THE MANDOLIN ACADEMY IN VENICE

VENICE MANDOLIN FESTIVAL
We organise a mandolin festival in Venice, Italy 1st - 9th of May 2027

Come whenever you want, 1st - 5th or 6th - 9th of May 2027

Of course you can stay the whole period 1st - 9th of May

Then you will get a discounted price!

CONCERTS EVERY DAY AT 15:00 / 17:00 / 19:30

INTERNATIONAL ORCHESTRAS, ENSEMBLES,

SOLOISTS, REHEARSALS & PARTIES

Please scroll down to see more about

THE VENICE MANDOLIN FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA 2027

Open for everybody who loves to play in a mandolin and guitar orchestra

Orchestra 1 with Maxine Rizzotto as conductor 1st - 5th of May 2027

Orchestra 2 with Laura Engelmann as conductor 6th - 9th of May 2027

VENICE "LA SERENISSIMA" - ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST BEAUTIFUL CITIES

VENICE MANDOLIN FESTIVAL

Welcome to Venice with your orchestra or as an individual player and play in The Venice Mandolin Festival Orchestra (VMFO).

ENGLISH
We organise a mandolin festival in Venice, Italy 1st - 9th of May 2027. Come whenever you want, 1st - 5th or 6th - 9th of May 2027. Of course you can stay the whole period 1st - 9th of May. Then you will get a discounted price! THE VENICE MANDOLIN FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA 2027 is open for everybody. Part 1 with Maxine Rizzotto as conductor 1st - 5th of May 2027. Part 2 with Laura Engelmann as conductor 6th - 9^th of May 2027. 

DEUTSCH
Wir veranstalten vom 1. bis 9. Mai 2027 ein Mandolinenfestival in Venedig, Italien. Kommen Sie, wann immer Sie möchten: vom 1. bis 5. oder vom 6. bis 9. Mai 2027. Selbstverständlich können Sie auch den gesamten Zeitraum vom 1. bis 9. Mai bleiben und erhalten dann einen ermäßigten Preis! THE VENICE MANDOLIN FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA 2027 steht allen offen. Teil 1 mit Maxine Rizzotto als Dirigent findet vom 1. bis 5. Mai 2027 statt. Teil 2 mit Laura Engelmann als Dirigentin findet vom 6. bis 9. Mai 2027 statt.

ITALIANO

Organizziamo un festival di mandolino a Venezia, Italia, dal 1° al 9 maggio 2027. Venite quando volete, dal 1° al 5 o dal 6 al 9 maggio 2027. Naturalmente potete rimanere per tutto il periodo dal 1° al 9 maggio. In tal caso, otterrete un prezzo scontato! THE VENICE MANDOLIN FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA 2027 è aperta a tutti. Parte 1 con Maxine Rizzotto come direttrice dal 1° al 5 maggio 2027. Parte 2 con Laura Engelmann come direttrice dal 6 al 9 maggio 2027. 

THE VENICE MANDOLIN FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA - REHEARSALS & CONCERTS IN VENICE

with Maxine Rizzotto and Laura Engelmann - Conductors.

ENGLISH
The Venice Mandolin Festival Orchestra is open to anyone who likes to play in a mandolin and guitar orchestra. In the first section 1-5 May 2027, Maxine Rizzotto will conduct and rehearse with the orchestra. The idea is to play music by Kuwahara, Forslund, Näslund and Keith Harris. In the second section 6-9 May 2027, Laura Engelmann will conduct and rehearse with the orchestra. We have not yet decided on the repertoire, but it will be shown on our website in the future. Since we are in Venice, the repertoire will include music by Antonio Vivaldi, of course.

DEUTSCH
The Venice Mandolin Festival Orchestra lädt alle ein, die gerne in einem Mandolinen- und Gitarrenorchester spielen. Im ersten Abschnitt vom 1. bis 5. Mai 2027 dirigiert und probt Maxine Rizzotto mit dem Orchester. Auf dem Programm stehen Werke von Kuwahara, Forslund, Näslund und Keith Harris. Im zweiten Abschnitt vom 6. bis 9. Mai 2027 dirigiert und probt Laura Engelmann mit dem Orchester. Das Repertoire steht noch nicht fest, wird aber in Kürze auf unserer Website veröffentlicht. Da wir in Venedig sind, wird natürlich auch Musik von Antonio Vivaldi auf dem Programm stehen.

ITALIANO

The Venice Mandolin Festival Orchestra è aperto a chiunque ami suonare in un'orchestra di mandolini e chitarre. Nella prima sezione, dall'1 al 5 maggio 2027, Maxine Rizzotto dirigerà e proverà con l'orchestra. L'idea è di eseguire musiche di Kuwahara, Forslund, Näslund e Keith Harris. Nella seconda sezione, dal 6 al 9 maggio 2027, Laura Engelmann dirigerà e proverà con l'orchestra. Non abbiamo ancora deciso il repertorio, ma sarà pubblicato sul nostro sito web in futuro. Dato che ci troviamo a Venezia, il repertorio includerà ovviamente musiche di Antonio Vivaldi.

