MessinaInMusica – Musical Competition for Messinese Composers

A competition to rediscover Messinese composers

MessinaInMusica is a musical competition conceived and organized by the Ente Autonomo Regionale Teatro di Messina with a clear goal: to promote and rediscover the musical heritage of 19th and early 20th-century Messinese composers, bringing works and scores that have long remained in the shadows back to the stage. In the heart of Messina, the provincial capital overlooking the Strait that separates Sicily from Calabria, the competition combines education with historical memory, offering young performers a rare opportunity: to study and perform the works of local authors such as Riccardo Casalaina, Giovanni Zappalà, Nicola Moleti, Alfredo Cuscinà, and Salvatore Arnò.

How it works

The competition is open to a wide range of participants, reflecting its educational mission: students from primary and lower secondary schools, pupils from music high schools and conservatories, ensembles, orchestras, choirs, and bands, as well as independent musicians up to age 32. Each contestant prepares two pieces: a composition by a Messinese author, chosen from the historical catalog provided by the organization, and a free-choice piece lasting a maximum of five minutes, for which contemporary arrangements are also permitted. Registration is free and takes place exclusively online.

Venues: Sala Laudamo and Teatro Vittorio Emanuele

The competition phases take place in two iconic locations of Messina's cultural life. Auditions and rehearsals are held in the intimate Sala Laudamo, while the grand final concert and the awards ceremony take place in the Main Hall of the prestigious Teatro Vittorio Emanuele, the city's historic traditional theater. The final evening features the finalists performing alongside the Theater's orchestra, conducted by Maestro Michele Amoroso.

A project of memory and future

MessinaInMusica is not just a competition: it is a cultural project that weaves the rediscovery of Messinese musical identity with the growth of local young talent. Performing the works of forgotten composers means restoring a precious piece of history to Sicily and the entire city on the Strait. Admission to the final concert is free until capacity is reached, confirming the desire to open this heritage to the widest possible audience.