Accordi Musicali Academy 2025 Cello Masterclasses Launch with an Inspiring First Day

Held in the breathtaking setting of Palazzo dei Veneziani in Chieti, Italy, the Accordi Musicali Cello Academy welcomed its selected young talents on July 2nd for the opening day of intensive tuition and mentorship under the guidance of two internationally acclaimed pedagogues and performers – Alexander Chaushian (UK/Armenia), and Marc Coppey (France).

The cello masterclasses mark the first phase of the Accordi Musicali Academy, a prestigious programme dedicated to nurturing the next generation of classical musicians through high-level instruction, performance opportunities, and musical exchange. With a strong emphasis on chamber music, solo development, and stylistic refinement, the academy has become a key summer destination for young artists seeking to refine their craft under the tutelage of internationally-acclaimed mentors.

Day one of the cello programme saw participants from across the globe take their place in front of the maestros in the academy’s two teaching rooms. Kicking off the morning session were Kamila Šitinová and Léo Levêque, both of whom had back-to-back sessions with Professor Coppey, followed in the afternoon by Lyana Ulikhanyan and Lyuwa Xiao, who continued the day’s work with two rewarding lessons.

“The program itself is very well organised”, Levêque said, “since we have access to all masterclasses so we can listen to each other and learn from other people’s progress, so it’s very interesting. I’ve already learnt a lot of things, and there is still a lot more to learn! I’ve known Mark for some time now and he's an amazing teacher. He's the kind of teacher I personally need as a cellist to, as he likes to say himself, get things into a simple way. Sometimes when you learn music, you’re forced to pay attention to many details, and sometimes you lose your mind because there’s so many details that you sometimes end up trying to visualise everything and forgetting about simplicity, which is the key of most techniques in most musicians. So that's the whole point that I'm currently learning with him, and it's very, very interesting”.

Meanwhile, Alexander Chaushian, one of the most in-demand cellists and teachers of his generation, also began his individual coaching sessions, joined by accompanist Silvia Ciammaglichella. Across the day, he worked closely with participants on musical phrasing, interpretation, and deepening artistic expression, encouraging students to connect with the emotional core of their repertoire.

As the sun sets on a successful first day, all eyes now turn to the next stage of the week’s programme, with more lessons, rehearsals, and unforgettable artistic moments still to come. With three full days of cello masterclasses ahead, and many more to come across the broader Academy programme, participants are in for what promises to be a truly transformative musical journey!