On October 21–22, the A. Scarlatti Conservatory – lead partner of the Music4D project – hosts an international gathering to define the next steps in digital transformation. Focus areas include Artificial Intelligence and the ways innovation is reshaping teaching and artistic performance.
PALERMO, October 16, 2025 – How can effective research networks be built in the digital age? And how can we navigate the regulatory challenges of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP)? These are the central questions of the upcoming meeting “Extended Partnerships: From the Current State to Future Strategies,” taking place in Palermo on Tuesday, October 21 and Wednesday, October 22, as part of the MUSIC4D initiative. Hosted by the A. Scarlatti Conservatory – lead institution of the EU-funded project – the event aims to serve as a strategic platform for all stakeholders involved in the transformative process of the international AFAM programming system, bringing together research and artistic innovation.
More than a formal gathering, the conference is designed as a space for dialogue to take stock of the digitalization process and strengthen partnership networks. Key topics will include the challenges of the NRRP: from its complex regulatory framework to data privacy (GDPR), from implementation procedures to monitoring systems.
The event will open on Tuesday, October 21 at 9:30 AM with institutional greetings from the Minister, Dr. Giovanni Angileri (President), M° Mauro Visconti (Director), Dr. Raimondo Cipolla (Administrative Director of the A. Scarlatti Conservatory), and regional and municipal authorities. Prof. Matteo Roberto Cuccia will then officially launch two days of high-level discussions, featuring distinguished speakers such as Francesco Pinelli (Director of the Department of Education, University, and the Right to Study), Prof. Anna Valvo (CSM), university professors Alessandro Tomaselli and Andrea Pace, and Luca Celi, Senior Advisor at Concresco.
Eligibility requirements and reporting procedures will be explored in a technical panel featuring Magistrate Pierpaolo Grasso and lawyer Angelita Caruocciolo, while Prof. Andrea Bareggi (ESME) and Dr. Alessandra Callegari (Communications Manager, AEC) will address effective strategies for managing extended partnerships.
But the meeting goes beyond theory. At its core is the interactive workshop “Building Successful Partnerships,” split into two sessions moderated by MUSIC4D Artistic Director, M° Fabio Crescente, with contributions from institutions such as the Accademia delle Belle Arti of Turin, the Santa Cecilia Conservatory, and key figures like M° Michelangelo Galeati (Coordinator, Creative Europe), Prof. Carla Conti, and Prof. Iveri Gustafsson (Lund University). Here, MUSIC4D returns to center stage: a project funded by the NRRP, aiming to propel Southern Italy’s musical heritage into the future.
Led by the Palermo Conservatory, in collaboration with the conservatories of Sicily and Sardinia, and the universities of Palermo and Calabria, this collaborative initiative blends centuries-old musical tradition with cutting-edge technologies such as AI, virtual reality, and robotics. The goal is not merely preservation, but transformation—redefining both teaching and performance through new artistic languages.
A key segment of the event will highlight best practices from the M4C2 1.3 project, with the session “From Idea to Project” curated by M° Fabio Crescente and supported by the team of Dr. Michele Mazzola, Director at the Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR), Directorate General for Internationalization and Communication. Contributors include Dr. Marco Alma, Dr. Silvia Traversi, Dr. Serena Pelonara, and Prof. Renzo Turatto (University of Perugia, expert at SNA and former ADG PO of the Calabria Region). Additional speakers include professors Francesco Pupo, Giuseppe Vasapolli, Valeria Seidita, and Aleksandar Pavlovic. The closing focus will be on communication strategies, with contributions from journalists Ferdinando Calaciura and Federica Raccuglia, and Prof. Antonio Di Giovanni, National Coordinator of the Public Administration Working Group at Federprivacy.
“The two-day Palermo meeting will be a true laboratory of ideas, where the regulatory rigor of the NRRP meets the creative vision of MUSIC4D,” emphasized M° Mauro Visconti, Director of the A. Scarlatti Conservatory. “The real challenge isn’t just managing funds but using them to create real change—to teach a new generation of artists how to engage with technology without losing their soul. From Sicily to Sardinia to our prestigious international partners, we aim to share experiences, tackle obstacles, and define common procedures to maximize project impact and position ourselves on the global innovation stage.”“Extended Partnerships: From the Current State to Future Strategies” will not merely showcase MUSIC4D but will act as a strategic platform for the entire AFAM system, transforming the NRRP’s challenges into tangible opportunities. The goal is clear: to emerge from this event with shared guidelines that strengthen Southern Italy’s role as a cultural innovation lab. Both days will conclude with a musical performance, a celebration of the creative spirit behind projects that are redefining the educational and performative paradigms of conservatories, pushing higher education into uncharted frontiers.
Conference streaming link:
https://www.youtube.com/@conservatoriodipalermo/streams
