Musica a Palazzo Festival

A festival in the heart of Caltanissetta

Musica a Palazzo is an early music festival that has chosen the historic halls of Palazzo Moncada as its stage—a 17th-century noble residence overlooking the center of Caltanissetta, the capital of the province of the same name in the heart of Sicily. Founded in 2021, the festival is conceived and managed by the Amoris Lætitia vocal group of the ACLI APS "Elio Vittorini" Circle, with a clear goal: to bring to light the extraordinary artistic and musical vitality of the 16th-century Moncada court, the powerful family that made Caltanissetta a prominent cultural hub.

The Sicilian Polyphonic School

The artistic core of the festival is the rediscovery of the Sicilian polyphonic school repertoire, with a special focus on the composer Giandomenico Martoretta. It is a journey through the Renaissance and Baroque eras, performed with philological care by the Amoris Lætitia choir, directed by Laura Gallo, alongside masters Calogero Sportato and Daniele Cernuto. The concerts, hosted in the piano nobile of Palazzo Moncada, transform the frescoed halls into a sonic time machine, restoring the atmosphere of a music-loving court to its audience.

The Cristobál Galán Academy

The major highlight is the launch of the Cristobál Galán Academy, hosted at the DesTEENazione space on Via Cittadella. The academy offers young musicians aged 11 to 20 completely free courses in early music: Baroque violin, cello, guitar, and lute, as well as a choral workshop. The project is part of a wider network, the Early Youth Music Orchestra & Academies, and stems from the belief that early music can become a tangible investment in the future of local youth.

A supported and networked project

Musica a Palazzo is supported by the InChorus Federation and the Ministry of Culture, and collaborates with other Italian festivals and musical organizations, including the "Note senza tempo" festival in Sassari and various schools in Caltanissetta. It is a prime example of how a city in the Sicilian hinterland can build a high-quality cultural event year after year, capable of enhancing historical heritage and training new generations of musicians.