Festa della Musica to occur in over 500 Italian cities

Rome - Over 9000 events with the participation of approximately 33,000 artists will take place in more than 500 cities across Italy for the 2017 edition of the Festa della Musica. Celebrating the Summer Solstice, venues will be filled, from piazzas to parks, from museums to places of worship, from prisons to embassies, hospitals, airports and railway stations. Many will be on hand to celebrate the occasion on June 21 by listening to free concerts of many types with performances by Army or Navy bands, Jazz groups, orchestras and youth and children's choirs.

There will also be groups made up of doctors and nurses, and even condominium managers. This year's edition was presented on Monday at the Ministry for Cultural Heritage and includes 85 percent more cities compared to the 2016 event. "It is a major initiative because it places the spotlight on important maestros and young talents alike," said Minister Dario Franceschini.

"This event is growing year after year and we are making sure it will be carried on with no interruptions," added the minister. "SIAE (the Italian association of authors and publishers), is glad to support the Festa della Music, which has gained recognition in Europe. It celebrates live music creating occasions to socialise and granting authors, artists and musicians an opportunity to perform in many different public locations across Italy," said Filippo Sugar, president of SIAE.

Gaetano Blandini, the association's director, said that "last year we made a major effort and we were very successful. It is a beautiful festival and we are proud to support it, since it is also the festival for all our members." Born in France 25 years ago, the festival was promoted in Italy by MIBACT, the Ministry for Cultural, Artistic and Touristic Heritage, SIAE and an ad-hoc Italian association for the Festa della Musica, in cooperation with ANCI, UNPLI, the Conference of Regions, the Ministry for University and Research, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other ministerial institutions, including the Ministry of Health, Defense and Justice.

A preview will be held in Pistoia, the Capital of Culture for 2017, on Saturday 17 June, with over 1000 young musicians literally swarming across the city for the Festa Della Musica. The event will be constantly updated, with more information being found at the Festa della Musica website: www.festadellamusica.beniculturali.it