PHILADELPHIA INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL – ITALY August 4 – 14, 2026
PIMF Vanoli-Cremona
August 4 – 14, 2026
Cremona, Italy
The Philadelphia International Music Festival is an intensive classical music training program created in 1997 to provide a setting for young musicians to study with principal players and other members of The Philadelphia Orchestra. The program, co-founded by Sandy Marcucci and Kimberly Fisher, Principal Second Violin of The Philadelphia Orchestra, began as a six-day program for local musicians. It soon blossomed into a four-week summer festival hosting students from throughout the United States and around the globe and now includes winter programming as well. In 2021, PIMF added to its myriad programming “Music in the Mansion”―a winter solo performance intensive for advanced string players held annually at the luxurious Casa Tranquila Estate in Miami, Florida, where students study with members of The Philadelphia Orchestra to prepare for upcoming solo performances and competitions. That popular program underpins the new PIMF Vanoli-Cremona Music Festival in Italy, which started in the Summer of 2025, for piano and string musicians. Students work with faculty from The Philadelphia Orchestra and the Curtis Institute of Music and deepen their musical connection with explorations of this fascinating and historic part of the world.
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PIMF Vanoli-Cremona
August 4 – 14, 2026
Cremona, Italy
TABLE OF CONTENTS PIMF VANOLI-CREMONA FACULTY ........................................... 1 TRAVEL ITINERARY, STUDENT TOUR ..................................... 3 TRAVEL ITINERARY, FRIENDS & FAMILY TOUR ................... 4 MILAN ................................................................................................ 5 VERONA ............................................................................................ 7 BRESCIA ............................................................................................ 9 FLORENCE ...................................................................................... 11 L’ALBERETA SPA AND WINERY ................................................. 13 CREMONA ........................................................................................ 15 GENOA .............................................................................................. 17 LAKE GARDA & SIRMIONE .......................................................... 19 PIMF "MUSIC IN THE MANSION" ....................... BACK COVER
A program of Sandy Marcucci International Camps, Inc. Powered by BeyondPerformanceGroup.com
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PIMF Vanoli-Cremona
August 4 – 14, 2026
Cremona, Italy
PIMF Vanoli-Cremona Faculty Kimberly Fisher joined The Philadelphia Orchestra in 1992 and became principal second violin in 2002. She has appeared as soloist with numerous orchestras, including repeatedly with The Philadelphia Orchestra (her debut was in February 2002), and the Vancouver and Victoria symphonies in Canada. As a recitalist and chamber musician she has performed across the United States and Canada, and in many countries in Europe, Asia, and South America in prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall, the Mogador Theater in Paris, the Kimmel Center, and the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, and in collaborations with internationally renowned artists such as Wolfgang Sawallisch, Christoph Eschenbach, and Jean-Yves Thibaudet, and many others. Ms. Fisher has been awarded multiple Canada Council grants and was invited to perform as soloist at the Governor General’s concert in Canada. She has been featured on National Canadian Radio and on Canada’s CBC television. Her teachers included her father, Lawrence Fisher; Yumi Ninomiya Scott; Aaron Rosand; David Cerone; and Jascha Brodsky. In 2017 she received The Philadelphia Orchestra’s C. Hartman Kuhn Award, given annually to “the member of The Philadelphia Orchestra who has shown ability and enterprise of such character as to enhance the standards and the reputation of The Philadelphia Orchestra.” In 1997 Ms. Fisher co-founded the Philadelphia International Music Festival (PIMF), a highly successful summer music program in residence at Bryn Mawr College, to encourage and inspire musicians of all levels. Originally just for string players, the Festival now includes all symphonic instruments plus piano and features innovative specialty programs to help students prepare for auditions, improve practice, and address performance issues. PIMF includes students of all ages and all levels who attend from around the world to study privately with musicians of The Philadelphia Orchestra. At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, PIMF was one of the first music programs