Borletti-Buitoni Trust
More than 20 years ago, we approached Franco Buitoni with our proposal to introduce our young generation to the great treasures of music. His immediate response of openness and willingness to put us to the test greatly increased our enthusiasm. This award helps us to keep that same emotion alive and vibrant.
Simone Frondini and Leonardo Ramadori
The 2025 Franco Buitoni Award was given to Italian musicians Simone Frondini and Leonardo Ramadori, in recognition of their enduring commitment to bringing the joy and appreciation of classical music to many differently underprivileged communities throughout Umbria.
Back in 2002, in recognising that the region of Italy they called home had very little institutional music provision, including schools where music was no longer part of the curriculum, Leonardo and Simone proposed a children’s music project to Umbria’s most prestigious music association, Amici della Musica di Perugia, of which Franco Buitoni was President. With Franco’s encouragement, Musica per Crescere (Music to Grow With) was born, a project that has since grown to become a well-established programme of the Fondazione Perugia Musica Classica. Over more than 20 years, Leonardo and Simone have created more than 40 productions for schools throughout the municipality of Perugia and beyond, and have devised concert and workshop activities for people of all ages from many other communities, including teenagers, adults, the elderly, the disabled, the sick and the imprisoned.
Ilaria Borletti Buitoni presented the award to Leonardo and Simone at a ceremony in Perugia on 22 March 2025.
Leonardo Ramadori, Ilaria Borletti Buitoni, Vittoria Ferdinandi (mayor of Perugia), Anna Calabro (president of the Fondazione Perugia Musica Classica) and Simone Frondini, 22 March 2025
Photo Massimiliano Tuveri
I have been a huge admirer of Simone and Leonardo’s work for many years and I have seen the results of their unwavering dedication to creating awareness and enjoyment of live music, especially for children. I truly believe that classical music has an important role to play in everybody’s lives; the experience of listening to music is a unique experience, but it acquires even more value when shared with others. And that sense of community promotes a sense of wellbeing and participation – vital elements for today’s way of life when so much social ‘interaction’ is via various media.
Ilaria Borletti Buitoni
Read the press release here
Read Simone and Leonardo’s blog about Musica per Crescere: www.bbtrust.com/blog
More information about the Musica per Crescere project can be found here
perugiamusicaclassica.com/it/musica-per-crescere/