Fabrizio De André Award – Parlare Musica

An award in the spirit of Faber

The Fabrizio De André Award – Parlare Musica is a national competition that has been championing new artists distinguished by the originality of their musical and poetic compositions since 2002. Established in Rome in the name of one of Italy's greatest singer-songwriters, the award carries forward Fabrizio De André's legacy: creative freedom, empathy for the marginalized, and the power of words turned into song. For over twenty years, it has supported emerging talents who choose the path of authentic artistic research, far from fleeting trends.

Three categories: music, poetry, and painting

The competition is divided into three artistic disciplines that engage in a dialogue with one another. The music section rewards original songwriting and includes a selection phase, live semi-finals, and a national final in Rome. The poetry and painting sections welcome original works capable of conveying a personal vision of the present. Participation is free and open to anyone working in these three fields, with the goal of stimulating the experimental creativity of authors, composers, performers, poets, and painters.

The final in Piazza Fabrizio De André

The heart of the award is the national final, which takes place in September in Piazza Fabrizio De André, located in the Magliana district of Rome. The venue is no coincidence: an agreement between Rome Capital and the De André Foundation has established this square as the permanent home for the award, bringing two evenings of great popular music, meetings, and performances to the neighborhood, all free to the public.

Awards and the Faber Plaque

Alongside the prizes for the three sections, the event awards the prestigious Faber Plaque to figures who have distinguished themselves in the world of culture and music, and the "Those who sing Fabrizio" Plaque to artists who reinterpret De André's repertoire. The juries bring together industry experts and, in recent editions, have been chaired by Dori Ghezzi, guardian of De André's work.

Rome Capital and the Lazio region

Promoted and supported by the Department of Culture of Rome Capital, with the coordination of the Cultural Activities Department, the patronage of the Fabrizio De André Onlus Foundation, and executive production by iCompany, the award has become a defining event for the Capital and the entire Lazio region. It represents a key moment where Italian songwriting meets new generations in one of the most symbolic squares of the Roman suburbs.