to successfully adapt to virtual access to master classes, lessons, and full summer camp for students. Ms. Fisher is an active pedagogue whose students have performed as soloists with major orchestras, have attended distinguished music conservatories, are members of professional orchestras, and have won many awards and competitions. Her energetic, communicative teaching style has led to invitations to present master classes, lessons, and seminars around the world. John Koen has been a member of The Philadelphia Orchestra since 1990. He was promoted to Acting Assistant Principal, and then Acting Associate Principal Cello from 2011 to 2016. He graduated from The Curtis Institute of Music, where he studied with David Soyer and Peter Wiley of the Guarneri Quartet. He has collaborated in chamber music with Emanuel Ax, Joshua Bell, Christoph Eschenbach, Stephen Hough, Lang Lang, Wolfgang Sawallisch, JeanYves Thibaudet, and many others. 1
PIMF Vanoli-Cremona
August 4 – 14, 2026
Cremona, Italy
PIMF Vanoli-Cremona Faculty Mr. Koen became the Music Director of the Philadelphia Chamber Ensemble in 2022. He performs as a recitalist and as a soloist with orchestras across America as well as in Europe. He has given master classes in universities from Seoul to Sofia and has been artist faculty at Temple University since 2006. His recording of "Seven Mad Gods" by Robert Maggio was nominated for GLAAMA’s "Best Instrumental Performance.” He received the C. Hartman Kuhn award from The Philadelphia Orchestra for “a musician who has shown both musical ability and enterprise of such character as to enhance the musical standards and reputation of The Philadelphia Orchestra.” His interests include reading, languages, traveling, food and health, technology, and playing with his two cats. GRAMMY Award winning pianist Mark Livshits is one of the most highly sought after soloists and chamber musicians in Philadelphia. He appears frequently in concert with members of the Philadelphia Orchestra, as well as with the orchestra as a substitute in the keyboard section. In addition to performances at the Salzburg Festival, solo recitals at the Shanghai Oriental Arts Center, and Bilbao Philharmonic Society, Dr. Livshits has also worked closely with musicians such as Yannick Nezet Seguin, Stephane Denève, Michael Tilson Thomas, Nikolaj Znaider, Nathalie Stutzman, Leonidas Kovakos, Gil Shaham, Lynn Harrell, Midori, Christoph Eschenbach, Alisa Weilerstein, Measha Brueggergosman, Daniel Lozakovich, Dave Brubeck and Deutsche Grammophon recording artist, YeEun Choi under the auspices of IMG Artists and the Anne-Sophie Mutter Foundation. In 2015, he was called to replace Yannick Nezet-Seguin in a chamber music performance of Brahms Third Quartet for Piano and Strings with members from the Philadelphia Orchestra and has been invited to perform in chamber programs with members of the orchestra since then. He is often called to play orchestral piano in the orchestra as well. Dr. Livshits has received invitations to perform for dignitaries such as Secretary of State Colin Powell and President Joe Biden. Dr. Livshits currently serves on faculty as the head of collaborative piano at the University of Delaware and as staff pianist at the Curtis Institute of Music. He also serves on the faculty at the Philadelphia International Music Festival. Mark Livshits is a Steinway Artist.
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PIMF Vanoli-Cremona
August 4 – 14, 2026
Cremona, Italy
Travel Itinerary Student Tour FLIGHT #: AA 298 ARRIVAL: AUGUST 5, 2025
AUGUST 5
AUGUST 6
AUGUST 7 – AUGUST 10
AUGUST 11
AUGUST 12
AFTERNOON:
Explore the beautiful city of Milan—Fashion capital of the world!
EVENING:
Check-in to the Hotel Impero Cremona
MORNING:
Breakfast
AFTERNOON:
Explore the beautiful city of Verona—The setting of Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet
EVENING:
Dinner
MORNING:
Breakfast
AFTERNOON:
Vanoli Cremona Music Festival with members of The Philadelphia Orchestra
EVENING:
Dinner and Faculty Recitals / Masterclasses
MORNING:
Breakfast
AFTERNOON:
Vanoli Cremona Music Festival with members of The Philadelphia Orchestra
EVENING:
Grand Finale Performance and Dinner
MORNING:
Breakfast
AFTERNOON:
Explore the beauty of Genoa
EVENING:
Dinner
MORNING:
AUGUST 13
HOTEL: HOTEL IMPERO CREMONA DEPARTURE: AUGUST 14, 2025
Breakfast
AFTERNOON:
Explore the beauty of Simione on Lake Garda—home to the ancient Castello Scagliero di Sirmione fortress
EVENING:
Farewell dinner 3
PIMF Vanoli-Cremona
August 4 – 14, 2026
Cremona, Italy
Travel Itinerary Friends & Family Tour FLIGHT #: AA 298 ARRIVAL: AUGUST 5, 2026
AUGUST 5
AUGUST 6
HOTEL: HOTEL IMPERO CREMONA DEPARTURE: AUGUST 14, 2026
AFTERNOON:
Together with students enrolled in the PIMF-Vanoli Cremona Music Festival, explore the beautiful city of Milan—Fashion capital of the world!
