On 25 August 2025, a concert will take place at the Church of Sant’Andrea in Savona as part of the third edition of the Savona International Mandolin Festival. This event is organised in partnership with the 13th Savona International Music Festival and will commence at 9 pm.
The concert will feature Carlo Aonzo, a mandolin player from Savona, and classical guitarist René Izquierdo, both internationally recognised musicians. Their collaboration began in the early 2000s and has since led them to perform across Europe, North America, and Asia. They have also produced a recording dedicated to Paganini and are working on a new project that involves transcriptions for mandolin and guitar of Johann Sebastian Bach’s keyboard works.
The programme for the evening will be entirely devoted to the works of Niccolò Paganini and Johann Sebastian Bach. From Paganini’s repertoire, pieces for solo mandolin and mandolin with guitar will be performed, including the Minuetto for Amandorlino M.S.106, Sonata for Rovene M.S.14, Serenata M.S.16, transcriptions of the Sonata Concertata M.S.2 and Sonatas Nos. 1 and 5 from the Centone di Sonate, as well as selected pieces from the Ghiribizzi for solo guitar M.S.43, numbers 11, 12, 15, and 20. From Bach’s repertoire, the French Suite No. 6 BWV 817 will be presented.
In addition to their performances and recordings, Aonzo and Izquierdo jointly lead the Carlo Aonzo Mandolin Workshop. This educational programme has been held in the United States for over twenty years and brings together mandolin and guitar players. Their playing style is noted for “an unparalleled technical mastery” and an interpretative approach aimed at making every performance “an intimate and engaging experience”.
This collaboration between the Savona International Mandolin Festival and the Savona International Music Festival aims to enhance the musical and cultural heritage of Liguria by combining expertise and resources to provide high-quality events for audiences.
The concert is supported by the Savona municipal administration and the De Mari Foundation, both of which back cultural promotion in the city and surrounding province. The event seeks to blend virtuosity with expressiveness, offering a meaningful musical experience.
A delegation from A.I.A.S. Savona (Italian Association for Assistance to Spastic Persons) will also be present during the evening. Established in 1970, the association focuses on rehabilitation and support for individuals with disabilities, particularly children and young people. Founded by a group of families and currently led by Claudio Bertolotto, A.I.A.S. is accredited by the Liguria Region and serves as a key provider of care and assistance, combining professional skill with compassion.
Members of A.I.A.S. will be engaged in fundraising activities to support the association’s work and will be available to explain their longstanding commitment to volunteering and assistance, which has spanned more than fifty years. Contributions of any size are viewed as practical support to maintain and enhance the services offered, keeping alive “the spirit of solidarity that gave rise to the association”. Supporting A.I.A.S. means being part of an initiative centred on “the dignity, rights, and future of people with disabilities”.