The William Walton La Mortella Trust and the Fondazione William Walton e La Mortella aim to promote the music of William Walton through various educational initiatives, widening access to musical education by supporting young musicians and music schools, and maintaining and caring for the botanical garden at La Mortella.
Establishing a career as a classical musician from a non-wealthy background presents considerable challenges—an experience Walton understood firsthand. In response, the William Walton Trust awards grants to support young musicians from diverse socio-economic backgrounds, enabling them to pursue musical education, develop professional careers, and sustain Walton’s artistic legacy..
In the heart of La Mortella Gardens, you can find two music venues: the indoor Recital Hall, in the Museum, and the Greek Theater, where young and talented musicians and orchestras come to play in the Spring, Summer, and Autumn concert seasons. Chamber music concerts curated by artistic director Lina Tufano take place indoors. The Festivals of Youth Orchestras is instead curated by artistic director Caroline Howard and held at the Greek Theater.
By organizing these concerts, we allow classical musicians aged 18 to 32 from all corners of the world to perform before an international audience of classical music enthusiasts, play on high-end instruments, and experiment with different genres and performance styles.
These events also embody our collaborations with top music schools such as Scuola di Musica di Fiesole, Accademia Stauffer, and Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, and charitable organizations such as Accademia Filarmonica Romana or The Keyboard Trust that expand access to music education.
La Mortella Gardens is more than an estate. It’s a living, breathing testament to Walton and Susana Gil Passo’s life and love, and to the ability with which she chose every stone and plant to turn her home into one of the most famous botanical gardens in Italy.
To honor this legacy of mastery and commitment, we seek to maintain the gardens and ensure that, year after year, the public can enjoy their stunning beauty and discover their history.
Walton is one of the most famous British composers of the twentieth century. To honor his work and place in music history, the William Walton La Mortella Trust has built and curates a William Walton museum and archive and supports studies on the composer's life and music, and the performance of his works.