EVENING:
Check-in to the Hotel Impero Cremona
MORNING:
Breakfast
AFTERNOON:
Together with students enrolled in the PIMF-Vanoli Cremona Music Festival, discover the exquisite beauty of Verona—The setting of Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet
EVENING:
Dinner
AUGUST 7 – AUGUST 8
Daily visits to the captivating cities of: Brescia and Florence.
AUGUST 9 – AUGUST 10
Overnight stay at the Luxurious L’Albereta Spa and Winery in Erbusco, Italy.
AUGUST 11
AUGUST 12
AUGUST 13
MORNING:
Breakfast
AFTERNOON:
Explore the City of Cremona as our students prepare for the evening Grand Finale.
EVENING:
Grand Finale Performance and Dinner
MORNING:
Breakfast
AFTERNOON:
Together with students enrolled in the PIMF-Vanoli Cremona Music Festival, experience the magic of Genoa.
EVENING:
Dinner
MORNING:
Breakfast
AFTERNOON:
Together with students enrolled in the PIMF-Vanoli Cremona Music Festival, explore the splendor of Simione on Lake Garda—home to the ancient Castello Scagliero di Sirmione fortress
EVENING:
Farewell dinner 4
PIMF Vanoli-Cremona
August 4 – 14, 2026
Cremona, Italy
MILAN Tour Milan, Italy – The intellectual stimuli and sensory delights will relieve all your jet lag at once! Get fashion tips just by eyeballing the locals and get inspired by your first views of Bella Italia from the stylish streets of this design capital. The luxurious Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is one of the world's oldest shopping malls. Your walking tour includes legendary palazzos and piazzas and the epic Milan Cathedral, which features over a hundred spires and over 2,000 statues, along with awe-inspiring views of the city and the Alps. You’ll crash in Cremona, your historic home base for the Festival.
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PIMF Vanoli-Cremona
August 4 – 14, 2026
Cremona, Italy
Day Trip to Milan – August 5, 2026 ~10:05 AM Arrival at Malpensa Airport (estimated). Orientation on board for exploring Milan’s historic center. 12:00 PM Departure from Malpensa Airport. 1:30 PM Meeting point at Piazza Castello Bus Parking. Approximately 10-minute walk to Cathedral (Duomo) area. 1:30 – 3:15 PM Enjoy exploring Milan while getting lunch. The Piazza Castello fountain is a popular photo spot, as is the adjacent Sforza Castle, complete with a moat and drawbridges in a fairytale combination of Gothic, Renaissance, and Romanesque styles. The castle museum houses an unfinished masterwork by Michelangelo, a fresco by Leonardo da Vinci, a medieval armory, and Egyptian artifacts. There is a fee to enter. Behind the castle, Milan’s beautiful Parco Sempione, the city’s massive green space with monuments and a restaurant but no public restrooms. This might be a good time to visit the La Scala Opera House and Museum if it’s on your bucket list. Original costumes, set designs, and musical instruments provide a glimpse into the inner workings of one of the most esteemed cultural institutions in the world. It’s on the way from the Castle to the Duomo area. There may be an additional entrance fee. 3:45 – 5:30 PM Duomo visit to the Cathedral, the terraces, and the Duomo Museum. Remember to dress respectfully, covering your shoulders and legs to the knee, as guards strictly enforce the Duomo's dress code. The ticket allows as much as 45 minutes on the terraces for sweeping views of the city, followed by access to the cathedral and museum. After the terrace visit, self-tour of the glorious cathedral. While exploring the city: you may choose to visit some sites nearby, including but not limited to Piazza Reale mansion, which is free to enter until 7 PM, Piazza Mercanti, or the glamourous Galleria (stores start to close around 6:30 PM). 7:15 – 8:00 PM Dinner at Charleston Restaurant. ~ 8:30 PM Departure from Piazza Castello Bus Parking. ~10:00 PM Arrival at Hotel Impero Cremona. 6
PIMF Vanoli-Cremona
August 4 – 14, 2026
Cremona, Italy
VERONA Visiting Verona – which is your favorite era? Its nickname is “the little Rome.” Its arena is as spectacular as Rome’s Colosseum and possibly betterpreserved, with most of its original seating and exterior arches from 30 AD. But your inner archeologist can nerd out to medieval architecture, and the romance of the Renaissance as well. And such romance – Shakespeare chose it for “Romeo and Juliet” for good reason. The Centro Storico – historic center – drips with atmosphere.
