Chairs lined up, platforms and marquees set up… the metamorphosis of Place du Casone announces the imminent opening of the twenty-second edition of Jazz in Aiacciu, which will take place from June 25 to 29. Formerly organized within the walls of the Lazaret Ollandini in the Aspretto district, the festival is being held, for the third year, at the top of Cours Grandval.
This summer again, the association chose to begin this series of concerts with a free evening : “Cit’s important to open the festival with an evening offered to Ajaccians“, estimates Marcel Giudicelli, president of the festival. This first evening will bring together students from the Henri-Tomasi music conservatory and those from the Muret Big Band, from Occitanie.
“Share this pleasure”
“We will see experienced musicians, students, their teachers… we are fully involved in the transmission“, assures the president, further defending a “highlighting emerging Corsican groups” during the other evenings. A thousand spectators are expected tomorrow evening, mixing jazz purists, simple curious people, or even the families of the students who will perform on stage at the Casone.
The organization of this festival is ensured by around thirty volunteers, all hands on deck these past few days. “There is an exceptional atmosphere in this association, a real pleasure to put this together“, testifies Jean-François Ferrandini, treasurer of the association. “Our wish is to share this pleasure with the public. We want to attract as many people as possible, not only jazz purists, but also an audience that we didn’t know“, he insists. At his side, Marie-France Saliceti, vice-president of the association, confides her pride in being involved in the association. “I have always been passionate about music, culture and organizing. I am committed for 22 years out of friendship for Marcel [Giudicelli]”, she confides.
Regarding the association, whose activities extend well beyond this festival, the vice-president is delighted to participate in “a cultural policy approach“. The jazz enthusiast nevertheless defends an order in the association’s accounts: “We strive to have a balanced budget, while our installation at Casone has caused more expenses“, she insists, recounting the aid provided, among others, by the Community and the city of Ajaccio.