THE MANDOLIN ACADEMY IN VENICE

We have over 40 years of experience in organising concerts, concert tours and festivals. Our years of international experience have given us the expertise we need to confidently organise and manage concerts, seminars and master classes.

The vast knowledge base of the MANDOLIN ACADEMY includes the resources of its sister organisations, the Vivaldi Festival in Sweden and the Vivaldi Choral Festival in Italy. It places us in a completely unique position to work with you to realise your own personal goals.

THE VENICE MANDOLIN FESTIVAL INVITES

Music lovers and amateur players of mandolin, mandola and guitar of all levels, mandolin & guitar orchestras, professional soloists and conductors from all over the world to enjoy great music and art in Venice in the spring 2027. Please spend a little time to read this website or contact us for more information.

DO YOU AND YOUR MANDOLIN ORCHESTRA WANT TO PLAY IN ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST BEAUTIFUL CITIES?

Please,  come to Venice and play concerts in churches and palaces! Or play in a big mandolin orchestra, The Venice Mandolin Festival Orchestra (VMFO). In the spring of 2027, we will re-open a unique Mandolin Festival in Venice for everyone who loves playing mandolin, mandola and guitar. Venice Mandolin Festival arranges and invites mandolin orchestras from all over the world to exchange concerts and cultural exchanges between different countries. Do you want to take part in this exciting mandolin project and create international friendships and powerful musical experiences? In that case, contact us and we will tell you more about how this festival works. Everyone is welcome to join this friendly and fine musical community!

BAROQUE, CLASSIC, OPERA & NEAPOLITAN SONGS. EXAMPLES OF REPERTORY:

Mandolin concertos by Venetian 18th century composers like Vivaldi, Hasse and Paolucci among others. The party repertory includes hits from the opera world, like The Prisoners' Choir from Nabucco and Canzone napoletane (Neapolitan songs) such as O Sole Mio, Torna a Surriento, Canta pè me, Santa Lucia and more. We are also open to repertoire suggestions from you. Please give us proposals.

COME YOURSELF OR WITH YOUR ENTIRE ORCHESTRA!

We turn to regular mandolin orchestras with a conductor, who wants to conduct and perform his / her own program, for example Vivaldi's mandolin concertos or a free choice of repertory, with his / her own orchestra, in a concert in The Venice Mandolin Festival. We also arrange concerts in The Venice Mandolin Festival with a project mandolin orchestra consisting of individual mandolin, mandola and guitar players, small groups or merged orchestras. These are individual players, small groups or orchestras who rehearse before the various concerts and the players vary from time to time. The project orchestra, here called - Venice Mandolin Festival Orchestra- is open to everyone, but driving skills and good music reading skills are required. You practice on your own or with your group or orchestra before you are coming to Venice. Joint rehearsals will be held in Venice by two professional conductors.

THE MANDOLIN ACADEMY IN VENICE

is part of a much larger operation. This enables us to achieve things far beyond the possibilities of an organisation which is only for the mandolin. We look forward to benefitting the instrument and its players worldwide.

THE AIM OF THE MANDOLIN ACADEMY

The academy will be a powerful force in raising awareness of the mandolin and its music, and in reaching a general audience not just confined to insiders. It is time for our beautiful instrument to reclaim the status it formerly enjoyed as part of normal musical life. The MANDOLIN ACADEMY will contribute in many ways, including building bridges to players and singers from the established music scene. This ensures the best possible performance quality and also adds an important social dimension.

WE ARE PROGRESSIVE AND OPEN-MINDED

Our activities are open to everyone, from the beginner to the professional performer. Everybody can benefit from our experience, contacts and expertise. Our progressive approach keeps us up to date with the larger international concert scene.

Lars Forslund

on behalf of the Mandolin Academy Team

THE MANDOLIN ACADEMY IN VENICE

THE MANDOLIN ACADEMY IN VENICE

We organise Concerts and Holds Seminars in Mandolin Playing in the Extraordinary Italian City of Venice.

CONCERT TOURS TO VENICE

Concert Tours for Mandolin Orchestras & Soloists. We offer exciting and unique opportunities for both mandolin soloists and plucked string orchestras to perform in the magnificent churches and palaces of Venice. THE MANDOLIN ACADEMY is part of Venice – we know how to make it happen.

CONCERTS IN VENICE

You perform in the enchanted world of Italian art and music. The MANDOLIN ACADEMY welcomes mandolin lovers, both professional and amateur, from all over the world.

