Press Releases

Humans and Robots on Stage:At the University of Calabria, Artificial Intelligence Rewrites the Future of Classical Music

On May 13th, Unical will host the MUSIC4D workshop. Featuring iconic soundtracks and AI algorithms, Italian Higher Education introduces the RoBoCon platform to an international audience, marking the definitive transition from industrial robotics to multisensory artistic creation.

PALERMO, May 7, 2026 – The frontier of humanoid robotics is stepping onto the musical stage to explore realms previously reserved solely for human sensitivity. On Wednesday, May 13, at 3:00 PM, the Teatro Auditorium Unical (TAU) in Rende (CS) will be transformed into a cutting-edge international laboratory as it hosts the workshop “Human-Robot Artistic Collaboration in MUSIC4D.” This event marks a pivotal milestone for MUSIC4D, the PNRR (National Recovery and Resilience Plan) project led by the Alessandro Scarlatti Conservatory of Palermo in synergy with the Conservatories of Sicily and Sardinia, the University of Palermo, and the University of Calabria. The objective is ambitious: to demonstrate how Human-Robot Collaboration (HRC), already pervasive in heavy industry, can evolve into “Embodied Intelligence” applied to classical music, allowing algorithms and machines to coexist, collaborate, and—most importantly—interact emotionally with both musicians and the audience. This is a dialogue without borders: the proceedings will be accessible in real-time to an audience across 25 different nations, ensuring a global presence. The workshop will be held in a hybrid format, featuring remote participation from prestigious research groups across American, European, Asian, African, Australian, and Middle Eastern universities.

Organized by the SPEME Laboratory, directed by Professor Giancarlo Fortino, the event will provide an unprecedented look at the RoBoCon platform, a technological breakthrough capable of supporting hybrid symphonic performances enriched by emotional components. The afternoon will transcend mere theory, coming to life through a science-fiction musical narrative: the monumental notes of Also sprach Zarathustra—the iconic theme from 2001: A Space Odyssey—will be performed by an orchestral ensemble conducted in a unique relay between Maestro Michelangelo Galeati and the RoBoCon robot. The performance will be enhanced by AI-generated visual content curated by Dr. Mauro Martino, Director of the AI Visual Lab at IBM-MIT, further cementing the high-level nature of the partnership.

On the significance of this milestone, Professor Giancarlo Fortino, Coordinator of the PhD program in ICT (Information and Communication Technologies), stated: “With this workshop, we present the fruits of a research journey that is unique on the international stage. MUSIC4D has proven that robotics and artificial intelligence are not intended to replace humans, but rather to expand our expressive and creative capabilities. Seeing our RoBoCon platform engage in a real-time dialogue with the emotions of a classical ensemble is tangible proof that technology can inhabit beauty, charting new courses for Higher Education and the cultural industries of the future.”

In a sequence of music and insight, Professor Valeria Seidita (UniPa), along with Professor Fortino and Dr. Rashmi Chawla (Unical), will lead the scientific session, addressing the deepest challenges of modern robotics: from group emotion recognition to an automaton’s ability to adapt its creative behavior based on sensory stimuli. Contributions from Professor Antonio Chella (UniPa) will investigate whether a robot can “experience” emotion, pushing the debate beyond pure technique toward a new digital aesthetic. Among the innovations presented, “Robotic Virtual Touch” will open unprecedented scenarios regarding physical perception between humans and synthetics, prefiguring a future where the Metaverse and the physical stage converge into a single multisensory experience.The event will conclude with the evocative power of cinema, featuring performances of masterpieces like The Terminator, WestWorld, and a heartfelt tribute to the scores of Ennio Morricone, ranging from Gabriel’s Oboe to Once Upon a Time in America. Through this initiative, MUSIC4D reaffirms its role as an innovation hub for the entire creative chain—an ecosystem where scientific research is not an accessory to artistic production, but its very foundation. The May 13th event at the TAU thus signals the transition of robotics from “Smart Factories” to the “Art Factory” of the future, consolidating the role of AFAM institutions (Higher Education in Art and Music) and Southern Italian universities as engines of a cultural revolution capable of speaking the universal language of technology and beauty.

Download Brochure Download rollup workshop Download program rollup

Catania: 3PIN4D’s Sound Innovation Inhabits the “House of Music”The “Chamber of Music” Debuts on May 9th

The final milestone of the 3PIN4D program transforms an asset seized from the mafia into a vanguard technological hub. An immersive installation restores the works of 19th-century Sicilian masters through the new frontiers of electroacoustics.

