Palermo, April 15, 2025 – The Alessandro Scarlatti Conservatory of Palermo is opening up to new horizons and the emerging frontiers of music, with a teaching approach increasingly in tune with technological innovation and artificial intelligence. On Wednesday, April 16, the historic institution will welcome the public for a full day dedicated to enhancing the value of musical heritage within a renewed educational and creative dimension—explored through live performances, in-depth discussions, and a seminar that, for the first time, will bring together all the directors of Sicily’s conservatories around the same table.
Starting at 9:30 AM, an open and active dialogue will bring together professionals, faculty members, students, and aspiring musicians to explore the opportunities offered by music education integrated with technology, promoting effective governance within the AFAM sector – Higher Artistic, Musical and Choreutic Education, which lies at the heart of the PNRR MUSIC4D project. The event will begin with a performance by the Orchestra of the Palermo Conservatory, filling the halls of Via Squarcialupo with music and setting the tone for the day. The official proceedings will be opened by Hon. Mimmo Turano, Regional Councillor for Education and Vocational Training; joining him will be Dr. Giovanni Angileri, President of the A. Scarlatti Conservatory of Palermo; Maestro Mauro Visconti, Director of the Palermo Conservatory; Professor Andrea Pace, Vice Rector for Research, Technology Transfer, and Institutional Relations at the University of Palermo; Professor Maria Rosa De Luca, Rector’s Delegate for Territorial and Cultural Relations at the University of Catania; and Dr. Fiorella Palumbo, Director of the Provincial School Office of Palermo.
“We are opening the doors to creativity and the digital revolution, with the awareness that the future is an opportunity we offer to our present, explains Maestro Mauro Visconti, Director of the Palermo Conservatory. Artificial intelligence is profoundly transforming the world of music—how it is created, produced, and experienced. This evolution opens up new possibilities that we must embrace, making musical experiences more accessible to a broad and diverse audience, building networks with other institutions on the island, and promoting a more engaging, multidisciplinary, and internationally-oriented form of education”.
The Sollima Hall will then host the seminar titled “Innovation and Models of Collaboration in the AFAM System: New Perspectives for an Integrated Educational Offering”. Many voices will come together with one common goal: to present to visitors, teachers, and students from music-focused high schools the integration of teaching and AI, the balance between opportunity and experimentation, creativity and performance—all within the framework of the national education system. This is an approach that is more necessary than ever today—one that engages directly with digital technologies and cross-disciplinary professional skills, aligning with market demands and the objectives of the MUSIC4D project.
Open Doors will reach its core with the presentation of the full pathway of music studies at the Conservatory—from preparatory training to specialized programs, all the way to master’s and doctoral degrees—presented by Maestro Mauro Visconti and Professor Rosa Alba Gambino, pedagogy lecturer and member of the academic planning committee, in the presence of the Directors of the Sicilian Conservatories. As part of this shared journey, a technical roundtable will follow, establishing a dialogue among different disciplines, all united by a future-oriented perspective. Among those participating, under the moderation of Professor M. Roberto Cuccia (Coordinator of Cultural Programming at the A. Scarlatti Conservatory of Palermo), Dr. Vincenzo Cusumano, Director General of the Department of Education for the Sicilian Region; Dr. Francesco Pinelli, from the Regional Department of Education and Vocational Training – Department of Education, Universities, and the Right to Study, Service 3; Dr. Fiorella Palumbo, Director of the Provincial School Office of Palermo; Maestro Giuseppe Vasapolli, Professor of Orchestration and Jazz Ensemble Conducting at the A. Scarlatti Conservatory of Palermo (AI Lab – MUSIC4D Project); and Dr. Raimondo Cipolla, Administrative Director of the A. Scarlatti Conservatory of Palermo, will engage in a roundtable discussion.
The session will conclude with a new performance curated by the Conservatory’s faculty and students, featuring demonstrations on the use of artificial intelligence and augmented reality, offering a uniquely immersive journey through soundscapes and multifaceted visual experiences.
At 12:00 PM, Regional Councillor for Education Hon. Mimmo Turano will speak again, leading a discussion on educational policies and opportunities for the music sector in Sicily—from composition to production, and the enjoyment of artistic experiences. This discussion will lay the foundation for the establishment of a technical working group for the AFAM sector and the creation of a Steering Committee on the Island, aimed at improving the coordination of conservatory activities across the region. These initiatives are also expected to enhance access to regional, national, and European funding to support joint and innovative projects.The Alessandro Scarlatti Conservatory of Palermo is closing the gap with a world in constant experimentation, broadening its vision beyond the boundaries of digital learning, while promoting a strong culture of music and high-quality education. In the same spirit, the Open Doors event on April 16 will be followed by a rich calendar of masterclasses, concerts, and new demonstrations, continuing through June 21, in celebration of the 31st edition of the Festa della Musica.
