New Year's Concert – Orchestra a Plettro Città di Taormina

A New Year's tradition in the heart of Taormina

The New Year's Concert by the Orchestra a Plettro Città di Taormina has become one of the most anticipated events of the holiday season in the town of Taormina, in the province of Messina, Sicily. Every January 1st, at the Palazzo dei Congressi, the city ushers in the new year with a concert that has been a local staple for nearly half a century, drawing residents, tourists, and music lovers to the famous 'Pearl of the Ionian'.

Sicily's oldest plectrum orchestra

Founded at the dawn of the 20th century, around 1900, the Orchestra a Plettro Città di Taormina boasts over 120 years of history. It is considered the oldest and most prestigious musical ensemble in Sicily, as well as one of the longest-running plectrum groups in Italy. The ensemble was born from the desire of local Taormina musicians to unite in a single group and consists of mandolins, mandolas, mandolocellos, guitars, and double bass—the quintessential instruments of the plectrum tradition.

From Cosimo Aucello to Chico Scimone

After World War II, Maestro Cosimo Aucello gave the orchestra a classical foundation, training generations of mandolinists and guitarists while enriching the repertoire with sophisticated transcriptions. In the 1970s, the baton was taken up by Maestro Chico Scimone, a beloved figure in Taormina—a pianist and famous marathon runner—who linked the orchestra's repertoire to both Sicilian and American traditions. Today, the ensemble is led by Maestro Antonino Pellitteri, who has been at the helm since 2008.

The concert program

Each year, the New Year's Concert offers a varied and elegant program designed for a wide audience: pieces from the great symphonic-operatic heritage, Neapolitan songs, famous film soundtracks, and traditional folk melodies. The orchestra is joined by soloists and vocalists, featuring mandolin, liuto cantabile, guitar, and soprano performances, in an evening that balances virtuosity with a festive atmosphere.

A tradition of music and community

Free admission until capacity is reached makes the concert a true moment of shared celebration, a symbol of the cultural identity of Taormina and Sicily. More than just a performance, the New Year's Concert represents the pride of a community that has spent decades preserving and passing down its musical authenticity, offering residents and visitors a start to the year defined by art and tradition.