PALERMO, May 4, 2026 – On Saturday, May 9th, at 6:30 PM, the city of Catania will celebrate a unique synthesis of technological innovation and social redemption with the inauguration of “La Camera della Musica” (The Chamber of Music), housed within the “Casa della Musica” on Via Zolfataia. The event marks the concluding achievement of 3PIN4D, the research and dissemination initiative promoted by the “Vincenzo Bellini” Conservatory of Catania as part of the MUSIC4D project. This journey—which began on March 3rd with an international debut in Murcia (Spain) and continued on March 20–21 with an International Research Conference dedicated to 19th-century masters—reaches its most advanced expression today: an immersive installation capable of transforming Sicilian chamber heritage into a sensory experience that recreates the physical proximity of a live concert. The choice of venue is of significant importance, adding profound civic value to the initiative: the building, once a luxury nightclub seized from the mafia, is being returned to the community as a center of excellence for digital culture and education.

The initiative is rooted in the MUSIC4D project, which serves as an innovation hub for the entire creative chain, where scientific research and digital technologies converge with artistic production. The program’s success rests on an unprecedented strategic synergy between the Conservatory systems of Sicily and Sardinia and top-tier university partners, including the University of Palermo (UniPa) and the University of Calabria (UniCal), establishing an advanced ecosystem designed to bridge historical heritage with modern creative industries.

The technological core of “The Chamber of Music” lies in Riccardo Samperi’s “Real Audio in Quad Rear” technique—a recording and mixing model based on the principles of physical acoustics and high-definition binaural reproduction. Unlike traditional emulation systems, this technology allows for the faithful 360° localization of performers, dynamically adapting the acoustic footprint of a recorded environment to the material characteristics of the room. The installation’s digital content features performances by string ensembles from the Catania Conservatory dedicated to renowned local composers such as Giovanni Pacini, Salvatore Pappalardo, and Pietro Platania. These recordings were meticulously crafted to preserve the specificity and tonal transparency of a repertoire originally conceived for the intimate setting of 19th-century parlors.

“With the inauguration of the Chamber of Music, the 3PIN4D program completes a parabola that began with archival research and moved onto international stages,” explains Maestro Gaetano Adorno, one of the project leads. “This is not merely a technical demonstration, but an act of restitution: making 19th-century Sicilian masterpieces resonate within a space reclaimed from organized crime means giving beauty a technologically evolved voice that is deeply rooted in the territory. Thanks to the MUSIC4D network, we are transforming a seized asset into a living laboratory where the memory of our great composers ceases to be a silent archive and becomes a living medium for contemporary study and enjoyment.”

The installation, which also features an Interactive Archive for the dissemination of unpublished or forgotten musical productions from the Mediterranean area, serves as an innovative model for both performance and pedagogy. The appointment on Saturday, May 9th, confirms the success of the synergy between the AFAM system and the university world, proving how academic research can drive legality and provide Sicilian cultural identity with an authoritative voice capable of inhabiting the new frontiers of contemporary creation.

For more information, please visit: https://www.conservatoriocatania.it/?portfolio=13173

Coral Breath Reborn Through Art and AI: “Remote Decay” Debuts in Alghero

From April 28 to May 24, a distributed multimedia installation will simultaneously connect the Coral Museum and Alghero Airport. Designed by the Sassari Conservatory as part of the MUSIC4D project, the work uses Artificial Intelligence to transform visitor movement into a regenerative gesture, breathing life back into virtual coral reefs through a unique sensory experience.

PALERMO, April 24, 2026 – An invisible thread will unite the historic heart of Alghero with the constant flow of its airport starting Tuesday, April 28. This is not merely a geographical link, but a distributed digital ecosystem titled “Remote Decay.” Conceived by the School of Electronic Music at the “Luigi Canepa” Conservatory of Sassari, the work represents one of the most innovative milestones of MUSIC4D—the extensive PNRR-funded project that sees eight Conservatories across Sicily and Sardinia collaborate with the Universities of Palermo and Calabria to redefine the boundaries of contemporary artistic production through emerging technologies.

