Partiture Festival – Zō Centro Culture Contemporanee

A festival for the most innovative musical languages

Partiture is the music series that Zō Centro Culture Contemporanee in Catania dedicates to the most innovative and experimental forms of contemporary music, ranging from electronic and neoclassical to cutting-edge sound research. Rather than a single event, it is a season-long program spanning several months, from January to May, featuring a series of monographic appointments that push the boundaries between genres.

Zō, the former sulfur refinery

The festival takes place within the Zō complex at Piazzale Rocco Chinnici 6, in the heart of Catania. This industrial site, a piece of 20th-century archaeology once used as a sulfur refinery (the former Ciminiere), has been transformed into one of the most important cultural hubs in Eastern Sicily. Its spacious, architecturally striking environment provides the perfect natural setting for immersive performances, audio-visual live sets, and concerts that bridge the gap between sound, image, and space.

An international lineup

Partiture stands out for the quality and international scope of its programming. Over the years, thanks to this festival, the city of Catania has hosted prominent artists from the European electronic and neoclassical scenes, with projects ranging from deconstructed trance to ambient, and from piano music to audio-visual experimentation. Each evening is designed as a unique listening experience, often accompanied by an opening act showcasing emerging local talent.

• Concerts by Italian and international sound research artists
• Audio-visual live sets and immersive performances in the former refinery
• Co-productions with local and national independent music entities
• Special events such as Piano Day, dedicated to the piano

A landmark event for Sicily

For the audience in Catania and across Sicily, Partiture represents one of the few consistent opportunities to experience the most advanced trends in electronic and contemporary music live, in a setting that combines curatorial rigor with a focus on innovation. The festival reaffirms Zō's role as a vital center for experimentation and cultural openness in the city of Catania.