Music in Tuscany: A Renewal for Seasoned Flutists
Professor Eva Amsler & Dr. Michelle Stanley
June 13 - June 20
$3895A Summer Adventure with Eva Amsler and Michelle Stanley
Renew – Review – Recharge
This seminar is a unique opportunity for professional flutists in midlife. It will encourage participants to understand that embracing change and exploring new opportunities can lead to remarkable growth and fulfillment. Transitioning careers or stepping into entrepreneurship allows seasoned musicians to leverage their expertise in innovative ways. Whether it’s starting a teaching studio, creating online courses, delving into administrative roles, forming ensembles for unique performance experiences, exploring new music genres, integrating other art forms, or even discovering a completely new passion or hobby, they are all avenues for transformation.
Explore your musical life and find inspiration for your flute playing through Italian culture: We will be discovering the art of the region, finding insight from the visual arts, and experiencing full immersion in food and wine, and dive into a deeper understanding of your very own needs to keep thriving and growing as a human being, musician, teacher, and artist.
This one-week course offers ways to grow within and beyond your current musical careers. We offer ways to connect as a community, explore challenges and opportunities at this stage of life, and be present through grounding yourself and living in the moment. It provides opportunities for enhancing mental and body awareness, as well as an option to observe moon phases and their influence, and to offer you the chance to step into experiencing your musical world with a different perspective, and to open yourself up to enjoy the years to come with an abundance of a full musical life and fulfilling career.
We believe that mature flutists also deserve to find connections that lead to reactivating and strengthening musical creativity and inspiration. Even professional Flutists need a place where they can grow. Let us guide you through this process!
Our “Home” and Shared Meals
In beautiful San Giovanni d’Asso, a thousand-year-old village near Siena, we’ll live in an authentic country farmhouse with gardens, fruit trees, and a swimming pool. We will be hosted for a week in an authentic, elegantly appointed villa that was at one time home to a noble Italian family. The palazzo includes a formal garden, a private swimming pool with inspiring vistas. Inside, there are 8 twin, double, or single bedrooms in the villa, each with a private bathroom. The rooms are decorated in authentic, elegant family antiques.
Common spaces include 2 elegant living rooms, a terrace overlooking the garden, a large fireplace, a kitchen, and a formal dining room.
The villa is across the street from a castle and within easy walking distance of the small town. You can easily be independent to meet and interact with the locals.
Dinners are prepared by our personal chef using local and seasonal ingredients to make every meal a feast! We’ll eat together in the dining room each evening. Breakfast is served buffet-style.
Special Guest: Elizabeth Rowe
We are honored to welcome Elizabeth Rowe as our Special Guest, a visionary Coach, Artist, and Advocate whose career bridges excellence, courage, and deep human insight.
She will join the class on Zoom as our special guest on June 17 from 4 – 6 pm.
Elizabeth is widely recognized for her twenty-year tenure as the principal flutist of the renowned Boston Symphony Orchestra, where her artistry helped shape numerous Grammy Award–winning recordings. Today, she brings that same level of mastery and presence to her work as a leadership coach, guiding high-performing professionals as they confront challenges, embrace growth, and navigate meaningful personal or career transitions.
A powerful voice for equity, Elizabeth sparked transformative conversations around compensation transparency in the classical music world. Her willingness to lead with integrity continues to inform her work, as she empowers others to create healthier, more equitable environments while staying grounded in their own values.
Elizabeth’s blend of candor, creativity, and compassion promises to bring a transformative spark to our workshop.
Other Activities: Excursions to wineries and nearby villages will create a complete artistic experience for you as you explore the next phase of your musical career. Please see the examples below of some activities you may expect:
- Excursions to the medieval towns of Pienza and Siena
- Optional truffle dinner
- Visit to nearby botanical gardens, Il Bosco della Ragnaia, created by an artist who turned his talents from painting and sculpture to designing and maintaining this beautiful space
Price: $3,895 p/p based on double occupancy
- Options:
- Single Room Supplement – $485 (limited availability)
$500 deposit due upon registration. Balance due by April 9th, 2026.
