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Several years ago, I had the opportunity to attend The NAMM Show (National Association of Music Merchants) in Anaheim. While I was there, I got to meet many amazing musicians, including Cory Pesaturo, who is a three-time World Accordion Champion and Guinness World Record Holder. Another interesting fact about Pesaturo, he's a young guy. In fact, he...

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On January 14, 1968, a 6.4-magnitude earthquake hit the Belice Valley in western Sicily. In less than two days, the farming village of Gibellina—and its neighboring towns—were reduced to ruins. “All that remains is a shapeless pile of rubble, twisted beams, and crumbled walls. Reconstruction on the site will be impossible: just clearing the rubble...

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It’s no secret that museums and cultural agencies across Italy are home to countless hidden gems. What’s less known is that Italy’s Chamber of Deputies, housed in Palazzo Montecitorio, holds thousands of artworks—many of which have been sitting in “temporary storage” for nearly a century. While occasional headlines pop up over politicians displayin...

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I looked out the window onto Boulevard Saint-Germain and watched life pass by. I thought: this is the life we should be giving form to. Life as it is now. What nudes? What neoclassicism? Where are the bathers? I poured my coffee. This is where people come together. I thought of the Classics: they always portrayed the life they were living – and the...

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John Stango’s grandparents immigrated to America from the Foggia region in Italy. His father, also named John, would return to Italy while serving in the Navy. In fact, he survived the Normandy invasion in World War II. John Sr. met John’s mom Elaine (née Rockwell) in the Mayfair section of Philadelphia. Also an artist, John remembers her painting...

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The skyline of Florence is undoubtedly characterized by the majestic Dome of the Cathedral, the work of Brunelleschi, and the elegant, superb Bell Tower designed by Giotto. The latter was not only an architect but one of the most innovative artists of his time because he revolutionized painting in the 1300s by introducing naturalness in the gesture...

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Just outside the village of San Giovanni d’Asso, a small medieval town nestled in the Crete Senesi landscape in Tuscany, lies an oasis of greenery and culture: the Bosco della Ragnaia. Once a place where birds were hunted using nets, today it is a most unusual sculpture park. At the entrance, a motto greets visitors: "If not here, where?" In this f...

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Not everyone is quick to believe that stone can make music — let alone sing. But in a small Sardinian village just outside of Cagliari, that’s exactly what happens. Spend just a few hours at the Sound Garden in San Sperate, and you’ll witness a one-of-a-kind experience where rocks truly come alive with sound. This remarkable place is t...

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On Thursday, June 19th, at 6.30 pm the Italian Cultural Institute in Miami (209 Altara Ave., Coral Gables) will host the talk From Carpentry to Masterpieces. How Italian-Made excellence creates extraordinary shapes, a special event dedicated to innovation in architectural design and the promotion of Made in Italy through the integration of advanced...

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We’ve all been there. Set off with grand plans of visiting at least two museums a day, over a three-day trip, to get the full-on cultural kick. Then other things inevitably get in the way. How long does the visit take? The line is how long? Tickets cost that much? Suddenly a museum checklist seems less like fun and more like being on a school trip....

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