RIPATRANSONE, Italy (September 8, 2026) – With less than a month remaining before the first annual Ripa International Festival of Sound (September 24–27, 2026), excitement is reaching a fever pitch across the international audio production community. Taking place in the breathtaking medieval hill town of Ripatransone overlooking the Adriatic Sea, this four-day non-profit festival is a global convergence of veteran record producers, software innovators, and passionate recording engineers. Reflecting the immediate worldwide draw, early registration has already attracted participants from ten different countries, from Finland all the way to Australia.
Bridging High-Tier Professional Training with Unmatched Local Culture
The festival was conceived by acclaimed American record producer, engineer, and educator Ronan Chris Murphy and is built upon three core pillars:
- World-Class Professional Training at Accessible Pricing: Offering top-tier workshops and masterclasses conducted in English by industry veterans for an accessible pass price of 100 Euros.
- Cultural Immersion in Le Marche: Providing attendees an intimate look at the rich heritage, culinary artistry including a pasta making class, and a tasting experience featuring award-winning wine.
- International Community & Professional Networking: Fostering long-term, real-world relationships and peer networks in music technology.
New Additions to Powerhouse Educational Lineup and Free Multilingual Day
To maximize value for attendees, the festival has finalized two major additions to its teaching lineup. Lij Shaw, the Grammy-winning host of the acclaimed Recording Studio Rockstars podcast, will lead a fascinating session titled “40 Bands in 4 Days in a Studio Made of Hay” based on his experience recording legendary artists at Bonnaroo’s temporary Hay Bale Studio. Lij will also host a live, in-person podcast episode interviewing music industry manager and publisher Mike Lembo. Luigi Bruti, the international champion accordionist and former product architect for Roland Europe, Dexibell, and Korg, also joins the roster to present a highly specialized panel on “Sampling and Sound Design for Virtual Instruments” with Simone Coen.
In a major community-focused development, organizers have set Sunday, September 27 as an open-access bilingual day. This final day features workshops presented in both English and Italian, including Apple Certified Logic Pro trainer Pepe Gasparini’s masterclass on artist pre-production and arrangement. Sunday’s programming is entirely free of charge for both full festival attendees and local residents.
In addition, attendees will receive free copies of “Box of Color” and “Emulsion Box” from Smart Audio Plugins, as well as lifetime access to Ronan Chris Murphy’s comprehensive Drum Recording Boot Camp e-course.
Premium Audio Experience: Partnering with Focal and Industry Leaders
The festival’s listening environment will represent the pinnacle of audio accuracy. Top-tier global studio monitor manufacturer Focal is partnering with the festival, to provide premium speakers, including their flagship UTOPIA MAIN 212 series monitors. Focal is also flying in two expert representatives from France to lead deep-dive product demonstrations and coordinate exclusive giveaways for attendees. High-end monitoring is further supported by FBT Loudspeakers.
Meet the World-Class Faculty & Production Team
The instructional and administrative team brings hundreds of years of combined high-tier experience spanning multi-platinum album production, film scoring, virtual instrument design, and major label management:
- Ronan Chris Murphy (Festival Producer & Instructor): Multi-genre producer and engineer with credits including King Crimson, Gwar, Aurora, Steve Morse, and Ulver. He mastered Jordan Peele’s hit film Get Out, pioneered private recording intensives with Recording Boot Camp, and created the world’s first recording blog/podcast, Ronan’s Recording Show.
- Simone Coen (Instructor & Festival Consultant): Respected Italian engineer (Turangalîla Recording) who has worked with Amii Stewart, Alex Uhlmann, and Carl Brave. Coen is a preeminent expert in virtual instrument design, having developed libraries for Chocolate Audio and top software companies like Native Instruments, Ableton, and Steinberg.
- Lij Shaw (Instructor): Grammy-winning producer and engineer behind Toy Box Studio in Nashville. Shaw is the creator and host of Recording Studio Rockstars, often rated the #1 recording podcast globally, and operated the temporary Hay Bale Studio at Bonnaroo, recording legends like Jack White and Wilco.
- Luigi Bruti (Instructor): International champion accordionist and veteran musical instrument designer. Following roles at SIEL and Roland Europe (where he conceived the revolutionary V-Accordion), Bruti contributed to Dexibell and was Project Director for KORG’s FISA Suprema.
- Pepe Gasparini (Instructor): Bassist and acoustic/studio engineer with 35+ years of experience. Gasparini was one of Italy’s first Apple Certified Logic Pro Trainers and serves as President of Aloud Verona music college, coordinating Pearson BTEC professional music programs.
- Mike Lembo (Instructor): Veteran manager and publisher who began his career managing Tom Petty’s Mudcrutch. He has guided artists, labels, and producers who worked with Radiohead, Hole, Pixies, Foo Fighters, and The Replacements, and runs Funzalo Records.
- Liz Redwing (Festival Administrator): Administrative powerhouse with 40+ years in the entertainment industry. She serves as the administrative coordinator for the California Copyright Conference and was the long-time administrative director for AIMP LA.
Secure Your Atttendance — Limited Ground-Floor Seating Available
While the historic 200-year-old Teatro Luigi Mercantini has a total capacity of 250, ground-floor seating in the acoustic “sweet spot” is limited to just 60 seats. Full 4-day passes are available for €100, and space is strictly limited. Bilingual Sunday-only tickets are completely free but require advanced registration. For registration, detailed schedules, and accommodation options—including the local Santa Teresa convent, which offers budget rooms for €25/night—please visit the official festival web portal: https://ripasound.com
For Sponsorship Opportunities, please inquire here to contact the Festival directly.
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