“Remote Decay” transcends the traditional multimedia performance, positioning itself as a poetic act of conscience toward one of the planet’s most fragile ecosystems: coral reefs. While in the real-world rising temperatures and anthropogenic impact condemn corals to slow erosion, this installation reverses the human-nature relationship. Through their movements, the spectator ceases to be a disruptive agent and becomes the engine of rebirth. Every gesture, captured by sensors and processed in real-time by sophisticated AI algorithms, infuses new vitality into the virtual ecosystem, making each experience unique and unrepeatable.

The technical operation of the work is the result of research curated by a professional team led by electronic music professors Riccardo Sarti, Walter Cianciusi, Roberto Musanti, and former student Alfredo Puglia. The composition is based on actual underwater recordings of endangered coral reefs; these “particles” of sound and imagery – witnesses to the natural decay of the coral – are regenerated by stimuli received from the public. The true revolution lies in the distributed nature of the installation, made possible through synergy with SOGEAAL (management of the Alghero Riviera del Corallo Airport) and the Fondazione Alghero (management of the Coral Museum). The two sites are connected via the internet, creating a constant dialogue where the actions of a passenger waiting at the terminal can influence the soundscape of a visitor in the silence of the museum, metaphorically highlighting how every individual action has global repercussions.

“With Remote Decay, we wanted to demonstrate how AI can be a true ‘digital organism’ capable of empathy toward nature,” emphasizes Maestro Riccardo Sarti, professor at the Sassari Conservatory and project co-director. “Our goal was to overturn the paradigm of environmental damage: in this installation, the human being stops being the cause of reef degradation and becomes the sole source of its regeneration. The most fascinating technical challenge was the work’s distributed nature. By connecting the Airport and the Coral Museum, we created an invisible bridge where a traveler’s gesture transforms sound and imagery for someone in the heart of the city. It is a poetic warning: every action we take, no matter how small or distant, has a profound impact on the fragile ecosystems around us. Bringing this experiment to a public context like Alghero means restoring a social function and a conscience-awakening role to technology.”

The project, which had its international premiere last January at the Akademie für Tonkunst in Darmstadt, Germany, followed by a presentation in the Maldives in February, is supported by the patronage and video contributions of the Porto Conte Regional Nature Park. Until May 24, residents and travelers will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in this interactive scenario: while engagement at the airport is designed to be swift and adaptive to the flow of travel, the public at the Coral Museum on Via XX Settembre can enjoy a slower, more conscious exploration. With “Remote Decay,” MUSIC4D reaffirms that technological innovation, when guided by the artistic sensitivity of Higher Education, can become a universal language capable of awakening consciences and restoring a sense of belonging to the natural world.

The installation will be on display from April 28 to May 24, 2026, at the Riviera del Corallo Airport and the Alghero Coral Museum. For further information, please visit:
https://www.conservatorio.sassari.it/Post/view/-9223372036854773203 Alghero Coral Museum
https://museialghero.it/museo-del-corallo/

AFAM4Sicily: Solidarity Wins in Palermo

The MUR and Institutions for Niscemi: “Art is a living energy that heals wounds”

PALERMO, April 10, 2026 – The event “AFAM4Sicily: Rebirth through Music and Art” concluded with extraordinary public attendance and a profound sense of institutional cohesion. The initiative transformed the Alessandro Scarlatti Conservatory of Palermo into a vast laboratory of hope and innovation.

April 9 marked the success of an unprecedented connection between the Academies of Fine Arts of Palermo and Catania, the Conservatories of Sicily and Sardinia, and the partners of MUSIC4D. Together, they responded to the emergency in Niscemi with a fundraiser dedicated to families affected by the hydrogeological disaster last January. Promoted by the Ministry of University and Research (MUR), this event serves as a social extension of MUSIC4D- a project led by the Palermo Conservatory (chaired by Giovanni Angileri) that merges art and technology. Through AFAM4Sicily, scientific research and artistic talent move beyond the laboratory to become concrete tools for reconstruction and regional solidarity.

“Sicily doesn’t need anyone to tell her about beauty; it is in her blood, carved in stone, and written in music. What the State can do – what we all must do – is stand by this land as it builds its future,” declared Minister of University and Research Anna Maria Bernini via remote link, emphasizing the high institutional profile of the meeting. She added: “AFAM4Sicily stems from the belief that Higher Education in Art, Music, and Dance (AFAM) is a tool for redemption and cohesion. This education is not a luxury or an ornament; it is a concrete instrument of hope. It proves that culture is, above all, a living force. It is energy that transforms.”

