Florence 2025

When?

31st July - 12th August 2025

Where?

Conservatorio Luigi Cherubini Villa Favard, Italy

The course will be hosted under the auspices of the Conservatorio Luigi Cherubini at the Villa Favard di Rovezzano, situated in the middle of a botanical park filled with roses and cedar trees.

Villa Favard di Rovezzano offers a large number of piano studios (including grand pianos), numerous music studios, and a concert hall. This makes it an ideal setting for our course, allowing us to work amidst beauty, elegance, and serenity.

Instrumental and Vocal Tuition

The instrumental and voice tuition classes are conducted by exceptional teachers and internationally known performers. Each participant receives ten 55 minute one-to-one lessons in their chosen instrument(s) or voice.

All students are also enrolled in daily Choir sessions and either Orchestra or Jazz Ensemble (depending on their instrument of choice).

Students are encouraged to pick additional classes, ranging from opera workshops to composition classes:

Module Availability

Individual Modules

Music Theory & Aural
Composition
Conducting
1-to-1 Language Classes

Group Modules

Chamber Music
Jazz Vocal Workshop
Sax Workshop
Opera Workshop
Small Language Groups

Learn about our modules here.

Please visit the Our Courses page to learn more about the structure of LMFL courses!

Location Information

Details
Languages

Details
End of Course Concerts

Details

Location Information

There are two different buildings associated with the Firenze Conservatorio:

Central Administrative Building
Located at Piazza delle Belle Arti 2, 50122, in the center of the Old Town.
Villa Favard
This is where teaching takes place. The address is: Via di Rocca Tedalda 451, Rovezzano in the North-East of Florence. The front entrance is at Via di Rocca Tedalda 451, and the back entrance is at Via Aretina, Firenze Rovezzano.
Transportation: Bus number 14 stops just in front of the building, and the Rovezzano train station is within walking distance.

Important Notes:
When booking accommodation, consider proximity to Villa Favard. It is very hot in Florence in August, so a shorter commute to Villa Favard is recommended.

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Languages

For English-speaking students, we offer opportunities to learn or improve and practice Italian (IFL) and French (FFL) as Foreign Languages. Classes are conducted by specialist teachers, all of whom are native speakers or bilinguals.

For speakers of other languages, we offer quality tuition in intensive English by specialist teachers of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) who are themselves native speakers or bilinguals.

The language classes can be taken in small groups or one-to-one, according to the student’s precise needs. The group classes consist of 4 to 6 students.

The course aims to help develop competency in oral communication, develop a more in-depth knowledge of grammar, and enrich the student’s vocabulary by using appropriate teaching material suited to individual needs.

We recommend a combination of one individual lesson and one group lesson per day if maximum progress is to be made.

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Concerts

At the end of the course, there will be two concerts.

The teachers’ concert will take place at 8pm on Monday, 11th August, and the students’ concert will start in the late afternoon and continue in the evening of Tuesday, 12th August.

The concerts are public and normally recorded. Participants are therefore requested to bring concert dress with them: white shirt, black bow tie, black trousers or skirt, or national code dress and decent shoes.

View previous concert recordings here.

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Daily Schedule

Details
Social Life

Details
Accomodation

Details

Social Life

While the course is mainly concerned with music-making, we give everyone the opportunity to explore the magnificent town of Firenze.

Hence, we propose on their day off (Sunday, 3rd August) a guided tour to include:

Galleria dell’Accademia, Michelangelo’s David, and the Museum of Musical Instruments (a formidable collection of historic musical instruments, including Stradivari’s violins and viola Medicea, Guarnieri Del Gesù, Cristofori’s early pianos, etc.) with the possibility, under supervision, of trying some.
Dante’s Home, the “father” of Italian poetry.
Palazzo Pitti, the Sala Bianca, where the first opera was staged in 1600 for the marriage of Henry IV, King of France, and Marie De’ Medici.
Accademia Bartolomeo Cristofori Museum, history of the pianoforte.

On Sunday evening, 10th August, we shall organise a visit to the Villa Machiavelli, where, in addition to exploring the house and grounds, we shall have a delicious supper of local produce on the terrace outside.

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Example Daily Schedule:

The teaching day adapts to your preferences.

All students have a minimum of three 55-minute sessions – main instrument or voice, orchestra or jazz ensemble, choir. We strongly recommend students consider their workload when signing up for additional activities. If in doubt, don’t hesitate to contact us.

