Music Week (Maria Russo Spena Prize)

A week dedicated to youth music

The Music Week is the flagship musical event promoted by the Municipality of Acerra, in the province of Naples, at the heart of the Campania region. Conceived by former mayor Titina Verone and carried forward by the municipal administration through the Public Education Office, the festival is entirely dedicated to local school students, turning the city into a true capital of musical education for several days in May.

Three days of concerts in Acerra's iconic landmarks

For three days, performances bring the city's most beautiful and symbolic venues to life: the Teatro Italia, the beating heart of the festival, as well as the Castello dei Conti and the auditorium of the Don Milani-Capasso school, which coordinates the organization. Students from dozens of schools across Campania take turns on stage in a program that weaves together music, dance, and theatre. The initiative is part of the Ministry of Education's "Music Network" and receives support from the Campania Region.

The "Maria Russo Spena" Musicality Prize

The highlight of the event is the "Maria Russo Spena" Musicality Prize, a competition named after the late professor from Acerra and curated by her daughter, Maria Cristina Casoria. Free and open to primary and secondary school students, the prize attracts young instrumentalists from all over Italy. The auditions are divided into six categories: piano, wind instruments, strings, guitar, percussion, and ensemble. Alongside the competitive sections, the "Titina Verone" Merit Plaque has been established, reserved for primary school students who demonstrate particular musical sensitivity, regardless of the jury's score.

An educational project for the community

The Music Week is not just a showcase for talent, but an educational project that values the daily work of teachers and families. The event bears the evocative title "Pulcinellan...do...re...mi... e se continua a sunà, a cantà, a ballà e a recità", which playfully references the Neapolitan folk tradition and the multidisciplinary nature of the event. The prize is supported by local entities such as the Villa dei Fiori Clinic, the Banca di Credito Popolare, the Rotary Club Acerra-Casalnuovo "A. Montano", and the Lions Club "Valle di Suessola".

Why attend

• A unique opportunity to hear the new generation of musicians from Campania and Italy.
• Concerts in historical venues of Acerra such as the Teatro Italia and the Castello dei Conti.
• A free competition that rewards the talent and musical sensitivity of the youth.
• An event that unites schools, families, and institutions around the educational value of music.