The day featured numerous moments of shared experience, beginning with the morning inauguration of installations in the Sollima and Lapidarium halls. Visitors were transported into an immersive dimension thanks to the VR headsets of “VISIONI MUSIC4D” and the evocative projection of “Mediterraneo Fantastico.” Meanwhile, the “Urgenze” project by the Academy of Fine Arts of Catania offered a powerful visual reflection on Sicilian cultural identity. Additionally, the work Remote Decay explored the fragile relationship between humanity and nature, featuring images of decaying coral reefs that reacted in real-time to the movements of the audience.

“Seeing these halls animated not only by our talents but by such a palpable sense of solidarity represents our highest achievement,” stated Mauro Visconti, Director of the Palermo Conservatory. “Being the lead institution of this network allowed us to demonstrate that the AFAM system possesses an operational soul. We didn’t just perform music; we set in motion an infrastructure of thought and innovation to transform talent into an act of civic presence.”

The spirit of rebirth was further solidified by the signing of an agreement between the Palermo Conservatory and the newly formed Ennio Morricone Foundation, as announced by Maria Alessandra Gallone, the new President of ISPRA (Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research). “Today, the most beautiful thing is this: Sicily is no longer an island; it is a territory that unites,” she added.

The exhibitions and workshops drew the attention of Senator Gallone, Palermo’s Deputy Mayor Giampiero Cannella, the Rector of the University of Palermo Massimo Midiri, and other high-ranking officials. Fabio Ciciliano, Head of the Civil Protection Department, expressed his support remotely while managing a simultaneous hydrogeological emergency in Molise: “Managing a disaster isn’t just about soil stabilization or infrastructure; it’s about the resilience of a community.”

After 5:00 PM, the focus shifted to the concert “From Morricone to Bacalov: the Music and Screen of Southern Italian Cinema.” Conducted by Maestro Michelangelo Galeati, an ensemble of professional musicians led the audience through a synesthetic journey of soundtracks that have immortalized Southern identity worldwide. The performance fused classical rigor with improvisation and digital sound architectures, developed within the MUSIC4D framework in collaboration with the Engineering departments of UniPa and UniCal.

The entire event, coordinated technically by Roberto Matteo Cuccia and administratively by Raimondo Cipolla, served as a megaphone for the fundraising efforts led by the Municipality of Niscemi. Closing the event, Mayor Massimiliano Conti expressed his gratitude: “Niscemi does not feel alone. This initiative is the proof that beauty can become a literal brick in our reconstruction.”

The April 9 event was not a conclusion, but the launch of a “Construction Site of Hope.” The AFAM network will remain committed to supporting and monitoring the Niscemi community until December 2026, proving that while the earth may have shaken, the voice of Sicilian culture is ready to resonate with new, lasting strength.

MUSIC4D for Niscemi:“AFAM4Sicily” Launches, Using Art and Music as Engines for Social Rebirth

Institutional meeting on Wednesday, March 25, to present the intervention program and MUR-sponsored fundraising initiative. On April 9, Palermo will host a major event featuring Minister Anna Maria Bernini—a sign of hope for the community struck by the landslide.

PALERMO, March 24, 2026 – The Higher Education in Art and Music (AFAM) system is mobilizing in support of the Niscemi community, which was profoundly affected by a severe hydrogeological disaster in late January. On Wednesday, March 25, the leadership of the MUSIC4D project will meet with the Niscemi local administration to officially launch “AFAM4Sicily: Rebirth through Music and Art,” a solidarity project promoted by the Ministry of University and Research (MUR).

During the meeting, the project will be officially presented to Mayor Massimiliano Conti. A delegation from the administration will explore operational aspects and feasibility, including the potential for a final event to be held directly in Niscemi. To ensure shared governance and direct dialogue among all stakeholders, a remote connection will be established with the MUR and the Directors of the Conservatories of Sassari and Cagliari.

The core of the intervention is the activation of a Creative Fundraising model: an ecosystem where artistic installations, interactive workshops, and immersive musical performances transcend mere entertainment to become tools for active participation. The audience is invited to become an integral part of a solidarity process, where the emotional impact of the cultural experience incentivizes concrete donations for the territory. This represents a virtuous and replicable format, demonstrating how culture can generate tangible economic support for populations struck by natural disasters.

