The Choir Amici della Montagna, founded in Genoa in 1973 by a group of lovers of the mountains, of its traditions and of its songs, has always followed the current of Bepi de Marzi’s songs.
The Choir nowadays is formed by more than 45 elements (between choristers and apprentices), directed by Enrico Derchi, and has developed its own personality, continuously looking for less-know tracks, but always faithful to environmental respect and human dignity.
Already in 1979, for the favour of the critics and of the audience, the Choir received the Ligurian Regional Award for Folk music.
The Choir, in its 30 years of activity, sang almost everywhere in Italy: from the Church of Courmayeur for mountain guides’ feast, to the Sferisterio of Macerata, from Bolzano Fair Centre for Dolomite’s Festival, to the Cenacle of Santa Croce in Florence, adding up more than 500 gigs.
In Genoa it sang in all the most important theatres, including the Auditorium Carlo Felice (an opera house which hosted, among others, Bruce Springsteen and Sting), the Salone del Maggior Consiglio of Palazzo Ducale (the one of G8 meeting, in July 2001), and the Salone del Gonfalone of Palazzo Tursi, the town hall.

On December 1993 the Choir took part in the Advent Celebrations organized by the city of Vienna, and it had the great honour of singing in the Feast’s Room of the town hall of the Austrian capital city.  

As a celebration for its 25th year of activity the Choir had the joy of singing in the Holy Mass in the cathedral of Genoa and great pleasure of share the stage with the Choir “I Crodaioli”, directed by Bepi de Marzi, in an unforgettable gig at Gustavo Modena Theatre in Sampierdarena.
The Choir recorded 2 LP, a tape and 2 CD; it organized 5 National Choral Contests and several festivals, as well as a great number of benefit gigs.  

In 1997 the Choir has been nominated Official Choir of the Italian Hiking Federation (FIE).
For this position the Choir has been the only Italian group invited to EURORANDO 2001, a week of meetings, exhibitions, debates and concerts organized by the European Hiking Federation (FEE) in Strasbourg on September 2001.
In the French city the Choir took part in the gala gig at Rheneus Hall, together with other groups proceeding from all over Europe, it sang at Colmar’s Ecomusee and it paraded in Strasbourg in the final day of the Festival.

On December 2001 the choir has been invited to sing the National Anthem, harmonized just for the Choir by the master Agostino Dodero, at the Mamelian Days (a celebration for the anthem’s writer, Goffredo Mameli, who was born in Genoa), in the Museum of the Risorgimento, in the presence of the local authorities.  

In 1998, side by side to the Choir, was founded the Female Choir Brinella.
Brinella Choir is formed by 25 elements dedicated to the study and the execution of interesting tracks, purposely written for feminine voices.
Choristers are in part daughters, wives and relatives of the members of Amici della Montagna Choir, and in part more or less young women, lovers of choral singing.
The Choir is directed by Silvia Derchi, daughter of the director of Amici della Montagna Choir, a graduated pianist of the Conservatory of Genoa.

 

Historical Uniforms of the Choir

 

To see our LPs and CDs look at La Discografia.
To order just send a mail from I Contatti