ITALY – For its second year of active participation at the “Tones of Stones” festival, Clay Paky will host a Workshop and Light Contest for young italian lighting designers. It is a unique project in Italy that intends to offer educational and career opportunities.
This year’s exceptional tutors are Jò Campana (Touring sector), Claudio Coloretti and Andrea Borelli (Theatre sector), who will accompany the participants throughout the entire training course and contest.
The schedule is divided into two phases: The first phase is scheduled for July 2nd and 3rd at the Clay Paky headquarters in Seriate where courses will be held with the above mentioned lighting designers including a lesson on the Clay Paky lights that will be provided for the contest. Next, shows will be planned and held with qualified industry judges selecting the lighting designer finalists.
The second phase is scheduled for July 15, 16, 17 and 18 at Cava Bianco Montorfano, Verbania where, during the Tones on the Stones festival, the 4 finalists will design and hold a light show based on a song of their choice for the same expert judges and voting audience.
To date, various candidates have submitted their applications. 8 candidates will be admitted to the first stage (July 2-3) and, from these, 4 will make it to the final phase (for rules and selection criteria, see the enclosed contest rules).
Now a few words on the tutors:
Jo Campana, born in Brescia in 1963, entered the live entertainment world in the mid 80s, highly influenced by his love for music. After a precious training period in a Milan service as lighting technician, in 1997 he took on his first job as Lighting Designer and has pursued this inclination in the music field with same enthusiasm. He has an ample “spanning” and specific concert experience in Italy and abroad, from clubs to stadiums, from theatre tours to “event” concerts. Among the jewels in his crown: Ligabue’s tours (including the legendary Campovolo and the Royal Albert Hall gig), Sting, the World Guitar Exhibition, Litfiba, Ivano Fossati, Mario Biondi, Francesco Renga & Guest. Jo Campana, after an almost thirty year long career, feels privileged to be able to do something he loves.
Claudio Coloretti was born in Parma, beginning his career at the Regio Theatre in Parma in 1973 where he stayed until 1982. He began as an electrician and fortunately met some prominent individuals for that era such as Sergio Rossi, Guido Baroni, Guido Mariani and Vinicio Cheli whom he still considers his mentors. In 1975 he authored his first opera “The Daughter of the Regiment” directed by Beppe de Tommasi. In 1982 he moved his experience to the Due Theatre in Parma, then called the “Compagnia del Collettivo” where he began his career in drama performance, introducing the dramatic study of lighting method, that ranges from an analysis of the script to close association with scenery and costumes. He toured Europe and even further abroad with many shows, participating in the greatest festivals in the world. During his career he lent his experience to the dance and music worlds. In 2003 he began his teaching career at the IUAV. F.D.A. university of Venice where he still teaches Light Design and Theatre Lighting courses.
Andrea Borelli was born in Parma and began his theatre career in 1983 at the Regio Theatre in Parma. He later gained experience in theatrical production in Europe in lighting design at the Due Theatre in Parma. He began actively working with great directors, designing the lighting for their productions, distributed throughout the world. During his career he especially worked in the Verdi and contemporary music repertoire. He works on the “Verdi Festival” project held every year in October with a large amount of local shows, exhibits, seminars and cultural activities, organising the work of a goodly amount of technicians who need to be coordinated in the lighting field.
The Clay Paky and Tones on the Stones Workshop and Light Contest is sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce of the province of Verbania and by AILD, the Italian Lighting Designers’ Association, whose President, Patrizia dei Masi, has ensured the tutors’ participation.
Ziogiorgio.it is the Tones on the Stones media partner who will transmit all information and images from the festival and Light Contest on its network.
Lastly, an exciting surprise! Internationally renown lighting designer Durham Marenghi, author of some of the world’s most prestigious production lighting designs, will attend the Light Contest inauguration. His curriculum speaks for itself: The Sochi Paralympics Games, the New Year’s Celebrations in London (from 2004 to date), the Queen’s Jubilee, the Classical Spectacular at Royal Albert Hall, the Dancing on Ice tour, the Winter Olympics in Turin, the St. Pancras Royal Opening in London, the Saturday Night Fever Broadway show and countless other shows in various sectors: concerts, television, theatre, corporate, trade. He was awarded the Royal Television Society Craft Award and nominated for a BAFTA Television Craft Award for the Queen’s Jubilee lighting design. In February 2013, Durham Marenghi won the Lighting Designer of the year at London’s TPI Awards.
The only thing left to do is to wish all young lighting designers a shining adventure, full of satisfaction and, obviously, light!