The initiative responds to a profound wound: the landslide that tore through the town center in late January destroyed or rendered dozens of buildings uninhabitable, leaving the area in a state of emergency that remains open today. In this context of uncertainty, music and art serve as catalysts for necessary emotional and social reconstruction, transforming trauma into a collective movement for change.

The culmination of this synergy between the Conservatories and the Academies of Fine Arts of Sicily will be the major event on Thursday, April 9, held at the Alessandro Scarlatti Conservatory of Palermo. The day will feature artistic installations, music therapy sessions, and workshops for all age groups. These activities will take place in the presence of distinguished authorities, including Anna Maria Bernini, Minister of University and Research, and Fabio Ciciliano, Extraordinary Commissioner and Head of the Civil Protection Department. Joining them will be the President of the Sicily Region, Renato Schifani, and the Mayor of Palermo, Roberto Lagalla.

Far from being a mere celebration, the event will be a “score rewritten by many hands,” confirming that while the earth may have shaken, the voice of Niscemi chooses to resonate even louder. The evening concert, “From Morricone to Bacalov: the Music and Screen of Southern Italian Cinema,” will conclude the April event, followed by a structured program of activities that will accompany the Niscemi community through December 2026.“AFAM4Sicily: Rebirth through Music and Art” is an integral part of MUSIC4D, the PNRR-funded project led by the Alessandro Scarlatti Conservatory of Palermo, in network with the Conservatories of Southern Italy and university partners in Palermo and Calabria. With this action, MUSIC4D reaffirms its mission: placing the cutting-edge expertise of Higher Education at the service of human fragility, proving that technological innovation and artistic research find their deepest meaning in tangible social impact. The meeting on March 25 marks the first step of a vision in which beauty becomes the foundation for rebuilding not only physical spaces but the very hope of the city of Niscemi; following this path, the date of April 9 will mark the transition from vision to concrete, ongoing action.

MUSIC4D: Advanced Training Course on AI and Digital Music Returns

Robotics, audio computing and generative artificial intelligence. The MUSIC4D project relaunches its international laboratory dedicated to advanced music technologies, aiming to engage a potential community of over 4,000 students, faculty members, and technical-administrative staff from Conservatories.

The Advanced Training course “Artificial Intelligence and Digital Music”, promoted within the framework of the MUSIC4D project, is now back in session. The program focuses on the study of emerging technologies applied to sound production. Launched on February 19, the initiative offers a series of synchronous and asynchronous sessions designed for the academic and artistic community, with the goal of developing skills in advanced sound processing, computer-assisted composition, and AI applications across the music sector. The objective is to reach an audience of 4,000 participants, making technological excellence a shared heritage.

As scheduled, activities will resume on Thursday, March 20, with Professor Francesco Pupo delivering an introductory lecture aimed at framing the course content and preparing participants for the upcoming in-depth sessions. The program will officially continue on March 24 and run through May 21, combining theoretical study with hands-on applications.

Over the coming weeks, participants will explore a wide range of research and experimental areas, including audio signal analysis, sound synthesis and processing systems, computer-assisted composition, and the application of artificial intelligence in creative and production workflows. Teaching will be led by Francesco Pupo, Riccardo Sarti, Sandro Mungianu, Luca Bimbi, Francesco La Camera, Caterina Perri, and Rashmi Chawla—scholars and researchers specializing in electronic music, sound technologies, and AI-driven systems. Their contribution ensures an interdisciplinary approach, providing both methodological and operational tools to understand the evolution of digital technologies in sound.

Through this initiative, MUSIC4D further strengthens its role as a hub for technological innovation, contributing to the development of new educational models that connect scientific research, creativity, and evolving competencies within Conservatories.

ACCESS THE COURSE AT:
https://mooc.unical.it/course/index.php?categoryid=8

TRAINING PROGRAM

Content, Structure, and Schedule of Educational Activities

1. FUNDAMENTALS OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, INTELLIGENT SYSTEMS AND ROBOTICS (March)

The course begins under the guidance of Francesco Pupo, focusing on the theoretical foundations of generative AI.

• March 20 – 5:30 PM – From Neural Networks to Deep Learning Models
• March 24 – 5:30 PM – Generative Architectures and Transformer Models
• March 27 – 5:30 PM – Reinforcement Learning

2. AUDIO SIGNAL FUNDAMENTALS, ANALYSIS AND PROCESSING, SOUND SYNTHESIS TECHNIQUES (Late March – Mid April)

In this phase, Sarti, La Camera, and Bimbi introduce the technical foundations of sound.