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PIMF Vanoli-Cremona
August 4 – 14, 2026
Cremona, Italy
Day Trip to Verona – August 6, 2026 (Approx. 90-minute drive) 7:00 – 7:45 AM Breakfast at Hotel Impero Cremona 8:00 AM Departure from Cremona to Verona 9:30 AM Arrive in Verona. 10:00 AM – 12:30 PM Guided tour of the historic center + Arena entrance. Led by a licensed tour guide, covering the city’s most iconic landmarks: Piazza Bra, Via Mazzini, Piazza Erbe, Piazza dei Signori, courtyards, and views of Roman and medieval Verona. An interior visit of the Verona Arena amphitheater, with a historical explanation. 12:30 – 2:00 PM Enjoy lunch in the city center, just a short walk from the main points of interest. Pro Tip: Juliet’s Balcony is VERY popular, so allow time! Just a few blocks away is the very photogenic Porta Borsari, an arched limestone gate that dates to the 1st-century (FIRST!) and served as the main entrance to the city. 2:00 – 4:00 PM Exclusive archaeological experience. Meet with an archaeologist for a guided activity inside the underground archaeological area of Corte Sgarzerie, exceptionally opened for the group. The site preserves the remains of the Roman Capitolium, the main temple of ancient Verona, now visible beneath the current street level. Tour by group, 2–3 pm and 3–4pm; each group will have an additional hour to see the sights either before or after their tour. 4:00 – 5:30 PM Enjoy your time exploring Verona! Pro Tip: Stroll across the river to Giardino Giusti, the splendid gardens around the palazzo of a 15th-century wool merchant. It’s a €13 ticket but a lush way to end the day. 6:00 PM Departure from Verona to Cremona. ~ 7:30 PM Estimated arrival at Hotel Impero Cremona. 8:30 PM Group dinner in Cremona.
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PIMF Vanoli-Cremona
August 4 – 14, 2026
Cremona, Italy
BRESCIA “Hidden gem!” | “Authentic Italy without the crowds!” Click-bait headlines like these are actually accurate descriptions of Brescia, an underrated mix of Roman heritage and Renaissance architecture smackdab in the middle of northern Italy’s food and wine belt. It’s home to the impressive Archaeological Park of Brixia, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the Santa Giulia Museum, a former Benedictine monastery that now showcases 11,000 years of history (not a typo!). Brescia’s beautiful piazze are lively and lovely examples of architecture from medieval, Renaissance, and Art Deco periods, and the perfect setting for a meal in the city’s iconic slow food style, a refreshing flute of the local Franciacorta bubbly, or just a scoop of gelato while watching the cityscape unfold.
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PIMF Vanoli-Cremona
August 4 – 14, 2026
Cremona, Italy
Day Trip to Brescia – August 7, 2026 (Approx. 45-minute drive) 7:00 – 8:15 AM 8:30 AM
Breakfast at Hotel Impero Cremona. Depart Cremona for Brescia.
9:30 AM Arrive at Largo Torrelunga, Brescia on the edge of the historic center. 10:00 – 11:30 AM
Guided Tour of Santa Giulia Museum. Housed in an ancient Lombard monastery, it tells the story of the city from prehistory to the Venetian era, with unique masterpieces and a monumental complex that is a UNESCO World Heritage site. We’ll be looking up and down and all around at glorious mosaics, frescoes, and artifacts.
11:40 AM – 12:45 PM
Guided tour of archeological area. The Brixia complex is the largest urban archaeological area in the region. We’ll admire remains of the Republican Sanctuary (1st-century BC), the Capitolium (73 AD), the Roman Theater (1st–3rd-century AD), and the paving on which Via dei Musei stands today. The Piazza del Foro preserves vestiges of the Roman square (1st-century AD). The area also includes noble palaces from the Middle Ages, Renaissance and modern times which "rise" directly from the ancient ruins.
12:45 – 2:00 PM
Enjoy exploring Brescia while getting lunch. Pro tip: polenta and a stuffed pasta called casoncelli are traditional dishes here, along with spit-roasted mixed meats called spiedo Bresciano.