Includes:
- Shared double room with private bathroom in villa (single room available for a supplemental fee)
- Daily traditional breakfast and dinner (including wine) prepared by our personal chef
- Daily music classes, guided conversations, and music making with Eva Amsler and Michelle Stanley
- Excursions to nearby towns like Siena and Pienza
- Transportation and guide for all local excursions
- Pick up from Florence train station at 3:30 pm on Saturday
- Transfer to the train station in Buonconvento on the final day (not Florence) for connections to Rome, Florence, or beyond
Does Not Include:
- Airfare
- Independent dinners and lunches
- Independent sightseeing
- Gratuities for staff – These are discretionary, but we can suggest €10-20 per guest per day.
To Register: Click on the Sign Up Now button. A non-refundable deposit of $500 is required to secure your spot in the workshop. Payment can be made online with a credit card, or you can follow the instructions to send in your registration and payment by mail. Once we receive your deposit, we will send you a formal Registration Confirmation with further information about the program. You will receive 2-3 other correspondences by email before the workshop with information about Italy, a supplies list, and an electronic invoice for the balance. Final Balance is due by April 9th. Any time before your arrival, if you have questions about anything regarding the trip or the program, you can contact us by email or phone, and we’ll be happy to assist you.
Cancellation policy:
$500 deposit is non-refundable. For cancellation:
- 60 days prior to workshop, full refund due less non-refundable deposit.
- 30-60 days prior to workshop, 50% refund of balance paid allowed, less non-refundable deposit.
Less than 30 days prior to the workshop, no refund due.
Il Chiostro recommends personal travel insurance to cover the possibility of unexpected or last-minute cancellation.
Contact us for more information: info@ilchiostro.com or speak to us live at 800-990-3506.
San Giovanni d'Asso
Where We'll Stay: This is part of our new Il Chiostro Nobile series. We will be hosted for a week in an authentic, elegantly appointed villa that was at one time home to a noble Italian family. The palazzo includes a formal garden and, private swimming pool with inspiring vistas. Inside, there are 8 twin, double, or single bedrooms in the villa, each with a private bathroom. The rooms are decorated in authentic, elegant family antiques.
Common spaces include 2 elegant living rooms, a terrace overlooking the garden, a large fireplace, a kitchen, and a formal dining room.
The villa is across the street from a castle and within easy walking distance of the small town. You can easily be independent to meet and interact with the locals.
The Villa: a 13th-century manor house situated on a hillside in a small town with views of the Val d'Orcia. Owned by the current family for 102 years, it was gracefully restored in the 19th century with comfortable period furnishings. The rooms are bright and airy with high ceilings and beautiful views out to the gardens and the valley beyond. Bedrooms are elegantly appointed, each with a private, modern bathroom. Because we will be the exclusive residents at the villa during the program, the experience will be intimate, like living in our own Italian mansion. Our meals will be shared in the formal dining room, on the terrace, or in the garden. All living quarters of the villa are on the second floor, accessible only via a staircase.
The Grounds: the setting is extraordinary, overlooking the valley towards the Brunello wine country. There is a formal garden with a pool, lounge chairs, a shade arbor, and plenty of seating for outdoor meals. The Villa is an easy walk through the facing castle (now the museum of truffles) to the quiet village of San Giovanni d’Asso.
The villa and grounds consist of:
- 8 twin or double bedrooms, each with a bathroom, either ensuite or next door.
- A dining room and breakfast area
- Large terrace with tables
- 2 sitting rooms
- Wi-fi internet access
- Heat or air conditioning as necessary
- A large private formal garden area with fountains and, seating area
- A private pool at the garden edge with a valley view
- There is a changing room near the pool with a WC
- Air conditioning or ceiling fans in bedrooms
- Very quiet setting in a small village
Additional Photos of San Giovanni d'Asso:
Double bedroom and bathroom
Twin bedroom
Dining Room and Living Room in the Villa
The Town: San Giovanni d’Asso is in the Siena section of Tuscany. It is famous throughout Italy for its production of truffles. Small and quiet with fewer than 1,000 residents, the town has a café, grocery store, 2 restaurants, several historic churches, and a weekly outdoor market. A very special addition is the beautiful botanical gardens “Il Bosco della Ragnaia” (laragnaia.com/EN/) created by an artist who chose to turn his talents from painting and sculpture to designing and maintaining this beautiful space that is open free to the public.