• March 30 – 5:30 PM – Introduction to Signals and the Electroacoustic Chain
• March 31 – 5:30 PM – Sampling and Quantization
• April 1 – 5:30 PM – Frequency Analysis and Domain Transformations
• April 13 – 5:30 PM – STFT (Short-Time Fourier Transform), Windowing and Audio Coding
• April 14 – 5:30 PM – Digital Filters
• April 15 – 5:30 PM – First- and Second-Order Filters
• April 16 – 5:30 PM – Advanced Filters
• April 17 – 5:30 PM – Audio Effects and Dynamics Processing
• April 20 – 5:30 PM – Spectral and Modulation Synthesis
• April 21 – 5:30 PM – Physical Modeling Synthesis and the Karplus–Strong Algorithm

3. MUSIC SYNTHESIS AND COMPUTER-ASSISTED COMPOSITION (Late April – Mid May)

The focus shifts to sound creation and integration, led by Perri, Pupo, Mungianu, and Chawla.

• April 28 – 5:30 PM – Prompt Engineering: Fundamentals and Advanced Techniques
• April 29 – 5:30 PM – Computer-Assisted Composition and AI in Music
• April 30 – 5:30 PM – AI as Support for the Compositional Process
• May 4 – 5:30 PM – Virtual Orchestration
• May 5 – 5:30 PM – Frame-by-Frame Method for Music and Visuals
• May 6 – 5:30 PM – Audio-Video Workflow in Professional DAWs
• May 14 – 5:30 PM – TuttiBot – Evaluation Tool
• May 15 – 5:30 PM – Human-Robot Interaction (HRI)

4. PROJECT WORK: AI-BASED MUSIC SYSTEM (Second Half of May)

The final phase includes an intensive workshop coordinated by Pupo, Sarti, and Mungianu, focusing on system design, AI core development, audio integration, and final rendering.

• May 18 – 5:30 PM – Concept Definition and System Design
• May 19 – 5:30 PM – AI Core Development and Audio Integration
• May 20 – 5:30 PM – Optimization and Final Rendering
• May 21 – 5:30 PM – Final Presentation and Review

ACADEMIC AND SCIENTIFIC TEAM

Profiles, Expertise and Research Areas

• Francesco Pupo – Professor at the University of Calabria, expert in intelligent systems and robotics, and Scientific Director of MUSIC4D, focusing on the integration of generative AI and musical creative processes.
• Caterina Perri – Researcher and engineer at the University of Calabria, specializing in AI and education; works on real-time interaction platforms between humans, robotics, and IoT devices.
• Sandro Mungianu – Multimedia professor at the Conservatory of Cagliari, expert in computer-assisted composition and advanced audio-video production.
• Riccardo Sarti – Electronic engineer and musician, professor of Music Informatics at the Conservatory of Sassari, with extensive experience as a sound engineer and performer in contemporary and electroacoustic music.
• Luca Bimbi – Sound designer, audio engineer, and electroacoustics lecturer, author of major technical guides on Logic Pro and Csound, with a strong background in international music production.
• Francesco La Camera – Expert in audio restoration and sound heritage preservation, with over thirty years of experience and collaborations including orchestral sound engineering for Andrea Bocelli.
• Rashmi Chawla – Professor at JC Bose University (India), expert in Human-Robot Interaction (HRI), and coordinator of “TuttiBot,” an advanced evaluation and monitoring tool within MUSIC4D.

MUSIC4D in Murcia: 3PIN4D Brings Sicilian Identity into the Digital Realm

The Spanish premiere of “3PIN4D”: an experience giving new meaning to history as virtual reality becomes a tool for belonging, restoring the treasures of 19th-century Sicily to the future.

CATANIA/MURCIA, February 26, 2026 – The journey of MUSIC4D continues relentlessly as it once again crosses national borders to arrive in Spain. On Tuesday, March 3rd, at 8:00 PM, the Sala d’Armi of the Real Casino de Murcia will host the international preview of “3PIN4D,” an integrated program that transforms musicological experimentation into a unique multi-sensory and educational experience. The event, titled “Musica de Camara Italiana del Siglo XIX,” will be broadcast in its entirety via live-streaming, reaffirming Sicily’s leading role in the sophisticated recovery and valorization of its cultural heritage.

