From 5 to 8 November 2025, the city of Salzburg will welcome the Annual Congress and General Assembly of the AEC (European Association of Conservatoires) at the Mozarteum University. This major international event will explore how leadership, innovation, and well-being are shaping the future of higher music education. Among the keynote contributors is Maestro Michelangelo Galeati, who will take the stage on Friday, 7 November, during the session “How can we use digital innovation to improve teaching formats in higher music education?”.

Galeati will present MUSIC4D – Music, Entrepreneurship, Creativity for the Digital Revolution, a pioneering initiative funded under Italy’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) and led by the “Alessandro Scarlatti” Conservatory of Palermo.
Developed in partnership with the Conservatories of Sicily and Sardinia, the University of Palermo, and the University of Calabria, MUSIC4D aims to enhance Southern Italy’s musical heritage as a catalyst for educational and creative growth — fostering a new generation of musicians who act as true cultural innovators in a digitally connected world.

As advisor to the project, Maestro Galeati will join a distinguished panel featuring Thomas Ballhausen and Petr Vašku, moderated by Prof. Barbara M. Willi. Together, they will discuss the intersection of artificial and artistic intelligence, and how emerging technologies — including large language models — are transforming creativity and pedagogy in the arts.

The AEC 2025 Congress will tackle crucial issues across three thematic axes: the well-being of the musician in a sustainable world, the balance between tradition and innovation in professional training with particular focus on digital learning and the role of AI, and the development of leadership and advocacy in a globalized context.

Featuring experts and opinion leaders from across Europe, live performances, and student-led sessions organized by the European Performing Arts Students Association (EPASA), the event promises to be a vibrant meeting point for ideas and inspiration.The participation of Maestro Galeati and the presentation of MUSIC4D mark an important recognition of the Palermo Conservatory’s ongoing commitment to modernizing higher music education and promoting Italian excellence on the international stage.