The event will feature a dynamic program of performances showcasing the richness of Scanzonati's Italian songwriting, blending traditional and contemporary influences.
This concert is a celebration of Italian music and culture in honor of Settimana della Lingua Italiana nel Mondo, an annual global event promoted by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Led by Berklee faculty members Stefano Marchese and Andrea Pejrolo, Scanzonati is a musical project that reinterprets Italian songwriting through contemporary jazz influences, Mediterranean sounds, and improvisation. The band aims to highlight the poetic depth and rhythmic diversity of Italian music while making it accessible to an international audience.
The concert will feature special guest performers from Berklee’s faculty and broader artistic community, including Joey Blake, Vanshika Arora, and Samuel Cerra, offering unique interpretations of Italian songs and reflecting the country’s rich and diverse musical heritage.
Berklee World Strings will also join the performance. Berklee World Strings is Berklee's flagship string orchestra under the direction of faculty cellist Eugene Friesen. The ensemble includes players from all over the world performing original music informed by both traditional and contemporary styles and will feature student soloists from China, Israel, Palestine, Canada, and the United States. BWS will open the program with their spirited originals and will also provide lush backup for the music of Scanzonati.
Selected students from Berklee College of Music will also participate in the concert, performing alongside Scanzonati and the guest artists.
Since its establishment in 2001, Settimana della Lingua Italiana nel Mondo has become the most significant global initiative dedicated to the Italian language. Organized annually during the third week of October, it is supported by the Italian diplomatic and cultural network in collaboration with key institutions such as the Accademia della Crusca, Società Dante Alighieri, RAI Italia, and Treccani. Each edition centers on a specific theme that guides a rich program of cultural events worldwide.
The 2025 edition will continue this tradition, and Canzone Mediterranea aims to contribute by celebrating the power of music as a universal language that expresses the cultural depth and diversity of Italy. Through the vibrant sounds of Italian songwriting, this event will highlight Mediterranean identity and its influence on global music.
You may also like the following events from Berklee Performance Center:
Also check out other
Entertainment events in Boston,
Music events in Boston.
