Percussion First-Level Degree (Three-Year Course)
Three-Year Academic Percussion Program
The three-year academic percussion program at the Scuola di Musica di Fiesole is the training program that leads young musicians to earn the First Level Academic Diploma in Higher Artistic and Musical Education (AFAM), equivalent to a Bachelor’s degree.
Young percussionists follow a structured curriculum encompassing the vast range of percussion instruments and their historical evolution, the compositional and analytical models of musical language, and appropriate techniques for postural and emotional control.
During the three-year program, students develop their artistic awareness and acquire the skills needed to tackle the most representative percussion repertoire. This involves working with the various instruments that make up the percussion set, both in solo performance and ensemble practice, which is particularly emphasized through participation in the academic ensemble, the Orchestra Galilei, as well as in chamber music groups.
The study of improvisation, music informatics, and a second community language complements the training program.
The vibrant artistic life of the Scuola di Musica di Fiesole, including numerous interpretative workshops and meetings with authors of musicological publications, offers valuable growth opportunities for percussion students.
The presence of a large section of courses for children provides percussion students with the chance to explore teaching-related aspects through internships and collaborative activities with basic-level classes, always under the guidance of experienced teachers.
The Erasmus+ program is a key opportunity for students in the three-year percussion program. It allows them to spend study periods abroad and benefit from the presence of prestigious foreign professors at the Scuola, who are involved through the same program. The School has established partnerships with major institutions in the European Union.
Participation in the SEMP (Swiss Exchange Mobility Programme) further connects the Scuola di Musica di Fiesole with leading music institutions in Switzerland, enabling percussion students to plan their mobility at one of the partner schools.
Music in ensemble is a particularly emphasized activity at the Scuola di Musica di Fiesole. The reference orchestra for percussion students is the Orchestra Galilei: orchestra practice allows students to engage, under the guidance of highly experienced teachers, with the various styles and languages of the symphonic, operatic, and solo concerto repertoire.
Equally important is the work in chamber music ensembles, where advanced percussion students rehearse with their peers in preparation for lessons and concerts.
The Scuola di Musica di Fiesole considers performance an integral part of the training process for young percussionists in the advanced courses. For this reason, it organizes a varied calendar of concerts, recitals, and open rehearsals for them, representing an essential stage in their musical, personal, and relational development.
Professional prospects for graduates of the three-year percussion course include the following areas:
- Solo percussionist
- Percussionist in chamber music ensembles
- Percussionist in chamber orchestras
- Percussionist in symphonic orchestras
- Percussionist in orchestras for musical theater
The First-level Academic Cello Program is officially recognized by the Italian Ministry of Education, Universities, and Research through decrees D.M. n. 685 (05/08/2013) (LINK), D.M. n. 685 (09/08/2017) (LINK) , and D.M. n. 278 (10/04/2018)(LINK).
Young Percussionists
Deadline: May 2.
The school reserves the right to open additional audition sessions if places are available, with a second deadline of September 1.
October to July