The Mario Tobino Foundation at the former psychiatric hospital of Maggiano organizes a gospel concert On Sunday (May 11) at 5 pm, before the gospel concert, there will be the opportunity to participate in the guided tour Sorella Follia that will allow you to visit a part of the former hospital structure and the museum part with the rooms where Mario Tobino lived. Following at 6:30 pm the concert of the Joyful Angels Lucca Gospel Choir directed by Andrea Salvoni. In both cases, reservations are required until seats are sold out.

The concert is organized by the Circolo Amici della Musica Alfredo Catalani in collaboration with Fondazione Tobino. The performers will be Giada Bernicchi, soloist, Eva Spadoni, piano, Tommaso Livi, cajon, and Giole Tomei, bass. The Circolo Amici della Musica Alfredo Catalani promotes, without profit, musical culture through listening guides, vocal and instrumental concerts.

Who are Joyful Angel?

They were born in 1996. In their concert career they have had both national and European appearances, touching cities such as Paris, Prague, Barcelona and Vienna. Usually the concerts are linked to fundraising for national and regional non-profit organizations, such as Telethon, Emergency, Airett, Meyer Children's Hospital (Florence), Angsa-Toscana Bambini e Ragazzi Autistici and many other organizations. Also worth mentioning is a tour inside some maximum security prisons such as Rebibbia in Rome and San Giorgio in Lucca.

The Joyful Angels group has about twenty choir members from all over the province. They are currently directed by Andrea Salvoni and accompanied on the piano by Eva Spadoni, on the cajon by Tommaso Livi and on the bass by Gioele Tomei. The choir soloist is Giada Bernicchi.
Andrea Salvoni, professor of philosophy and human sciences at the Liceo delle scienze umane in Barga, has directed various choral groups in the province of Lucca since he was very young. For a long time he was a chorister in the Stereotipi chamber vocal group. He is currently the organist of the Waldensian church in Lucca and director of the Joyful Angels Lucca Gospel Choir and the Corale Santa Cecilia di Diecimo.

The concert program: We've come this far/I Will trust (African-American spiritual), Worthy Is the Lamb (Darlene Zschech), Jesus what a wonderful child (African-American spiritual), It's good to know Jesus (Franklin D. Williams), Joy to the world (G.F. Handel – Keiyh Hampton, arr.), Whit all I am (Reuben Morgan), Going up yonder (Walter Hawkins), Shout to the Lord (Darlene Zschech), Goodness of God (Jay Rouse, arr.), Praise his Holy name (Keith Hampton), Sign me up (Kevin Yancy, Jerome Metcalfe) and Oh Happy day (spiritual).