8:30

9:30

Professor Mitchell

10:30

18:30

Italian (one-to-one)

13:30

Lunch

14:30

16:30

Violin (one-to-one)

Individual Practice*

Choir (Group)

Rebecca Hayward

11:30

William Godfree

12:30

Orchestra (group)

Individual Practice*

15:30

Chamber Music (Group)

17:30

William Godfree

*Practice is not a scheduled/taught learning activity. Students must organise their own free/practice time. Practice rooms are available.
**Example of an additional activity.

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Accommodation

We expect most of our participants to find and book their own lodging. Please note that it is advisable to book accommodation in Firenze as far in advance as possible.

Participants aged 16 to 24 (inclusive) who are willing to share air-conditioned bungalow rooms may apply for the accommodation arranged by LMFL, located very close to Villa Favard. These bungalows feature a veranda, cooking facilities, and a fridge. Additionally, the compound includes a reasonably priced restaurant and an open-air swimming pool.

For meals, lunches and dinners can be enjoyed at Davide 2 (offering reasonably priced pizzas, pastas, and salads) located just a 2-minute walk from Villa Favard. Alternatively, meals can be taken in the park of the conservatorio. There are also three other reasonably priced restaurants within a 5-minute walk. Grocery shops are also located nearby for those wishing to cook.

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Extra Details:

Please note this course is non-residential. If you are aged between 16 and 24 years old, LMFL can arrange shared air-conditioned accommodation close to the venue. You can indicate your interest in LMFL-arranged accommodation on the registration form.

- We welcome students aged 16 years and older.
- Younger advanced students are also welcome, provided they are accompanied by at least one parent.
- All students must demonstrate a good level of proficiency in at least one discipline; other areas of study may be at a lower level.
Please make sure you are eligible for a visa on arrival in Italy. In most circumstances, your paid registration file is sufficient to get a visa. If you are in any doubt, you should contact the nearest Italian consulate or embassy.

Module Information:

The choir is one of the main features of the summer school, and most students take part as it is included in the basic fee. Most of our instrumental teachers also join. Membership is open to all without audition, regardless of singing experience.
Ten orchestra rehearsals are held during the course, although it will not be possible for more than one or two pianists to take part. No auditions will be necessary. The orchestra performs in the end-of-course concert.
Cover a range of topics and refine your skills, such as collaborative improvisation, harmonising with your peers, different soloing and instrumental techniques, and more!
All musicians are welcome - saxophonists, pianists, bassists, guitarists, drummers, etc.
Please note: students are enrolled in jazz ensemble or orchestra, not both.
Suitable for those preparing for a graded examination or looking to enhance their understanding of music theory.
Students may wish to study solely theory or aural, or a mix of both.
Tuition can be specifically tailored to prepare you for various music exams or exam boards. Whether you are aiming for ABRSM, Trinity, or another recognized examination, our instructors will guide you through the curriculum, ensuring you are well-prepared and confident on exam day.
Conducting
Conducting courses consist of two classes:
- Level 1: Beginners, without any experience in conducting. The course will give them the opportunity to learn the basic technique of conducting.
- Level 2 Programme: Advanced level students with knowledge of conducting. They will have to study this year’s programme repertoire prior to coming to the course.
They will have opportunities to rehearse with the orchestra, and some will be chosen to conduct in the end-of-course concert. There are feedback sessions after each orchestra workshop.
The composition class consists of a daily individual lesson of 55 minutes. The content of the one-to-one lessons will vary according to the student’s level and will be aimed at creating a new composition or compositions during the course, to be performed at the final concert (performers and time permitting).
In recent years, LMFL student compositions have covered a wide range of musical styles from minimalist, neo-classical, and atonal pieces to jazz, rock, and other contemporary idioms. Students will be encouraged to use musical notation software, including Sibelius, Finale, and other programmes.
Participants will prepare an operatic pastiche (from baroque to jazz) with arias, songs, and scenes from various operas. Details to be published later.
Participation in the vocal workshop provides an excellent complement to the individual classes and introduces singers to the disciplines of improvising and making jazz together.
Open to students of classical music.
This workshop perfectly complements your individual saxophone tuition. Engage with fellow students in small, interactive groups to refine your ensemble skills. This hands-on approach allows you to apply the techniques and theory learned in individual lessons to real-world playing scenarios.
Collaborate with fellow students to form small ensembles, whether it's a string quartet, woodwind quintet, or mixed chamber group.
Groups are constituted before the course or on arrival according to students’ levels, instruments and preferences.
Students can opt to participate in multiple ensembles (e.g. string and mixed).