What AERCO is
With the name AERCIP - Associazione Emiliano-Romagnola Cori di Ispirazione Popolare (Association of Emilia-Romagna Choirs of Popular Inspiration) - on 16 May 1971 a small group of choirs from Emilia-Romagna (Leone and Stelutis from Bologna, Monte Toccacielo from Porretta Terme (BO), Giuseppe Verdi from Argenta (FE), Valpadana from Casumaro (FE), Val Dolo from Toano (RE), set up the first regional association of choral ensembles in Italy.
A few years later, also thanks to the entry of some polyphonic choirs, the association acquired the name AERCO: Associazione Emiliano-Romagnola Cori. The founders then set themselves the aim of finding a moment of collaboration to spread amateur musical associationism, to improve the technical preparation of conductors through training initiatives, to support the activities of the choirs by creating opportunities for concerts and musical encounters in order to facilitate musical practice among members, and finally to contribute to enhancing musical research in the region, both in the polyphonic and ethnophonic fields. Aims that still form the basis of the association's mission.
The most important projects implemented are the Regional Festival Voci nei Chiostri (www.vocineichiostri.it), World Choral Day (extended to all the provinces of the Region), the Festival Fiumi di Voci (www.dicoriunaltropo.it) and the Suoni e Colori Festival. At provincial level, we would like to mention the International Choral Festival CantaBO (www.cantabo.it), Cori@Mo (for choirs from Modena), Soli Deo Gloria (for choirs from Reggio Emilia), Le Voci della Terra (for choirs from Parma), the Festival dei Cori Piacentini (for choirs from Piacenza), and the Concerti del Tè (for choirs from Rimini). In addition, choral festivals on the occasion of Christmas are organised at provincial level.
AERCO is present in the educational and didactic field for choristers and conductors with a series of masterclasses and permanent courses throughout the region. It has founded its own Choral Academy at the Casa della Musica in Parma where it holds annual and three-year courses for Choral Directors (www.aerco.academy). Every year it organises the Giuseppe Savani National Choral Competition in the city of Carpi (www.concorsocoralegiuseppesavani.it). Every two years it also promotes an International Competition for Choral Conductors dedicated to Romano Gandolfi (www.choralconductorcompetition.eu) and two International Choral Composition Competitions, one of them exclusively dedicated to the youth repertoire (www.corinfesta.it). Other flagship projects are the Coro Giovanile dell'Emilia-Romagna (www.corogiovaniledellemiliaromagna.it), the Coro Regionale dell'Emilia-Romagna (www.cororegionaledellemiliaromagna.it) and the Schola Gregoriana Ecce set up at the famous Pomposa Abbey (FE), the place of the monk Guido d'Arezzo.
Finally, AERCO is present with editorial projects such as
its official magazine FARCORO (www.farcoro.it)
and its Quaderni.
Email: ufficio@aerco.emr.it
Current positions and duties
PRESIDENT - Andrea Angelini
Official AERCO representation, delegate to the FENIARCO board of directors, chairman of the board of directors and assembly, AERCO Next Steps project manager, assistant to the secretary for administrative and economic matters.
SECRETARY
VICE-PRESIDENT - Gabriella Corsaro
Coadjutor of the President, Delegate for the Regional Youth Choir and for the Interregional Festival ‘Fiumi di Voici’.
AERCO PUBLICATIONS MANAGING EDITOR - Silvia Perucchetti
Managing Editor of FARCORO and QUADERNI DI FARCORO, Coordinator of AERCO's printed and digital publications.
DIRECTOR OF AERCO ARTISTIC COMMISSION - Gianluigi Giacomoni
Responsible for the artistic programming of the Association.
AERCO General Manager
Mirco Tugnolo
Ensures the conduct of AERCO operations. Establishes the strategy for the development of cultural services in the AERCO area of operation. Administers the internal production, human resources and administration resources
AERCO WEB MANAGER - PR Valentina Micciancio
Update of the general area of the AERCO website, collaboration with associated choirs for the updating of the pages dedicated to the choirs, relations with FENIARCO for questions related to the website, responsible for the AERCO INTRANET.
Study and design of graphic material, press office, Public relation, fundraising.
SEGRETARIAT MANAGER - Gian Marco Grimandi
Management of associated choirs, insurance management, journal management, drafting administrative documents, managing headquarter (rent, utilities, cleaning), sending information and newsletters, drafting board documents and minutes.