2:15 – 4:00 PM
Guided Tour of Brescia’s historical center, including the Duomo Vecchio and Duomo Nuovo, the remarkable side-by-side “old” Romanesque and “new” Baroque cathedrals that showcase architectural contrasts and are central to the city’s historic core; and Piazza della Loggia, known for its porticos and astronomical clock tower.
4:00 – 6:15 PM
Enjoy exploring Brescia. Pro tip: this is where to try Franciacorta, the world-famous sparkling wine made using the classic method in the surrounding hills, and perhaps a pirlo—Brescia’s signature cocktail, like a spritz but made with still white wine and Campari. Near Piazza Loggia and Piazza Vittoria, Via X Giornate boasts elegant porticos that house an array of renowned jewelry stores, fashionable boutiques, and inviting bookstores.
6:30 PM
Departure from Verona to Cremona.
~7:30 PM
Estimated arrival at Hotel Impero Cremona.
8:30 PM
Group dinner in Cremona. 10
PIMF Vanoli-Cremona
August 4 – 14, 2026
Cremona, Italy
FLORENCE Cradle of the Renaissance, perhaps no other city shaped the transition from the Middle Ages to the Modern era more than Florence. Every mover and shaker across centuries of social, economic, intellectual, and cultural change in Europe had ties to this living museum of ideas and enlightenment. The evidence is everywhere: Florence’s galleries house masterpieces like Michelangelo’s David and Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus, while iconic sculptures also sit in public squares and epic frescoes illuminate more humble church interiors. Architectural marvels challenge notions of durable design, such as the Duomo’s distinctive red dome designed by Brunelleschi, and Giotto’s Bell Tower, adorned with intricate reliefs and statues and decked out in white, green, and pink Tuscan marble. Shop the goldsmiths like a Florentine aristocrat on the historic Ponte Vecchio – a bridge of shops across the fabled River Arno – or browse artisanal leather goods at every price point at markets like the San Lorenzo. Chill at a sumptuous palazzo like the Pitti for sweeping views of the landscape or stroll the grand gardens at the Boboli or Bardini estates. Firenze. É molto molto. And we’re going to see it. 11
PIMF Vanoli-Cremona
August 4 – 14, 2026
Cremona, Italy
Day Trip to Florence – August 8, 2025 (Approx. 3-hour drive) 6:30 – 7:00 AM Quick Breakfast at Cremona Hotel Impero. 7:00 AM Depart Cremona for Florence. 10:00 AM Arrival at Piazzale Michelangelo, Florence. That glorious panorama of Florence from across the river that you’ve seen in your whole life? It’s taken from this spot. 10:15 – 11:15 AM Guided walking tour of Florence center. 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM Guided Tour of Duomo Opera Museum and Baptistery. History and architecture of the cathedral, the facade and the wonderful Dome, which are still studied by engineers and architects to truly understand the secret of its construction. The Museum boasts the most important collection in the world of medieval and Renaissance Florentine sculpture with works by Donatello, Michelangelo, Ghiberti, and della Robbia. 1:00 – 4:15 PM Enjoy exploring Florence while getting lunch. Pro Tip: A Tuscan lunch can include fresh pasta or ribollita soup, but Florentines will grab a lampredotto sandwich and keep walking. Browse San Lorenzo Market and graze through Mercato Centrale. If you want to get more spectacular vistas from up high, you can buy a ticket to Giotto’s Bell Tower (under renovation but open) and climb 414 steps to its top. Stroll across Florence’s most famous bridge, Ponte Vecchio, lined with jewelry shops. Piazza della Signoria sits in front of Palazzo Vecchio and is worth lingering in, because it’s an atmospheric space with genuine art to see for free. 4:30 PM Depart Florence for Cremona. ~ 7:30 PM Estimated arrival at Hotel Impero Cremona. 8:30 PM Group dinner in Cremona.
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PIMF Vanoli-Cremona
August 4 – 14, 2026
Cremona, Italy
L’ALBERETA SPA AND WINERY Family & Friends go ham on the dolce vita (or is that go prosciutto?) at L’Albereta Spa and Winery. Perched atop an idyllic mountain vineyard, its natural outdoor beauty lets you soak in the warm sun and vista views, the smorgasbord of Italian food and wine treats, with a giant indoor pool, sauna, steam room and spa. The pampering. The luxury. The glamour. Try to keep the details to yourselves afterwards because mere mortals may not be able to handle it.
