2023 “ALFREDO CASELLA” INTERNATIONAL PRIZE
NOTICE OF COMPETITION

  1. The Fondazione Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia of Rome, in collaboration with Fiamma Nicolodi’s Trust, is establishing the second “Alfredo Casella” International Prize of 10.000 €, aimed at Italian and foreign scholars of a maximum of 40 (forty) years of age at the date of this notice, for the execution of a research project of a predominantly musicological character, focused on early twentieth-century Italian music in its historical and cultural context, a period that is finding a renewed interest from universities, conservatories, musical institutions and record companies. The prize is named after Alfredo Casella (Turin, 1883 – Rome, 1947), a composer, conductor, pianist, scholar and essayist who is a symbolic representative of that period; Fiamma Nicolodi – grandson of the musician – studied this historical period as a musicologist of primary international level and was a cultural witness also as an Academician of Santa Cecilia.

 

  1. The prize will be paid over a period of three years, at the end of which the winner must produce a completely original monographic study, ready for publication, which, subject to the unanimous approval of the Jury, will be published by the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia within 12 months of delivery.

 

  1. Applications to the Competition will be made by means of the presentation of a research project. The description of the project should specify the subject and explain its novelty. As well as providing a survey of the current state of the field, it should give an account of the methods that will be employed in the course of the three-year period and include a projected timeline.

Applications to the Competition should be submitted online to the Fondazione Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia not later than 15 October 2023, by filling in completely the application form on the Fondazione’s website at www.santacecilia.it/premiocasella. Submission can be made by following the online instructions.

 

Candidates should attach to the application:

 

  • A description of the research project (in either Italian or English) in a maximum of 14,000 characters, including spaces and excluding the bibliography;
  • A photocopy of an identity document;
  • A CV in either Italian or English.

The judging Commission, composed of the President (or and appointed delegate) and six members, of whom three will be of Italian nationality and three of foreign nationality, will assess the project on the basis of the following criteria:

 

  • the originality of the research proposal;
  • the suitability of the methodological approach;
  • the feasibility of the proposed research within the time limits set for its accomplishment;
  • the candidate’s qualifications.

 

The Commission has jurisdiction over the choice of the winning project, the monitoring of the conduct of the research and the appointment of the winner.

 

  1. The winner of the “Alfredo Casella” Prize will be announced on 21st December 2023 on the Accademia web site and social media. The research will be carried out in the three years following the award of the prize, including presentations at the end of the first and second years of the work done so far, and delivery of the monograph at the end of the third year, ready to be published, to be submitted to the Commission for approval. Upon the proclamation of the winner, the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia will pay the candidate an advance of 20% of the Prize. Extensions may be granted at the sole discretion of the Commission, which will have the right to permit intermediate payments up to a maximum of 50% of the balance, following the presentation of a documented and justified request. In the event that the work is considered insufficient or the delivery deadlines set by this notice are not respected, the winner will lose the appointment and the balance of the prize will not be paid.

 

  1. At the end of the three-year period the winner is required to deliver to the Library of the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia the list of the materials acquired in the course of the research.

 

  1. The presentation of the winner’s volume will be followed by a musical event organized by the Fondazione Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia.

 

  1. The research project proposed by a candidate/a under the age of 30 (thirty) who, although not awarded, is considered of particular interest and originality, will be awarded a special prize established in memory of Fiamma Nicolodi, with the publication of an essay on the same subject proposed, subject to approval by the Commission, in the Journal “Studi Musicali” published by the the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia.

 

  1. The Commission may decide, in its sole discretion, to award special mentions to projects which it considers worthy.