SienAgosto 2026

We are thrilled to announce that SienAgosto 2026 will take place next summer from August 19th to August 28th, 2026.

You are invited to apply now to this unique residential summer music academy.

With immense pleasure, we will welcome the acclaimed Anna Bonitatibus as a special guest.

Tuning Up - SienAgosto 2025: A new video produced by the Siena Art Institute

A MESSAGE FROM MICHAEL:

SIENAGOSTO 2026

What is the difference between one singer entrancing and electrifying an audience and another, in the same song, not doing so? What does one need to get at the heart of a song or an aria — a brilliant technique, or a wonderful voice, or a rich imagination, or a strong personality, or something else entirely, or all of these? Wanting to communicate to a listener or an audience is definitely part of the answer, as is knowing what to communicate, and having or acquiring the quiet confidence to do so. And how should one learn a piece of music and transfer what you read on the page to a sequence of sounds full of meaning and affect?

These are some of the challenges, and joys, we work on in SienAgosto. It is an intense course, which offers specialist Italian language tuition, daily private lessons, group classes, and public performance opportunities in some of the historic and inspiring settings which Siena uniquely offers.

We are thrilled to welcome this year the wonderful Italian mezzo-soprano Anna Bonitatibus. She has kindly agreed to share with us her immense international experience and deep knowledge of a large range of song and opera, Baroque, Rossini, Bel Canto ++. She is widely in demand both as a singer and a teacher.

If you want to get inside a dramatic monologue by Monteverdi, a fiery Handel operatic aria, art songs from Rossini to Respighi, and learn up close with a wise and sympathetic artist of wide renown, then come to SienAgosto 2026. Our roster of teachers includes Lynne Dawson, Michael Chance, and Daniel Taylor, all regular colleagues and deeply informed about the business, the art and the joy of communicating through music and words.

Michael Chance

Tuesday, August 19^th to Friday, August 28^th, 2026

Arrival Monday, August 18^th. Departure Thursday, August 29^th.

Michael Chance’s annual residential summer music academy for singers and continuo players will be hosted once again by the renowned school of humanities, the Siena Art Institute in collaboration with the Siena School for Liberal Arts.

Students are invited to apply for ten days of intensive teaching, coaching, workshops and masterclasses, as well as public concerts, in the intensely stimulating city of Siena, where senses are bombarded, minds altered, and aspirations raised.

This course offers world-class tuition in vocal communication. Singers are most effective when they show clear intention, and a need to communicate meaning, in addition to the mere beauty of sound. SienAgosto covers all periods of classical repertoire, but shows how mastering the vocal craft through the study and celebration of earlier repertoire greatly enhances the understanding of all song. We welcome applications from instrument players, whether they’ll be playing piano, harpsichord, lute, theorbo or guitar, etc., who would also like to work with singers.

Over 190 students from some 30 countries around the world have been warmly received in the courses so far held in Siena. Teachers, coaches and accompanists make up the SienAgosto international faculty of highly experienced performers and instructors.

ENSEMBLE

Ensemble rehearsals will be included in the schedule. Repertoire will be detailed after all applications have been submitted. It is hoped to work on both a cappella repertoire and also with instruments, using all the students on the course.

Photos from the SienAgosto 2025 summer music academy.

Join SienAgosto 2026

The deadline for applications is 20^th June 2026.

There is an early-bird discount for applications received before May 20^th.

PAYMENT

The price of the summer academy (€500 early-bird before May 20^th, €600 afterward) covers teaching and all related activities, plus 2 group dinners.

It is expected, as in the past, that demand will be high. A non-refundable registration fee of €200 will be requested following acceptance to the academy. This sum will be deducted from the full price.

Fees do not include accommodation. Participants may organize their own lodging, or else the Siena Art Institute in collaboration with the Siena School for Liberal Arts, hosts to this programme, can help you arrange shared accommodation in apartments, if requested, at advantageous rates. (See the Application Form below.)

APPLICATIONS

You are invited to send your application for SIENAGOSTO ACADEMY 2026 no later than 20^th June 2026 using the following application form (e-mail addresses provided within):

Application form (MS Word file)

SienAgosto Faculty Members

TEACHERS

Lynne Dawson - Lyric Soprano - Head of the School of Vocal Studies and Opera at RNCM, Manchester

Lynne Dawson is the RNCM’s Head of the School of Vocal Studies and Opera and has been one of Britain’s best-loved and respected sopranos for more than 30 years. Before becoming a singer, she trained as a translator and interpreter and spent several years in industry before studying at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. She was very fortunate to work with many conductors and ensembles at the forefront of the Historical Performance movement, including the Deller Consort, the Hilliard Ensemble, John Eliot Gardiner, Roger Norrington, Christopher Hogwood, Trevor Pinnock, and with them made many recordings for most of the major labels. » more

Elisabeth Priday - Soprano

Elisabeth Priday studied at the Royal Academy of Music, and whilst there she joined the Monteverdi Choir under John Eliot Gardiner. This marked the beginning of her career as a specialist in Early and Baroque music, both as a soloist and as an ensemble singer. She is a member of the Deller Consort, and has sung for Christopher Hogwood and Trevor Pinnock, and also with the Tallis Scholars. She's now keen to pass on her expertise and enthusiasm to the next generation of singers. » more