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PIMF Vanoli-Cremona
August 4 – 14, 2026
Cremona, Italy
Overnight Trip to L’Albereta Spa and Winery: August 9 – 10, 2026 (Approx. 1-hour drive) August 9 7:00 – 8:45 AM Breakfast at Hotel Impero Cremona. 9:00 AM Departure from Cremona to L’Albereta Spa and Winery. 10:00 AM Arrive at L’Albereta Spa and Winery; store overnight bags and review resort offerings. 11:00 AM Winery Tour at L’Albereta Winery. 12:30 PM Enjoy exploring the Resort while getting lunch. 3:00 PM Check-in for rooms at L’Albereta.
Dinner at L’Albereta is “on your own” as are spa treatments. Enjoy the pool throughout your visit and even after checkout Monday (luggage will be stored.) You may explore the area around the resort independently by cab.
August 10 12:00 PM Checkout from rooms at L’Albereta. 5:00 PM Depart L’Albereta Spa and Winery for Cremona. ~ 6:00 PM Estimated arrival at Hotel Impero Cremona. 8:00 PM Group dinner in Cremona.
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PIMF Vanoli-Cremona
August 4 – 14, 2026
Cremona, Italy
CREMONA Festival participants will be working hard at polishing their skills and improving their technique and becoming true Cremonese for most of the week. In between lessons, practice, rehearsals and performances, they’ll explore this compact capital of violins with an insider tour of a lutherie, getting up close to unpriceable instruments, researching every gelato flavor on offer, and vibing with music history with every step.
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PIMF Vanoli-Cremona
August 4 – 14, 2026
Cremona, Italy
Grand Finale Day in Cremona / Soncino – August 11, 2026 7:00 – 10:00 AM Breakfast at Cremona Hotel Continental.
* Use the morning time to explore Cremona; students prepare for Grand Finale Concert. 2:30 PM - 4:15 PM Lunchtime and get ready for evening Grand Finale Performance in Soncino 4:15 PM Meet at the Lobby of the Hotel Impero to walk to the bus 4:30 PM Departure from Cremona to Soncino 5:00 PM Arrival in Soncino. Walk to Chiesa di San Giacomo. 5:30 PM Grand Finale Performance 8:30 PM Group dinner in Soncino at Bacco da Seta. • Prosciutto and cheese • Saffron risotto • Roast porchetta After dinner Depart Soncino for Cremona
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PIMF Vanoli-Cremona
August 4 – 14, 2026
Cremona, Italy
GENOA Don’t think “sea level” just because Genoa is a major port city with a rich naval history and both sand and pebble beaches. The Strade Nuove—wide boulevards lined with palaces that were built to impress—lead up into steep hills, now equipped with public elevators and funiculars lifting pedestrians up and down for the walks (and the views!). Its old (medieval) town is the biggest, most dense in Europe. It’s home to the biggest aquarium on the continent as well as the world’s fourth oldest lighthouse (c. 1543). It’s got ruins; it’s got castles and mansions; it’s got art and museums, and did we mention beaches? (We did.) And FOOD! Pesto and focaccia were born in Genoa (as was Christopher Columbus). Our students get to visit Genoa with friends and family, to check it out, or just to check out (did we mention beaches?)!
