Ensemble Terra Mater

The Ensemble Terra Mater, founded in Verona in 2016, is made up of five multi-instrumentalists trained at the Conservatories of Verona, Padua, Vicenza, and Cesena. Their musical activity stems from an interest in the sonic heritage of Mediterranean cultures and the European medieval repertoire.

In 2017 they took part in the “Music 4 the Next Generation” competition, winning First Prize, and in 2020 they received Second Prize. In 2018 they were finalists in the “Generazioni” competition of the Ethnos International Festival in Naples. In 2019 they were featured on Rai Radio 3 in the program Piazza Verdi. In 2022 they won the “Scuola Musica Popolare di Forlimpopoli” Award within the national Folk & World competition.

They have released two albums with the record label Velut Luna: Terra Mater (2018) and Odýsseia (2020).

Over the years, they have participated in important concert series and festivals, including HausmusikWunderkammer Trieste, Ethnos Festival, VeronaRisuona, I Teatri del Mondo, Velofestival, Tocatì Festival, Il Lago Cromatico Festival, the ethnomusicology series “(s)Nodi” at the Museo della Musica in Bologna, the concert series of the Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna in Pisa, Palazzo Marino in Musica, the concert seasons of Teatro Binario 7 in Monza and Teatro Ristori in Verona, the International Poetry Festival of Genoa, and the Folk Music Festival of Forlimpopoli.

They have also developed interdisciplinary projects combining music and theatre: Il Milione. Note di viaggio with actor Lorenzo Bassotto; Odýsseia, conceived, directed, and performed by the ensemble itself; Le città invisibili with actor Sebastiano Bronzato; and Dantea, premiered at the Roman Theatre of Verona with text and direction by Alessandro Anderloni.

Over the years, the ensemble has presented its musical project in cities including Ancona, Bologna, Brescia, Genoa, Mantua, Milan, Monza, Naples, Pisa, Sciacca, Trento, Treviso, Trieste, Varese, Vicenza, and Verona.

Angela Centanin | voice, sagat, castanets
Irene Benciolini | violin, viola, santur, voice
Ruben Medici | oud, bouzouki, classical guitar, viola, voice
Nicola Benetti | accordion, setar, classical guitar, duff, darbouka, riq, kantele, voice
Francesco Trespidi | duff, darbouka, riq, musette, kaval, bansuri, dizi, xun, low whistle, recorders