Music Festival – The Voice of Places

The Music Festival in Grottaglie

Every June 21st, the Music Festival sweeps across Italy, and Grottaglie, the city of ceramics in the province of Taranto, answers the call with an event that has become a local tradition. Held in the outdoor area of the Maria SS. del Rosario Parish, the event presents the Apulian version of the show titled "The Voice of Places", a theme that highlights the deep bond between music and the territories that inspire it.

The event is promoted by the Schécci ETS Cultural Association together with UDEL – University of the Free Age of Grottaglie, in partnership with AIPFM – Music Festival Italy. Admission is free, in keeping with the participatory and popular spirit that characterizes this festival throughout Europe.

A performance between word and sound

The evening is structured as a journey that brings literature and music into dialogue, alternating readings with live performances. The reciting voices of Angela Astone and Patrizia De Pascali guide the audience through verses and reflections by great authors, while electronic and improvised sounds curated by Richard Dj serve as the common thread throughout the show. The repertoire includes verses by Charles Baudelaire alongside contemporary compositions, blending immortal poetry with modern soundscapes.

The choir and Italian tradition

The musical heart of the evening is the UDEL Choir, directed by Maestro Giuseppe Gallo, which performs a selection of songs that have made Italian music history: from Nel blu dipinto di blu to 'O sole mio, passing through Sapore di sale, Io, vagabondo, and Tu vuo' fa' l'americano. The program is enriched by the performances of classical guitarists Francesco Barbati, Cosimo Pio Esposito, and Francesco Rizzo, as well as original piano compositions by Maestro Gallo himself.

An event for the community

More than just a concert, the Grottaglie Music Festival is a meeting point for the community, where different generations come together around poetry and live music. The intergenerational format, with UDEL at the forefront, highlights the role of culture as a space for social connection and sharing, set against the backdrop of a vibrant Apulian summer. The event is part of Grottaglie's summer calendar and the grand national network that celebrates music in all its forms every year on the summer solstice.