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PIMF Vanoli-Cremona
August 4 – 14, 2026
Cremona, Italy
Day Trip to Genoa – August 12, 2025 (Approx. 2 ½-hour drive) 7:00 – 7:30 AM Quick Breakfast at Cremona Hotel Impero. 7:30 AM Depart Cremona for Genoa. 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM Guided Tour of Genoa. We’ll discover this bustling port city and former naval powerhouse, from its medieval Cattedrale di San Lorenzo and iconic Lighthouse, to the evocative Old Port, to the UNESCO World Heritage-listed baroque and renaissance palaces showcasing stunning architecture and art collections called the Palazzi dei Rolli. Paganini left a trove of artifacts to this, his hometown, and they’re housed in one of the grand mansions. 1:00 – 2:00 PM Enjoy Genoa while getting lunch. Pro tip: focaccia and pesto were born here. 2:00 PM Departure from Genoa to Bergeggi for access to Santa Margherita Ligure. 2:30 – 5:15 PM Enjoy exploring Santa Margherita Ligure. This charming village is part of the Italian Rivera, with a beach protected from the wind by the Portofino Promontory, which gives it a mild microclimate and water that is calmer and often clearer than busier towns further up the coast. Enjoy the pebble beach or the formal Italian gardens of the free Villa Durazzo with sculpted hedges, fountains, staircases, and sweeping views over the Gulf of Tigullio. The small 17th-century Castello di Santa Margherita Ligure on the waterfront also has excellent views from its terrace. The narrow streets behind the seafront hold delicatessens and small boutiques selling linen clothing, ceramics, and leather goods. 5:30 PM Depart Santa Margherita Lighure for Cremona. ~ 8:00 PM Estimated arrival in Cremona. 8:30 PM Group dinner in Cremona
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PIMF Vanoli-Cremona
August 4 – 14, 2026
Cremona, Italy
LAKE GARDA & SIRMIONE This “pearl of Garda” is perched on the tip of a long, narrow peninsula in the southern part of Lake Garda. Castello Scaligero di Sirmione is a fortress that dates back to the 14th century and one of Italy’s bestpreserved castles and unavoidable when entering this jewel, as you have to walk across a bridge that spans its moat to enter Sirmione. The views from the castle walls (coming straight up out of the water) or from its tower (leg day but worth it) are dizzying and divine! In addition to yet another charming old town, Sirmione boasts the Grotte de Catullus, a 1st century BC Roman villa that’s still an active archeological site, which may be the home Catullus wrote about, but it may be more famous for a scene filmed with Timothée Chalamet for 2017’s “Call Me By Your Name.” Sirmione has beaches lined with rocks (or actual slabs of rock!) and thermal spas where you can relax and soak like the Romans did. 19
PIMF Vanoli-Cremona
August 4 – 14, 2026
Cremona, Italy
Day Trip to Lake Garda/Sirmione – August 13, 2025 (Approx. 90-minute drive) 7:00 – 8:45 AM Breakfast at Hotel Impero Cremona. 9:00 AM Depart Cremona for Lake Garda. 10:30 AM – 12:45 PM Tour of Vittoriale degli Italiani estate, luxurious home of the famous poet Gabriele d’Annunzio: the manor house, a huge garden with waterways and waterfalls, an outdoor theater, streets, squares, museums, and a mausoleum. 1:00 PM Depart Vittoriale degli Italiani for Sirmione. 1:30 PM Arrival in Sirmione. 1:30 – 6:45 PM Enjoy exploring Sirmione while getting lunch. “The Pearl of Lake Garda,” known for the beach, the town for shopping, or both! Explore the crazy moat design of the Scaliger Castle, take a boat tour of the lake to see the different towns and landscapes, visit the Roman ruins at Grotte di Catullo, or plant yourself at a café with a beverage or gelato. Choose wisely, but there are no wrong decisions here. 6:30 PM Depart Sirmione for Cremona. ~ 8:00 PM Estimated arrival in Cremona. 8:30 PM Group dinner in Cremona.
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PIMF Vanoli-Cremona
August 4 – 14, 2026
Cremona, Italy
PIMF "Music in the Mansion" Winter Solo Performance Intensive
December 28, 2026 – January 2, 2027
MIAMI, FL (DECEMBER 28, 2026–JANUARY 2, 2027) ― One of PIMF’s most popular programs EVER is the winter break intensive for strings at Miami’s beautiful Casa Tranquilla estate. Designed for advanced string players 13-19 years of age preparing for upcoming solo performances and competitions, this unique mini-camp gathers twenty-five talented young musicians to rev up their skills and start the new year on a high note. Days are packed with a laser focus on skill building and technique refinement, while the evenings are opportunities to perform and be challenged in Master Classes. This program includes: four private lessons, daily 30-minute workout sessions with assigned faculty accompanists, daily hourlong solo performance classes, five hours of required daily private practice, and a week-ending Grand Finale Recital. The mansion offers indoor and outdoor spaces for private lessons and studio classes with faculty that include Kimberly Fisher (Principal Second Violin, The Philadelphia Orchestra), Richard Amoroso (violin, The Philadelphia Orchestra), and John Koen (cello, The Philadelphia Orchestra), as well as daily workouts and coaching sessions with piano accompanists. And throughout, a spectacular gourmet menu, complete with daily High Tea prepared by a gourmet chef, in a world of elegance and pampering to elevate young musicians’ entire educational experience. In an entirely new way to study their craft, Music in Mansion surrounds them with beauty and excellence so the only thing they need to focus on is performance. String players are invited to start 2027 with fresh insights and inspiration, new connections, and glowing memories. Music in the Mansion fills to capacity each season, so early auditions are advised.