato alla Cultura (Thiene Council Cultural Attaché)
and Asolo Musica.
During the
summer the new CD was promoted through several concerts in the provinces,
in the most important Italian festivals: to name some, the "Re
Appennino Folk Festival" in Castelnuovo Ne'Monti, Musica nei
Castelli Liguri (Music in the Ligurian Castles) at Sassello and at Pietra
Ligure, the Ostiano
festival (Cremona), Trezzo d'Adda, and the Clusone
festival, and Folk Studio A was also invited to the Ocarina Folk Festival
in Bled in Slovenia.
2000
During the
month of march 2000 they made a tour accompanied by Jacqui
Mc Shee (singer of Pentagle)
that for the occasion substituted Anita Nascimben expecting her baby and
Jerry Conway (drummer of
Pentangle and ex-Jethro Tull, Fairport Convention, Steeleye Span, Cat
Stevens etc.), there was such a crowd of audience, they had a full
house in Puianello (Re), all tickets sold in Vicenza too, also at both
dates of "Ireland Celebration" in Firenze and at the sport stadium
in Bolzano with almost 2000 presences. They went on the air on the 14th,
17th and 21st on Rai Due Radio, during
the programmes "Fuori Giri"
at about 3.00 p.m., presented by Enzo Gentile,
three participations of the group. During the first serial it has been
broadcasted a piece from "Folk & Noble Jig" and the group
has been introduced; during the second one have gone on the air 2 live
pieces with Jacqui Mc. Shee and Jerry Conway with interviews to Jacqui
and to FSA; during the third one the live recording of "It is only
a love song" has been broadcasted and a interview to Paolo Sgevano.
Starting from the month of May 2000 onwards the group has made many concerts in Italy participating in exhibitions and shows, we remind one evening dedicated to irish cinema at Brugherio (MI) where it has been given a prize as the best Italian group of irish folk music, the Ticino exhibition in Novara, Celtica 2000 in Courmayeur, On the Folks 2000 at Giulietta and Romeo castles in Montecchio Maggiore (VI), the exhibition "Andar per musica" in Selvino near Bergamo with many guests: Patrick Molard, Lavel folk in Lavello and others.
On the 22nd September they participate in a show called "Quinto Folk" in Quinto Vicentino with a big audience success, more than 1000 people come to applaud the group that for the occasion had Diarmuid Moynihan as a guest, piper of Calico famous group of Cork come from Ireland for this show.
On
no. 32 of September 2000 comes out on a Keltika review an article by a
well known journalist Gianni Cunich dedicated to the group with a long
interview and a piece inserted in the compilation. After the appearance
in Celtica vol. 1 other pieces from "folk & noble jig" have
been inserted in volumes 6 and 10 with gratifying reviews. The review
on line Celticworld.it introduces in
his place 2 mp3 of group underlining the activity and the place of the
group, talking about it in very enthusiastic terms (see reviews).
At the beginnig of February they come back with the Folk Studio A the important bagpipes player Patrick Molard for a tour the 8th February 2001 in San Felice sul Panaro (MO), the 9th Febr. In Treviglio (BG) and the 10th Febr. In Vicenza with the Orchestra, the Clurichaun ballet, Enkel Zuthi and the small Academy of dancing of Rovereto.
On the 10th March 2001 the group is invited to Orvieto, in San Francesco, for Umbria Jazz.Inverno. In the audience there is Jocelyn that invites the group at Sette per uno.
On
the 17th March 2001 very big concert at Mestre
Sport Stadium. 3000 sold tickets for San Patrizio Exhibition.
On the 23-24th June 2001 the group is invited to Argenta Show "Trigallia"
organized by the interview "Celtica".
On the 28th June 2001 it has gone on the air
on Rai 1 the participation of the group during the programmes "Sette
per uno" (see photographic
album), Paolo has played in the programmes too. The group has live
played the set Morrison Jig/Sackows/Kesh Jig. The occasion has been useful
to introduce themselves to TV audience. The programmes has had a big success
(5 millions people watching it).
On
the 14th July 2001 in Sarnico (BG), in the wonderful Villa Faccanoni at
Lake shore, they played one of the more attractives concerts of the group
story. On the stage, with the Folk Studio A and the Orchestra there was
Liam O'Flinn, a legend of irish music,
already bagpipes player of Planxty and the important guitar player Steve
Coneey. In the following days the group accompanied by the Orchestra
has played in Coccaglio (BS) on the 15th July 2001 and in Cuggiono (MI)
on the 16th July 2001. On the 4th and 5th August 2001 again in tour for
two concerts in Campo Ligure (GE) and in Trieste with Patrick
Molard. On the 13th September 2001 for the second year the group
opens "Quinto Folk". Exceptional guest of the group this time
is Mairtin O'Connor (already of De Dannan)
one of the most important player of accordeon all over the world. A repertory
well prepared with 4 original pieces written by Mairtin and arranged for
the Orchestra apart from the normal repertory of the group.
In June they are ready with the compilation no. 13 where 2 pieces are
inserted, one of them is unpublished with Jacqui
Mc Shee.
noi e l'orchestra...
... l'orchestra e noi