The initiative, conceived and coordinated by Maestro Gaetano Adorno of the Vincenzo Bellini Conservatory of Catania, is harmonized across three core research pillars: the rediscovery of Sicilian historical traditions, the advancement of high-level artistic and professional training, and the innovation of performance through the use of cutting-edge technology.

The program’s name, 3PIN4D, is inspired by a “treasure hunt” aimed at uncovering the chamber music of three authoritative 19th-century Catanese composers: Giovanni Pacini, Salvatore Pappalardo, and Pietro Platania. These are pivotal figures in the island’s musical history whose masterful works are now finally being restored for modern audiences.

Giovanni Pacini, an internationally renowned opera composer and famous rival of Bellini, demonstrated rare mastery of the string quartet genre in his maturity. Salvatore Pappalardo successfully blended Mediterranean lyricism with the most rigorous European formal structures. Alongside them stands Pietro Platania, a master of counterpoint and director of the Conservatories of Palermo and Naples, whose intellectual depth left a profound mark on the instrumental music of his time.

Maestro Gaetano Adorno describes this journey as “a response to a cultural identity vocation that has attracted faculty, students, and scholars from all over Europe. The objective is twofold: to rescue high-quality cultured music from oblivion and, simultaneously, to support the creation of advanced digital models designed to facilitate the enjoyment of this heritage through innovative multimedia installations, such as the so-called ‘Camera della Musica’ (Chamber of Music).”

The Murcia concert will offer moments of great musicological value, featuring the world premieres of Salvatore Pappalardo’s Serenata Op. 3 and String Quintet Op. 25, alongside selected works from the string quartets of Pacini and Platania. The performance will feature a collaborative ensemble of young talents from the Conservatories of Catania, Murcia, and Castellón de la Plana, in a fruitful academic exchange that embodies the spirit of the project. The evening will be further enriched by international guest soloists: violinist and conductor Augusto Vismara, cellist David Apellaniz, clarinetist Gema Guiot, and guitarist Agatino Scuderi.

The event will open with an introduction by Maestro Gaetano Adorno, providing the necessary context for research that situates musical performance within the broader perspective of the digital sphere. Through this artistic bridge between Italy and Spain, MUSIC4D—a PNRR (National Recovery and Resilience Plan) project launched in 2024 and led by the Alessandro Scarlatti Conservatory of Palermo in synergy with other Southern Italian Conservatories, the University of Palermo, and the University of Calabria—confirms its mission: to reclaim historical memory and transform it into a living, technologically advanced asset projected into the future of musical culture.

The 3PIN4D journey does not end in Spain; two further appointments are scheduled to consolidate its results. On Friday, March 20th, and Saturday, March 21st, the project will return to Sicily at the Bellini Auditorium of the Vincenzo Bellini Conservatory of Catania, culminating in April with the highly anticipated inauguration of the “Camera della Musica”—a multimedia installation designed to offer unprecedented ways to experience a vast and largely unexplored musical heritage.

Music and AI: MUSIC4D Launches Its First Advanced Training Course to Revolutionize Education

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

MUSIC4D Charms the UN:Italian Cinema Celebrates Italy’s Mandate on the Human Rights Council

Great success for the “From Morricone to Bacalov” show at the Palace of Nations in Geneva. A cultural diplomacy event that blended music and technology, preceded by an important institutional meeting with the United Nations Academic Impact.

Geneva, February 6, 2025 – Thursday, February 5, was an evening of great emotion at the United Nations Palace of Nations in Geneva, where the concert-event “From Morricone to Bacalov: The Music of Southern Italian Cinema” took place. This initiative, promoted by the PNRR MUSIC4D project, celebrated the beginning of Italy’s new mandate on the Human Rights Council (2026-28), drawing a large audience of diplomats, UN officials, and civil society representatives.

The show, staged in the prestigious Assembly Hall, reinterpreted the unforgettable soundtracks of films inspired by Southern Italy – from The Leopard to Cinema Paradiso, from The Postman to Baarìa – through a contemporary scenic language. The music of Morricone, Rota, and Bacalov became the core of a narrative where technology and research coexisted in a single storytelling.

In his speech, Ambassador Luigi Maria Vignali, Head of the Permanent Mission of Italy to the United Nations, defined the concert as “a concrete testimony to the power of music and cinema as instruments of mutual understanding and, ultimately, of peace among nations. With this spirit, Italy intends to approach its new mandate.”