MANDOLIN SEMINARS

We offer teaching activities for all mandolin players. The only requirement is that you love the mandolin and share our enthusiasm and joy about it. Our mandolin seminars are for players of every level and ability.

VENICE

The city of Venice is our headquarters. You stay in premises right in the historical centre of this unique and magical place, dating from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance...

TRANSPORTATION AND ACCOMODATION

We recommend that you visit websites about accommodation - hotels, apartments etc. in Venice. Everything remains in your hands, and you pay directly. The participation fee covers all concert activities organised by the MANDOLIN ACADEMY, and you take care of transport and accommodation separately.

WOULDN’T YOU LIKE TO HAVE A CONCERT TOUR WITH YOUR MANDOLIN ORCHESTRA TO VIVALDI’S HOMETOWN OF VENICE?

It could look like this:

1. Your mandolin orchestra performs  two, three or even four concerts in the beautiful churches and palaces of Venice, surrounded by magnificent masterpieces by the great Venetian Renaissance and Baroque painters and with superb acoustics for concerts and recordings, including video recording.

2. In addition to playing beautiful music, we can help you with the touristic side of your visit to Venice. For example, we can arrange excursions, boat rides on the canals of Venice and dining in typical Venetian restaurants. Please ask us for details.

3.We recommend that you visit websites about accommodation - hotels, apartments etc. in Venice. Everything remains in your hands, and you pay directly. As we said before, the participation fee covers all concert activities organised by the MANDOLIN ACADEMY, and you take care of transport and accommodation separately.

WE ORGANISE IN VENICE

We organise concert tours to Venice for both mandolin orchestras and soloists. You will benefit from the extensive experience we have acquired since we started in the field in 1982. Since then, we have successfully arranged tours for all kinds of ensembles, choirs and soloists throughout Scandinavia, Europe, the UK, Japan and the USA. So we know our way around...

CAMERATA MANDOLINO CLASSICO PLAYS HÄNDEL

LAPPONIA SUITE - MUSIC BY LARS FORSLUND

CAMERATA MANDOLINO CLASSICO

has received international recognition as a skilled interpreter of Venetian baroque music. The ensemble has made numerous and extensive tours in Japan, Germany, Austria, Spain, Italy, Norway, Denmark and Sweden.

COLLABORATION WITH PROFESSIONAL MUSICIANS

Our musicians and singers are active in various symphony orchestras, chamber orchestras, baroque ensembles and opera houses including La Scala in Milan, La Fenice in Venice and at the Gothenburg Opera, as well as in the orchestras Venice Baroque and L'Offerta Musicale in Venice.

OUR CONCERTS

has been critically acclaimed and hugely appreciated by standing ovation from an enthusiastic audience.

MANDOLIN PLAYING IN SWEDISH TV 1982

Lars founded Sweden's first international mandolin festival at Visingsö in Sweden 1982. At the festival he made a recording with the mandolin and guitar orchestra Musica Festiva. Music by Vivaldi from the disc became the theme song of SVT's Italian language course “Buon giorno Italia”. Lars was mandolin soloist at the Venice Carnival 2016 and cicerone, along with Ann Lundberg, in a popular television program by SVT.

THE MANDOLIN ACADEMY IN VENICE

THE VENICE MANDOLIN

FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA

The orchestra VMFO is open for individual participants

and small ensembles / orchestras who want

to join the bigger VMFO orchestra

Venice, Italy 1st - 5th of May 2027 Orchestra 1 with Maxine Rizzotto - Conductor

&

Venice, Italy 6th - 9th of May 2027 Orchestra 2 with Laura Engelmann - Conductor

Please, scroll down to read about the conductors

THE VENICE MANDOLIN FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA - REHEARSAL 2023

KEITH HARRIS
has taught the mandolin for very many years. From teaching for pocket money at the age of twelve in Sydney (Australia) in the 60s to holding a teaching commission at the Music University in Heidelberg (Germany) in the 90s and giving seminars and master classes all over the world, he teaches students of every level
and ability. Keith Harris also conducted The Venice Mandolin Orchestra in 2023 very successfully.

MAXINE RIZZOTTO

from Venice / Milan, Italy. The Italian virtuoso piano player Maxine Rizzotto, pianist and harpsichordist as well rehearser for, among other things, a number of opera singers from the conservatory in Milan and mandolin students in the conservatory in Brescia. She conducted The Venice Mandolin Orchestra in 2022 very successfully. Maxine Rizzotto is a member of Camerata Mandolino Classico since 2015 and she played many concerts in Italy and Sweden with the ensemble and she also learned the Swedish language on a high level.

