Music Art Festival

An international competition in the village of San Vittore del Lazio

The Music Art Festival is an international music competition that transforms San Vittore del Lazio—a small town in the province of Frosinone, at the southern tip of the Lazio Region, just a few kilometers from Cassino—into a meeting point for young musicians and established performers every November. Auditions are held in the Town Hall Council Chamber on Via S. Croce, and the event concludes with a concert open to the public.

Competition sections

The competition rules divide the event into several sections for soloists and ensembles:

• Classical accordion, soloists and ensembles;
• Variety accordion and digital accordion;
• Bandoneon;
• Digital piano and electronic keyboard;
• Organetto and diatonic accordion, instruments that symbolize the folk traditions of Central and Southern Italy;
• Singing: opera, pop/rock, jazz, and vocal ensembles.

Categories are divided by age, from children to competitors with no age limit: a formula that makes the competition a showcase for emerging talent and a valuable opportunity for exchange among musicians of all backgrounds.

The Music Art Association and the history of the award

Behind the event is the Music Art cultural-musical association, which has been active in the Cassino area for years. As early as 2016, it organized the sixth edition of the National Music Art Competition in San Vittore del Lazio, which has since grown into an international award, recognized and supported by the patronage and contribution of the Lazio Region and the collaboration of the Municipality of San Vittore del Lazio. Overall winners receive trophies, certificates of merit, scholarships, and concert prizes.

A forge for young talent

The competition has established itself as a springboard for young instrumentalists. Among the emerging names is the young organetto player from Velletri, Emanuele Vicario, who won the diatonic section for three consecutive years up to 2025 and has since been awarded in other international competitions. Stories like his reflect the festival's mission: to promote folk instruments like the organetto alongside classical and modern repertoires.

More than just a competition: concerts in the area

Alongside the audition days, the association promotes concerts and musical events throughout the local municipalities, such as the evocative Candle Night held at the Roman Theatre of Cassino: a way to bring the festival's music beyond the walls of the council chamber and connect it to the historical sites of lower Lazio.

Why attend or participate

For musicians, the Music Art Festival is a serious test with a qualified jury and tangible prizes; for the audience, it is a rare opportunity to hear talented accordionists, organetto players, and singers live in an authentic Ciociaria village, far from the major circuits but with surprising musical quality.