Under the direction of M° Michelangelo Galeati, an orchestra of young talents from the partner Conservatories delivered an exceptional performance, enriched by cutting-edge technological components: motion sensors transformed the conductor’s gestures into real-time sound and light, while a platform developed by the Engineering departments of the University of Calabria and the University of Palermo – project partners – translated rhythms into visual geometries generated by artificial intelligence.

The internationalization path of MUSIC4D thus continues, led by the Conservatory of Palermo, which, in the same Geneva venue, met with the First Secretary of the United Nations as part of the United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI) program. This was a moment of strategic discussion where the community project was presented as a virtuous model of higher education, capable of supporting UN objectives through the sharing of research, innovation, and culture.From Europe to the Americas, and now to the prestigious Palace of Nations, MUSIC4D concretely demonstrates how Italian academic excellence can transform into a universal language of dialogue and peace. The success of “From Morricone to Bacalov” at the UN is not merely a celebration of a diplomatic mandate, but a confirmation that musical innovation and the enhancement of Southern Italy’sheritage have the power to inspire and build bridges between cultures, projecting Italian values and the vision of MUSIC4D onto a truly global stage, where the challenges and opportunities of tomorrow are shaped.

MUSIC4D at the United Nations Palace in Geneva

Following stops in Los Angeles and New York’s Carnegie Hall, MUSIC4D arrives at the United Nations Palace in Geneva for Italy’s 2026-28 Human Rights Council mandate, with “From Morricone to Bacalov” a show that blends music, cinema, and advanced technologies. The PNRR project places Southern Italy at the heart of international cultural dialogue.

PALERMO, 27.01.2026 – Following its international tours in Los Angeles and at New York’s Carnegie Hall, the MUSIC4D project arrives at one of the world’s iconic venues for diplomacy, thanks to a collaboration with the Permanent Mission of Italy to the UN and International Organizations in Geneva.

On Thursday, February 5th, at 6:00 PM, the United Nations Palace in Geneva will host “From Morricone to Bacalov: The Music of Southern Italian Cinema,” a show that transforms film music into a powerful tool for cultural dialogue, speaking to global audiences and institutions.

In the Assembly Hall, this will not be merely a concert performance but an immersive experience that reinterprets the great film scores inspired by Southern Italy through a contemporary performance language, where music, technology, and research merge into a single narrative. The compositions of Ennio Morricone, Nino Rota, and Luis Bacalov become living, reimagined material, capable of resonating in an international context like that of the United Nations.

At the heart of the show is our collective emotional memory: melodies that have portrayed the South not as a periphery, but as a fertile ground for universal narratives. From The Leopard to Cinema Paradiso, from Il Postino to Baarìa, this music has given voice to local stories, transforming them into a shared heritage that is more relevant today than ever.

«Bringing this repertoire to the Palace of Nations, on the occasion of Italy’s new mandate at the Human Rights Council for 2026-28, is to recognize that music has a role that extends beyond the artistic dimension», emphasizes Michelangelo Galeati, conductor and advisor for MUSIC4D. «Here, music becomes a meeting space, a non-verbal language capable of crossing cultural and political borders. It is a diplomatic gesture that showcases Southern Italy as a landscape of vision, not nostalgia».

Under the direction of M° Michelangelo Galeati, the ensemble features M° Fabio Crescente on double bass, Kim Sun Yang, the celebrated Korean bandoneonist, along with an orchestra of professors and young musicians selected from the project’s partner Conservatories.

«Performing in a place like the UN in Geneva gives a different meaning to our work», states Fabio Crescente, scientific coordinator of MUSIC4D. «This music originates from cinema, but today it speaks of identity, roots, and the future. To have it resonate here demonstrates that Italian music education can engage on equal footing with major international stages».

The performance is enhanced by an advanced technological component: motion sensors transform the conductor’s gestures into real-time sound and light, while a platform developed by the project’s partner University translates rhythms and frequencies into visual geometries, also generated by artificial intelligence, creating an immersive audiovisual narrative.

The Geneva event represents a key step in the international journey of MUSIC4D. Led by the Alessandro Scarlatti Conservatory of Palermo and supported by PNRR funds, the project is establishing itself as an integrated model of higher education, cultural production, and technological innovation.After America, the United Nations. “From Morricone to Bacalov” confirms that the musical imagination of Southern Italy, when met with research and vision, can transform into a globalgrammar, capable of inspiring, connecting, and fostering exchange in the very places where the world’s future is being built.