The Leonardo Da Vinci Society

Newsletter January–June 2016

Dear members and friends of The Leonardo da Vinci Society,

Another newsletter, another year!

We have fun and culture in store for you for 2016. The highlight will be our annual gala, “A Carnival Ball” on “Giovedi Grasso” (Fat

Thursday), February 4, 2016, at the Presidio Golf Club. Mark your calendar!

The Leonardo da Vinci Society has changed and grown over the past year. Our Board of Directors has welcomed four new members.

Our most recent addition, Elisabetta Baldini, will share responsibility with our social chair, Sabrina Longega Wilson, for media and pro-

motion of events.

We are growing because of your enthusiastic participation! Our Fall programs were well attended by members and visitors alike. Thank

you for bringing your friends to our events and encouraging them to join. We are happy to welcome a wave of new members.

Please renew your membership, continue to attend events and bring your friends.

Have a wonderful 2016 with The Leonardo da Vinci Society!

Amelia Antonucci

Board of Directors:

President Amelia Antonucci

Vice President Eugene Ranghhiasci

Treasurer Lorraine Legg

Recording Secretary Jeanette Adams

Membership Chair Sonia Alioto

Events Chair Paola Tonelli

Society Historian Laura Piccirillo Waste

Founded in 1949 by Countess Lillian Dandini, Mrs Dobbins D’Anneo and Mrs Louis

Piccirillo, The Leonardo Da Vinci Society was incorporated as a non profit corpora-

tion on July 25, 1951 to promote a broad and deep understanding and appreciation

of Italian contribution to art, literature, aand culture by means of lectures, concerts,

exhibits and receptions honoring distinguished persons.

The Leonardo Da Vinci Society is a 501©(3) non profit organization. Contributions

are tax-deductible to the full extent of the law.

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Please send us your suggestions and comments form, on how to improve our programs and our Society. Fill in the pre-cut

form, and send it to us!

Name___________________________

On a scale of 1-10, how did I like the 2015 programs ______________

How many programs did I attend out of the 6 presented in the Fall?_____________________

What program I would like to see in the next season? ________________________________

I prefer: Art_____Literature_____Music_____History_____Science and Technology_____Other ______

(you may mark more than one subject)

Please send us a name of a speaker and/or a proposal for 2016/17 addressing it to:

Paolatonelli1@ gmail.com

THURSDAY, JANUARY 21 at 7:30 PM

Luciano Chessa: “Music the Dead Can Hear”: Theosophical Presences in Luigi Russolo’s Art of

Noises, relating back to Leonardo’s noisemakers.

Musicologist, composer, and performer Luciano Chessa (San Francisco Conservatory of Music) has been active in Europe, the U.S., Asia, Australia and South America. He is the author of Luigi Russolo, Futurist: Noise, Visual Arts, and the Occult (2012), the first monograph to be dedicated to Futurist Russolo, published to critical acclaim by the University of California Press.

Chessa’s study and his lecture present a completely new reading of the mechanical sound synthesizers—the intonarumori— painter/musician Luigi Russolo created beginning in 1913: a reading that traces the roots of Rus-solo's instrument to Leonardo da Vinci's noisemakers.

Museo Italo Americano Fort Mason, Building C San Francisco

RSVP: events@davincisanfrancisco.com

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4 from 6 to 10 PM

Carnevale Veneziano Leonardo da Vinci Fundraiser

Built in the heart of the Presidio of San Francisco, a national park, and conveniently located just 10 minutes from down-town San Francisco, the Presidio Clubhouse offers breath-taking surroundings and dramatic sunsets.

Outfitted with exposed beam ceilings, rich cherry wood paneling, a large stone fireplace, and French doors, the Clubhouse and attached terrace offer a unique setting for our Carnevale event.

Presidio Golf Club . 300 Finley Rd, San Francisco.

Cocktails will be followed by dinner and dancing. Venetian Carnevale costumes/masques preferred.

Cost: $125 for members and $150 for guests.

To register go to http://www.davincisanfrancisco.com/

SATURDAY, MARCH 5 from 2 to 4 PM

Visit to the Frank de Bellis Collection, San Francisco State University

Program will include viewing current and permanent exhib-its, 4th floor of the Paul Leonard Library, a lecture by UCB Prof. Lisa Pieraccini on Etruscan artifacts, and light refresh-ments following in the Faculty Commons.

The Frank V. de Bellis Collection is a library-museum of Ital-ian authors and subjects representing the civilization of ancient to modern Italy, particularly in the areas of history, literature, the fine arts, and music.

It includes manuscripts, rare books, and music manuscripts and scores, Etruscan, Greek and Roman artifacts and coins, period instruments, wax cylinders, archival recordings, wood blocks, prints, and contemporary artwork.

CALENDAR OF THE EVENTS JANUARY-JUNE 2016

Frank V. de Bellis, an Italo-American businessman resident of San Francisco until his death in 1968, was born in the Apulia region of Italy and devoted most of the last 25 years of his life to philanthropic and educational projects with the purpose of informing and instructing others in the rich heritage of Italy.

San Francisco State University 1600 Holloway Ave, San Francisco RSVP: events@davincisanfrancisco.com

TUESDAY, MARCH 8, INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY at 6:30 PM

Women & Leadership 2.0: Italy comes to the Bay Area

All around the world, International Women's Day cele-brates the achievements of women while calling for great-er equality.

The first celebration was in 1911. The mimosa is a symbol. On 8th of March Italian men celebrate the day with a gift of yellow mimosas to their women.

As a sequel to the “Women and Leadership: Stories from Italy and Silicon Valley”, which was held last May 28 at the Istituto, the Leonardo da Vinci Society is organizing a

second panel session, with some of the brightest and suc-cessful Italian women in the Bay Area.

Moderator: Paola Tonelli, retired, former Executive Direc-tor, Vodafone.

Istituto Italiano di Cultura 601 Van Ness Avenue San Francisco

APRIL, DATE TBD

Celebration of Italian Alpinists from the 1930s

Dolomiti: Crozzon del Brenta (via delle guide)

In collaboration with the Circolo Trentino, the Italian Consul General, Mauro Battocchi, and the Istituto Italiano di Cultu-ra, an illustrated lecture, followed by lunch.

It will include a celebration of the “Giant of the Mountains”, Bruno Detassis, 1910- 2008, considered in Italy as the great-est alpinist of the 1930s and Walter Bonatti, who participat-ed in the first successful ascent of the Himalayan peak of K2 in 1954.

MAY, SATURDAY 22

Al fresco luncheon at the Napa valley home of Frank and Aurora Roselli.

Details to be announced .