Michael Chance, CBE - Countertenor - Professor at the Royal Conservatory, The Hague - Professor at the Royal Academy of Music, London - Artistic Director and CEO of The Grange Festival, Hampshire

In opera, oratorio, recital and in recording, Michael Chance has been singing to worldwide acclaim for over thirty years. His success has helped spread the appeal of counter-tenors, and foster the explosion of interest in baroque music. In addition, he has sung the first performances of a large body of new work by living composers. He teaches at the Royal Academy of Music in London, and the Royal Conservatorium in The Hague. He received the CBE in 2009. » more

Daniel Taylor, O.C. - Countertenor - Head of Historical Performance at The University of Toronto, Faculty of Music

An exclusive recording artist for Sony Classical, Daniel Taylor is one of the most sought-after countertenors in the world. Daniel appears on more than 100 recordings which include Bach Cantatas/Monteverdi Choir/Gardiner (for Deutsche Grammophone Archiv and SDG). As an educator, Daniel has offered master classes at the Beijing Conservatory, the Sao Paolo Conservatory, at the Royal Academy, the Guildhall and the Royal College of Music. The University of Toronto recently appointed Daniel Taylor to the position of Head of Historical Performance in the Faculty of Music. » more

Paul Beier - Lute - Professor at the Civica Scuola di Musica Claudio Abbado, Milan

Paul Beier graduated from the Royal College of Music in London. He has performed in Europe, North and South America and Australia as soloist, director of Galatea, member of various groups and as continuo player in orchestral and opera productions. His solo lute repertoire extends from the Italian Cinquecento to the music of Bach and Weiss. Since 1981 Paul Beier has taught lute, continuo and ensemble at the Scuole Civiche di Milano. » more

Giulia Nuti - Harpsichord - Head of the Early Music dept. of Scuola di Musica di Fiesole

Harpsichordist Giulia Nuti has appeared in venues throughout Europe as a soloist and continuo player. A specialist in Italian music and treatises of the baroque, her book "The performance of Italian basso continuo" (Ashgate 2007) is cited as an essential text for performers and scholars of basso continuo. Giulia teaches harpsichord at the Scuola di Musica di Fiesole, where she leads the department of Early Music; she also holds a research post at the Conservatorio della Svizzera Italiana in Lugano. » more

REPETITEURS

Rebecca Taylor - Piano

Born and educated in North Yorkshire, Rebecca made her concerto debut at the age of 17 performing Shostakovich's 2nd piano concerto. Under the tuition of Jeremy Young of the RNCM, she was awarded a performance scholarship to the annual Birmingham International Piano Academy in 2005 and the following year she won the Piano Academy's concerto competition. She is currently playing as accompanist for Celine Forrest, who is taking part on the Cardiff Singer of the World Competiton, currently taking place, and being shown on BBC Television, on BBC 4. » more

Richard Leach - Piano and Harpsichord

Richard is a pianist, organist and conductor based in London. He has played at the Wigmore Hall, St Bride's Fleet Street, St James's Piccadilly, for the Concordia Foundation, and as a staff accompanist at the Royal Academy of Music. He has worked as an accompanist and répétiteur for The Grange Festival, The English Concert, the Philharmonia Chorus, The Monteverdi Choir, the English Baroque Choir and OSJ Voices. He is the organist of Ealing Abbey Choir. Richard studied at Oxford, Cambridge, and the Royal Academy of Music. » more

SienAgosto appraisals

SienAgosto is undoubtedly one of the best summer courses out there for young singers and was a real highlight of my 2024. The expert tuition given by Michael, Lynn, Lis, Daniel and Paul was seriously high quality and within a week, I felt my singing had really improved. Set in the heart of Sienna, it is hard not to be inspired by the wealth of art, history and beauty that this magical city has to offer. Organised by Valeria and Jeff, we were welcomed with such warmth and immediately made to feel at home.

The week included a huge number of individual coachings (you really do get value for money) as well as masterclasses, to give students the opportunity to perform arias or duets in public and with the guidance of the brilliant musical staff. It was an absolute gift to have Rebecca Taylor and Richard Leach as staff pianists on the course, who could play anything put in front of them with great sensitivity, making it a pleasure to rehearse and perform with them.

I was preparing for the Cesti competition which was immediately after the course and I couldn't have asked for a more supportive environment to be coached in for the competition. I had to leave slightly early from the Summer school and I was incredibly impressed that Valeria and Jeff had tailored the course to give me a more concentrated amount of coachings in a shorter space time to prepare me as well as possible. By the end of my time at SienAgosto, I really was very sad to leave and would have much preferred to stay on the course! If you are thinking about applying to this course, I would strongly encourage you to do so - you will not regret it!

Helena Moore, United Kingdom

Being back for SienAgosto 2024 was a totally different, but equally exciting experience. Being familiar with the staff, the city and the program, I nevertheless could not get bored and in the eight days of intensive learning got the feeling that we built something up: our voices, our music and also connections with each other and the city. It's a bit like a rice cooker, where rice and water are separate at first and then, after being with each other in constant heat, coming out as a steaming pan of food, nurturing to everyone who wants to listen. I found it fun and rewarding to be back.

Hanno Egger, Netherlands - SienAgosto 2022 and 2024

Photos from SienAgosto 2025

Thank you all for joining SienAgosto 2025! Please have a look at some of the photos from this marvellous event.