LARS FORSLUND

Lars Forslund is Artistic Director of the Vivaldi Festival in Venice and Sweden. With his best friend, since 1982, and mandolin teacher Keith Harris, he also organise concerts and seminars at The Mandolin Academy in Venice. Lars lived in Rome as a child, studied Italian in Florence and lives since 1998 part of the year in Venice.

JAPAN AND THE MANDOLIN

In the eighties and nineties, worked and studied Lars in Kobe in Japan for the Master Yasuo Kuwahara, and also learned the Japanese language. Then they developed a long partnership, in the field of mandolin music, between Japan and Sweden. 1983 played Lars and Yasuo in Das Deutsche Zupforchester under the leadership of Siegfried Beherend and with Takashi Ochi as concertmaster.

Please, listen to the interview from 29th of January 2026 at the radio in Sydney and when Keith Harris plays Calace and conducting his own music and music by Yasuo Kuwahara

LAURA ENGELMANN
lives and works as a mandolinist and music teacher in Hanover, Germany. In 2025, she completed her mandolin studies with a Master of Music degree under Prof. Caterina Lichtenberg. She also studied guitar and elementary music education as her two main subjects. In 2021, she won first prize at the renowned Yasuo Kuwahara International Competition for solo mandolin. She has received further awards at competitions such as “Jugend musiziert” and chamber music competitions. She received several scholarships during her studies. In addition to her solo and chamber music activities, she works as a lecturer and conductor for various plucked string orchestras, is regularly invited to seminars throughout Germany, and serves as a juror at competitions. She currently conducts the Zupforchester Niedersachsen and the Landeszupforchester Nord. She is chairwoman of the Bundesjugendzupforchester and volunteers as federal music director in the Association Bund Deutscher Zupfmusiker.

LAURA ENGELMANN
lebt und arbeitet als Mandolinistin und Musikpädagogin in Hannover. 2025 schloss sie ihr Mandolinenstudium mit dem Master of Music bei Prof. Caterina Lichtenberg ab. Zusätzlich studierte sie die zwei Hauptfächer Gitarre und Elementare Musikpädagogik. 2021 gewann sie den 1. Preis beim renommierten Internationalen Yasuo-Kuwahara-Wettbewerb für Mandoline solo. Weitere Auszeichnungen erhielt sie unter anderem beim Wettbewerb „Jugend musiziert“ sowie beim Kammermusikwettbewerb „Gitarre plus X“. Während ihres Studiums war sie Stipendiatin der Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes und von Live Music Now und wurde zudem mit dem Deutschlandstipendium gefördert. Neben ihrer solistischen und kammermusikalischen Tätigkeit arbeitet sie als Dozentin und Dirigentin verschiedener Zupforchester und wird regelmäßig bundesweit zu Seminaren eingeladen und ist als Jurorin bei Wettbewerben tätig. Derzeit leitet sie das Zupforchester Niedersachsen und das Landeszupforchester Nord. Sie ist Vorsitzende des Bundesjugendzupforchesters und engagiert sich ehrenamtlich als Bundesmusikleiterin im Bund Deutscher Zupfmusiker.

Please, learn more about Laura Engelmann on her website

LAURA ENGELMANN PLAYS - RAFFAELE CALACE - PRELUDIO NO 2

LAURA ENGELMANN PLAYS - CARL FRIEDRICH ABEL - FANTASIA

LAURA ENGELMANN & LUKAS KATTER - MUSIC BY CALACE

ZUPFORCHESTER NIEDERSACHSEN PLAYS - TAKASHI YUASA

CONTACT US ABOUT THE FESTIVAL

Concerts, Café Concerts & Opera around Venice and the Lagoon 2027

INFORMATION

The concert program for the concerts 2027 has not been determined.

Please come back to our website later! Feel free to contact us

with questions about the festival 2027!

Please contact us for any questions!

* * *

CAMERATA MANDOLINO CLASSICO PLAYS ON YOUTUBE

YOTUBE CHANNEL

Here you can see and listen to our videos.

Music by Vivaldi, Bach, Scarlatti,

Mozart and Beethoven and 

French Baroque Music.

CONTACT US

VIVALDI FESTIVAL

Don't hesitate to ask! We'll be happy to answer all your questions!

MAXINE RIZZOTTO & LARS FORSLUND

INFORMATION

SVENSKA

Här når du oss! Ring eller skriv till oss! Vi svarar på dina frågor så fort vi kan.

Ibland är vi på turné och då kan svaren dröja lite längre, men vi svarar.

ENGLISH

Here you can reach us! Call or write to us! We will answer your questions as soon as we can.

Sometimes we are on tour and then the answers may take a little longer, but we answer.

ITALIANO

Qui puoi raggiungerci! Chiamaci o scrivici! Risponderemo alle tue domande il prima possibile.

A volte siamo in tour e poi le risposte possono richiedere un po 'più di tempo, ma rispondiamo.