Siena Jazz 2025

Siena Jazz—International Summer Workshop—55th Edition
Siena Jazz International Academy
Siena, Italy
July 26-August 7, 2025

Fifty-five editions, more than ninety students from around the globe, and some thirty faculty members who are also acclaimed performers on the international scene. Listing them all is not mere name-dropping, but a way to convey the scope of Siena Jazz's summer workshops: JK Kim, Jeff Ballard, Eric McPherson, Jonas Burgwinkel, Thomas Morgan, Linda May Han Oh, Ben Street, Gabriele Evangelista, Aaron Parks, Kit Downes, Kris Davis, Pablo Held, Lage Lund, Reinier Baas, Roberto Cecchetto, Nir Felder, Francesco Bearzatti, Miguel Zenon, Walter Smith III, Melissa Aldana, Alex Sipiagin, Marquis Hill, Hermon Mehari, Philip Dizack, Camilla Battaglia, Norma Winstone, Jo Lawry, Jen Shyu, John Hollenbeck.

That such a roster has become a hallmark of Siena Jazz is a testament to the vision of Franco Caroni—who passed away in 2024 and to whose memory this edition was dedicated. His intuition led to the grassroots construction of an institution that is not only educational, but also cultural and artistic in scope, and one of truly international significance.

Today, the International Summer Workshops are much more than classes (this year, fourteen in instruments and ensembles). They are a platform for exchange, reflection and performance, supported by a rich program of collateral activities.

Beyond the classroom, Siena Jazz has long prided itself on offering a wealth of collateral events that stretch the imagination of both students and audience. This year, the JazzAble project did just that, hosting the symposium Drifting Between Extremes, where musicians wrestled with the very nature of improvisation before handing the stage over to the searching, atmospheric music of the Franco-Norwegian ensemble Dans Les Arbres.

If that was an exploration of subtle textures, the energy shifted dramatically in the Piazza del Campo, where Food—the long-running duo of Paolo Fresu and Omar Sosa—turned Siena's historic square into an open-air celebration, drawing an enthusiastic crowd.

The workshops also made room for critical reflection. A conference on gender equality tackled head-on the persistent inequities that continue to surface in the jazz world, even within a community often defined by ideals of freedom and inclusivity. And collaboration remained central: a partnership with the Accademia Musicale Chigiana brought to life Yo Soy La Tradicion, a luminous encounter between the Sincronie string quartet and Miguel Zenon. In Zenon's writing, jazz intersected with the rhythms and echoes of South America while conversing with the European classical tradition of the twentieth century—an exchange that perfectly embodied the spirit of Siena Jazz.

The concerts, of course, represented the heart of the workshops. The Academy's student orchestra, conducted by Roberto Spadoni with guest Walter Smith III, delivered one of the most moving performances: a suite reflecting on the state of the world, circling from Charlie Haden's "Silence" through Gabriel Vicéns's "Peace," Spadoni's own compositions, and short wartime readings, before returning to "Silence" in a collective wish for peace.

Faculty concerts showcased the variety of backgrounds and experiences among the teachers, often pairing musicians together for the first time. These performances spanned tradition, original compositions, and spontaneous improvisation—a living extension of what was explored in the classrooms. It was refreshing to witness concerts aimed above all at a young and eager audience.

The workshops concluded with student recitals, largely focused on standards—the common heritage and foundation of almost every jazz musician—highlighting in particular the refined, intricate writing of Wayne Shorter.