Foundation

The I Solisti di Pavia Foundation is the Instrumental Body of the Monte di Lombardia Foundation, which has promoted the I Solisti di Pavia Chamber Orchestra since 2001, when, under the Honorary Presidency of Maestro Mstislav Rostropovich, it took its first steps at the Teatro Fraschini in Pavia. From there, years of growing success passed, leading the Orchestra to receive significant recognition both in Italy and Europe. Ten years into its activity, in December 2011, the Fondazione Monte di Lombardia granted the Orchestra its own autonomous entity. Its goal was to promote musical culture as an educational tool and opportunity for growth, and to promote awareness of the city of Pavia and its artistic and cultural initiatives in Italy and abroad. In partnership with other organizations and institutions, the Orchestra has organized several events promoting the Pavia area in various countries around the world.

Over time, the Solisti di Pavia have become both an artistic ensemble and an instrumental body of the Monte di Lombardia Foundation, and therefore an organic and stable part of its cultural and social activity. They have undertaken successful international tours and performed on the most important stages of Italian theaters, festivals, and concert seasons. Pavia also offers a constant annual program, including the “Orchestra Soloists” concert series at the Teatro Fraschini, the summer “Cortili in Musica” concert series in characteristic corners of the city, and the monographic series dedicated to Johann Sebastian Bach in historic churches. This program also includes the traditional “Concert for the City” on the day of the patron saint, San Siro, at the Teatro Fraschini.

The ensemble has always demonstrated remarkable versatility, both in its formation (ranging from chamber music projects to small symphony orchestra programs) and in its repertoire, tackling with ease programs of baroque and contemporary music and crossover projects. Examples include the concert “Valentina! A Comic Cello,” which combined Guido Crepax’s comic art with the compositions of Jorge Bosso; the “Kreutzer Sonata,” in a version for strings and solo violin, which pairs Beethoven’s composition with Tolstoy’s novel of the same name, in which literature and music intertwine thanks to the intervention of Laura Marzadori and Gioele Dix; and the “Istante Dante” project, which led the ensemble to perform in Osaka at the Italian Pavilion for the 2025 International Exhibition.

Starting in 2024, the I Solisti di Pavia Foundation will be involved in the “ArmonicaMente” project in collaboration with the mental health centers of the ASST of Pavia. The initiative aims to enhance psychological well-being by harnessing the therapeutic power of music through various dedicated activities.

“Music IS Together” is the mission that has accompanied I Solisti di Pavia since its founding. Together because Fondazione IS collaborates with exceptional guest artists, shares training projects with the Conservatory, the University, and schools, collaborates with ASST on projects that harness the therapeutic power of ArmonicaMente music, meets, engages, and engages with its audience, understands their interests, needs, and requests and makes them its own, uniting musicians and listeners.