Edoardo Bellotti was one of the most significant interpreters and advocates of historical organ art in our time, a profoundly learned musician who united rigorous scholarship with a natural, compelling musical presence. His artistry was grounded in meticulous study of sources and instruments, yet always animated by imagination, clarity, and expressive depth. For twenty-five years, he led the Smarano Early Keyboard Academy with vision, coherence, and extraordinary dedication, shaping and defining its essential principles. Under his guidance, the Academy became far more than a summer course: it developed into a place of intellectual exchange, artistic formation, and shared exploration. Bellotti conceived it as a space where research and performance would constantly illuminate one another, and where technical discipline, stylistic awareness, and creative freedom could grow together. Through this long-standing commitment, he created an international meeting place in which an entire generation of musicians and scholars formed their artistic identity through direct engagement with early keyboard instruments and historically informed performance. At Smarano, tradition was not treated as a fixed model to be imitated, but as a living heritage to be understood, questioned, and brought into sound with integrity and responsibility. Although he made his home in Italy, Bellotti became an integral part of musical life in many international contexts. In Gothenburg, he contributed for decades to research, festivals, and the cultivation of a vibrant organ culture. In Germany, he taught for several years at the Hochschule für Musik Trossingen, where he shaped a generation of young organists through his deep engagement with historical instruments and improvisation. He later served for many years at the Hochschule für Künste Bremen as Professor of Organ and Early Music, developing a master’s program with a particular focus on historical organs and early sacred repertoire. At the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, he participated for many years in festivals, inaugurations, and teaching, eventually becoming a valued member of the faculty. As a musician, he united sensitivity, precision, and poetic intensity. As a scholar, he opened new perspectives on the Italian tradition. As a teacher, he passed on a rich and profound craftsmanship shaped by humility and generosity. One year after his passing, Edoardo Bellotti’s legacy continues to live on in the music, in the work he inspired, and in all those who had the privilege of knowing him. His memory is carried forward with gratitude and respect.

We will honour his memory with a Holy Mass offered for the repose of his soul, to be celebrated on Sunday, March 1, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. at the Church of Santa Maria Assunta in Smarano.

Hans Davidsson, Artistic Director, Smarano Early Keyboard Academy
Romina Zanon, General Director, Smarano International Academy
Giacomo Corrà, Chairman, Smarano International Academy
The Board and the Staff of the Smarano International Academy