The Area: San Giovanni d’Asso is 30 km southeast of Siena in the area known as the Crete Senese (see photo below). Pienza and Montalcino, and the famous Brunello wine country, are easy day trips.
Florence will be our meeting point on the first day of the workshop. A van will pick up the group at the train station at about 3:30 pm on the first day of the program.
We recommend that you fly into either Florence, Pisa, or Rome (Milan is a bit too far away). Florence is closer, but it doesn`t have an intercontinental airport, so there are no direct flights from the US. You would have to change planes in a larger European city. From the Florence airport, you can take either the shuttle bus (Volainbus) to the center (20 minutes) or the new tram, right outside the airport entrance (€1.50).
There are more scheduled flights from the US to Rome, many of them direct. From Rome, you will need to take a train to Florence (about 2 1/2 hours).
Important! In making your return flight arrangements, if you are flying home on the last day of the workshop, try not to book a flight too early. From our location, allow 1½ hours to get to the Florence airport or 3 ½ hours to get to the Rome airport.
For suggestions about getting to Rome or Florence, accommodations, or other logistics, please consult our Traveling to Italy link in the main menu bar above. Renting a car from all the major rental agencies is possible if you prefer to be more independent during the week.
If you have time, it is a nice treat to stay in Florence before the workshop starts. It gives you a chance to get over jet lag while at the same time allowing you to see this incredible Renaissance City. It is filled with incomparable artwork, architecture, and history - not to mention great shopping. Why not stop in for a few days? (Look at our Travel to Italy tab above for accommodations suggestions.)
Travel Agents & Insurance: Over the last few years, the way we travel has undergone significant changes. For that reason, we now encourage everyone to use a professional travel agent when arranging their trips. Travel agents save you time and stress by handling all the details and tailoring your itinerary to your needs. One of the most important services they offer today is helping you choose and enroll in the right travel insurance program. With COVID and the continued possibility of schedule changes or postponements, travel insurance has become essential, and selecting the right plan on your own can be overwhelming.
If you encounter any issues during your travels, your agent can provide quick support and solutions, taking the pressure off your shoulders. While booking through online sites like Expedia or Hotels.com may seem more convenient or less expensive, they offer little help if you need to modify your plans. A travel professional, on the other hand, is there to assist you every step of the way, ensuring a smooth and worry-free travel experience.
If you choose to Go It Alone, we highly recommend taking out travel insurance for the trip in the event of any unforeseen obstacles to your travel. We recommend Travelex (800) 504-7883 or Travel Guard International (877) 901-7599.
The Food: For us at Il Chiostro, helping our guests experience the food in one of the earth`s richest, most sensual areas is our pleasure. This area is part of Italy's famous wine and olive oil-producing region, but is specifically famous for truffles. Here we want to expose you to the wonders of simple Italian cooking. Each program at our villa in San Giovanni will have a personal chef. They use seasonal, organic products, locally produced by small farms and family shops. Tuscan cuisine is a simple art that has been refined over the centuries to surprise our palates while the wine comforts our souls. Come explore what food can really be all about.
An excerpt from a recent article in the NY Times (February 2013):
The diet that seems so valuable is our old friend the “Mediterranean” diet. It’s as straightforward as it is un-American: low in red meat, low in sugar and hyperprocessed carbs, low in junk. High in just about everything else — healthful fat (especially olive oil), vegetables, fruits, legumes, and what the people who designed the diet determined to be beneficial, or at least less-harmful, animal products; in this case, eggs and low-fat dairy. This is real food, delicious food, mostly easy-to-make food. You can eat this way without guilt and be happy and healthy.
