Palermo, April 18, 2025 – The Alessandro Scarlatti Conservatory of Palermo is looking to the future with a teaching approach that is increasingly intertwined with technological innovation and artificial intelligence. On Wednesday, April 16, the historic institution opened its doors to the public for a day dedicated to the new frontiers of music, explored through performances, in-depth discussions, and a seminar that, for the first time, brought together the directors of all the conservatories in Sicily.

The notes of the mandolin and guitar ensemble echoed through the halls of Via Squarcialupo, setting the tone for the day’s events, which began with an introduction by Maestro Mauro Visconti, Director of the Palermo Conservatory. This was followed by contributions from Professor Andrea Pace, Vice Rector for Research, Technology Transfer, and Relations with the Administration at the University of Palermo; Professor Maria Rosa De Luca, Rector’s Delegate for Relations with the Territory and Cultural Institutions at the University of Catania; Dr. Viviana Assenza, Head of the Music Division – Regional School Office; and Dr. Tina Garofalo, Head of School Network Relations – Provincial School Office of Palermo. Together, they engaged in an active dialogue among professionals, faculty, students, and prospective learners about the opportunities of music education integrated with technology, promoting effective governance in the AFAM sector – Higher Artistic, Musical and Choreutic Education – and at the heart of the PNRR MUSIC 4D project.

“The Palermo Conservatory is coordinating a major PNRR project focused on internationalization and artificial intelligence”, emphasized Conservatory Director Mauro Visconti. “This initiative involves AFAM institutions from Sicily and Sardinia, as well as the University of Calabria and the University of Palermo. It is a project with deep roots that, after several years, is finally taking shape. We are proud to carry this path forward—one that I envisioned from the start of my tenure—and today, with pride and, above all, with the collaboration of our faculty and students, we pursue it with renewed enthusiasm”.

In the Sollima Hall, the seminar “Innovation and Models of Collaboration in the AFAM System: New Perspectives for Integrated Educational Offerings” brought together many voices around a single goal: to illustrate to visitors, teachers, and students from music-oriented high schools and secondary schools the fusion of teaching and AI—of opportunity and experimentation, creativity and performance—within the entire national system. This approach is more necessary than ever, in close dialogue with digital technologies and cross-disciplinary professional skills, aligning with the needs of the job market and the objectives outlined by the MUSIC4D project. As explained by Fabio Crescente, professor at the Palermo Conservatory and local coordinator for the project, “MUSIC4D explores the interaction between tradition—understood as the foundation of musical education and today’s technological innovation, through the use of software, machines, and artificial intelligence itself”.Giuseppe Vasapolli, professor of Orchestration and Jazz Ensemble Conducting at the Alessandro Scarlatti Conservatory of Palermo and a member of the MUSIC4D scientific committee, announced during the opening day of Open Doors that the first milestone of the project will be the creation of “a micro-opera based on Orlando Furioso, which will include significant use of the metaverse and stage robots portraying characters from the drama”.

The April 16 event reached its core with a presentation of the full spectrum of music studies offered at the Conservatory, from preparatory training to advanced specialization, and up to master’s and doctoral programs—delivered by Maestro Mauro Visconti and Professor Rosa Alba Gambino, lecturer in Pedagogy and member of the planning committee, in the presence of several Directors and Presidents from Sicilian conservatories. This was followed by the establishment of a technical roundtable, which fostered dialogue among disciplines united by a shared forward-looking perspective. Among the participants, under the moderation of Professor M. Roberto Cuccia (Coordinator of Cultural Programming at the Alessandro Scarlatti Conservatory of Palermo), were engaged in a dialogue the Dr. Vincenzo Cusumano, Director General of the Department of Education for the Sicilian Region, Dr. Fiorella Palumbo, Director of the Provincial School Office of Palermo, Maestro Giuseppe Vasapolli, Professor of Orchestration and Jazz Ensemble Conducting at the Alessandro Scarlatti Conservatory of Palermo (AI Lab – MUSIC4D Project), and Dr. Raimondo Cipolla, Administrative Director of the Alessandro Scarlatti Conservatory of Palermo.

At 12:00 PM, in the presence of officials and senior representatives from the Regional Department of Education and Vocational Training, a discussion was held on educational policies and opportunities for the music sector in Sicily—ranging from composition and production to the enjoyment of artistic experiences. This dialogue laid the foundation for the creation of a technical working group for the AFAM sector and the establishment of a Regional Steering Committee, both aimed at improving coordination among conservatories across the island. The initiative is also expected to enhance access to regional, national, and European funding to support joint and innovative projects.

“This is an important opportunity to work on shared initiatives such as doctoral programs, which—within an international framework—can serve as a powerful driver for launching research that, thanks to the PNRR, already has significant global scope on paper”, explained Professor Maria Rosa De Luca.The Alessandro Scarlatti Conservatory of Palermo is bridging the gap with a world in constant experimentation, extending its vision beyond the boundaries of digital learning while promoting a culture of music and high-quality education. In the same spirit, the Open Doors initiative held on April 16 will be followed by additional events—including masterclasses, concerts, and new demonstrations—continuing through June 21, in conjunction with the 31st edition of the Festa della Musica.