Starting February 19th, a 39-hour program will equip musicians and composers with a new creative grammar. A strategic pillar of the PNRR project aimed at students, professors, and staff of Italian Conservatories to address the challenges of the future.

Palermo, February 17, 2026 – The dialogue between music and Artificial Intelligence is now becoming a structured and accessible academic subject. The MUSIC4D project announces the launch of its first Advanced Training Course in Artificial Intelligence and Digital Music, starting on February 19th. This 39-hour operational workshop is designed to provide students, professors, and technical-administrative staff of Italian Conservatories with the tools needed to integrate these technologies into their creative and professional workflows.

The initiative represents a cornerstone of the ambitious PNRR project led by the “Alessandro Scarlatti” Conservatory of Palermo, in synergy with the advanced digital departments of the University of Palermo and the University of Calabria, and with the AFAM Conservatories of Southern Italy, all united to innovate higher artistic and musical education nationwide.

The program aligns with European directives for digital transition and technological innovation, promptly responding to the challenges set by the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR). In an era where technological sovereignty and mastery of new computational languages are strategic assets for a country’s competitiveness, the MUSIC4D project acts as a catalyst to bridge the gap between tradition and the frontiers of algorithmic research applied to the arts.

Through an interdisciplinary synergy that combines computer engineering with aesthetic sensibility, the goal is to consolidate an Italian center of excellence capable of engaging with leading international research hubs, ensuring that the evolution of artificial intelligence remains anchored to a solid ethical and analytical framework.

The course, structured in five units over seven weeks, offers a progressive journey from theoretical foundations to the creation of an original project. Participants will explore the architecture of intelligent agents and robotics, then delve into Prompt Engineering, learning to skillfully command generative models (LLMs). The core of the program is dedicated to sonic matter, with an in-depth examination of digital audio signals and the applications of AI in assisted composition. The course will culminate in a final Project Work, where each student will design their own “intelligent music system.”

The faculty is composed of a team of high-profile specialists: Prof. Francesco Pupo (University of Calabria), an expert in Artificial Intelligence and multi-agent systems; professors Riccardo Sarti and Sandro Mungianu (Conservatory of Sassari), leading figures in electronic music; Dr. Caterina Perri, PhD in Nanomaterials and Postdoctoral researcher; and Dr. Rashmi Chawla, an international expert in AI applied to creative contexts.

“This course doesn’t just teach how to use software, but how to think in a new way,” states Prof. Francesco Pupo, the project’s methodological coordinator. “Our goal is not to train mere technicians, but conscious artists and researchers. Artificial Intelligence is not a shortcut; it is a demanding creative partner, an extension of our own minds that must be understood and guided with wisdom. We aim to train professionals capable of managing innovation, transforming technological evolution into a conscious design process where experimentation, rigor, and human depth coexist in a fertile and generative balance.”

The launch of this course represents a crucial moment for MUSIC4D and for the entire AFAM sector. It is not a secondary activity, but the implementation of a profound mission: to transform higher artistic education from within. In a global context where technology constantly redefines the boundaries of creativity, equipping the academic system with such advanced skills means ensuring its relevance, competitiveness, and ability to remain a benchmark of excellence in a rapidly changing landscape.

The teaching, which alternates between synchronous and asynchronous modules, will be delivered on the MOOC platform of the University of Calabria, the project’s technological partner.

For info and access: https://mooc.unical.it/course/index.php?categoryid=8