In addition to your workshop, optional activities offered with this program will focus on the cultural, gastronomic, historical, and artistic heritage of Tuscany. This area has been an inspiration to countless people for centuries. What Tuscany offers its visitors is truly astounding:
Art - San Giovanni d`Asso is located near the cities of Medieval Siena and Renaissance Florence, packed with some of the most famous masterpieces in the world.
Wine -You are in the heart of the wine-growing region, synonymous with the most famous wine that Italy produces - Chianti. But the innovative Tuscan vintners are also producing Super Tuscans, red varietals that are quickly ascending the ranks of world-class wine.
History - this area was settled by the Etruscans centuries before the Romans were a civilized society. Their necropoli dot the fields throughout the area. Nearby towns like Radda, Vagliagli, and Castellina date from the early Middle Ages. Florence was the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance. San Fedele witnessed most of this from its panoramic perch atop the hillside.
Food - cucina povera is the typical Tuscan cuisine that has become popular around the world. The recipes are simple, emphasizing local and seasonal products: porcini mushrooms, salumi, legumes, vegetables, pasta, bread, and game meats. Visiting an outdoor food market, you will understand the wisdom of this very healthy cuisine.
Crafts - perhaps the harmony of the landscape has been the inspiration for many local craftsmen. Exquisite hand-painted ceramics are the prime example, closely followed by mosaics, leather, woodworking, and textiles.
Eva Amsler retired in May 2021 as Professor of Flute at Florida State University. In this position, she was also teaching Flute pedagogy, Baroque Flute, Dynamic Integration, and directing the Flute Graduate Ensemble. Previously, she was for 20 years a member of St Gallen Symphony Orchestra, Switzerland, and Professor for flute at the Landeskonservatorium Feldkirch, Austria.
She tours Europe, the USA, South America, and the Far East, teaching Masterclasses and performing in chamber settings and as a soloist. Eva Amsler’s summer classes on Lake of Geneva (Maya Festival), in Arosa, Switzerland, and Tuscany, Italy, are well known and liked as a special time for deep and holistic learning as a human being, musician, and flutist. She served as a member of the board of directors for the National and Florida Flute Association and is the founder of Syrinx – Flute Association for Sponsorship and Continuing Education of Flutists in Vorarlberg, Austria.
Her CD recordings have been released on the ‘ambitus’ and Cavalli labels. Her teachers include Aurèle Nicolet, Günter Rumpel, and André Jaunet. She loves Miksang Photography and walking on the beach, hiking in the mountains, or hanging out with family, friends, and colleagues.
Dr. Michelle Stanley serves as interim Vice Provost for Undergraduate Affairs in the Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President at Colorado State University. Previously, she held the role of Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies for the College of Liberal Arts. She served as Director of Arts Management from 2018-23 and Chair of the Music Department in the School of Music, Theatre, and Dance from 2022-23. Her work as a faculty member began at CSU in 2006 as an adjunct professor of music (flute) and continued to a full professor appointment in 2022.
Michelle earned a B.A. in Music from the University of New Hampshire and a M.M. and D.M.A. from the University of Colorado Boulder.
Her work as a flutist has included the release of three commercially available recordings, a textbook on Music Appreciation, and a vast performing career nationally and internationally as a solo, chamber, and orchestral musician.
Special Guest: Elizabeth Rowe
Coach – Artist – Advocate
She will join the class on Zoom as our special guest on June 17 from 4 – 6 pm.
Working at the intersection of professional and personal development, Elizabeth helps highly accomplished professionals across all fields learn to thrive in demanding work environments and successfully navigate career or personal transitions.
Elizabeth spent twenty years as the principal flutist of the world-class Boston Symphony Orchestra before stepping down to serve others through her work as a leadership coach. Her playing can be heard on numerous Grammy Award-winning recordings.
By shining a light on pay practices within the classical music industry, Elizabeth’s actions drove important conversations within that field. This experience informs and inspires her work with clients, as she helps them create positive solutions within their own professional and personal spaces, all while staying true to themselves.
