Greek Theatre – Summer Season 2026 Musical Band “Città di Procida”

Youth Orchestra Festival, Greek Theatre of La Mortella Gardens, Ischia: the “Città di Procida” Concert Band to Open the New Symphonic Season Promoted by the Walton Foundation

Free concert, subject to seat availability.

A choice of great symbolic value: on Thursday, June 25 at 9:00 PM, the summer season at the Greek Theatre of La Mortella Gardens in Ischia will open with a concert band performance. This is a tribute to one of Italy’s most authentic and deeply rooted musical traditions, built on participation, collective memory, and the transmission of knowledge between generations. It is a world that Sir William Walton regarded with particular interest, recognizing its fundamental cultural and educational role.

Over the years, the Youth Orchestra Festival has welcomed a wide variety of ensembles, including several important wind bands. The festival began in July 2008 with the Delianuova Youth Wind Orchestra, an ensemble that had attracted the attention of Maestro Riccardo Muti, who publicly emphasized the educational value and importance of concert bands within the Italian musical landscape.

The participation of the “Città di Procida” Concert Band continues this tradition while taking on a special significance today: strengthening the dialogue between La Mortella and the surrounding communities, reaffirming the desire to make the Festival increasingly open, inclusive, and connected to the local territory.

The Cultural Association “Amici della Musica,” from which the “Città di Procida” Concert Band originated, was founded in 1982 by a group of passionate residents who wished to preserve the memory of the island’s historic band of the 1940s and 1950s. Since then, thanks to the daily commitment of volunteers, teachers, and musicians, the band has become a cornerstone of the local community, offering young people a meaningful opportunity for personal and artistic growth.

Entirely self-funded, the Procida Band combines its concert activity with an intense educational commitment: from its music school to introductory courses for younger children, from the Procida Junior Band to projects carried out in collaboration with local schools. This continuous effort has enabled generations of young people to approach music through values such as discipline, teamwork, mutual respect, and a sense of belonging.

Over the years, the ensemble has participated in some of the most important national and international festivals and competitions, earning prestigious awards and widespread acclaim from both audiences and critics. Yet beyond the accolades, its most significant achievement remains its ability to transform musical practice into a powerful tool for social cohesion and community building.

Since 2002, the band’s artistic and educational direction has been entrusted to Francesco Trio, under whose leadership the ensemble has further strengthened its development and the quality of its performances.

The June 25 event at La Mortella will therefore be much more than an opening concert: it will be a celebration open to everyone, an opportunity to bring the Festival even closer to its local community and to share with residents and visitors alike the values of participation, inclusion, and beauty that have always inspired the mission of the William Walton Foundation and La Mortella Gardens.

Admission to the concert is free, subject to availability. However, advance reservation is required through La Mortella Gardens.

An invitation is extended to the entire island community and to all visitors to celebrate together the beginning of a new summer of music.

For information and reservations: lamortella.org

RESERVATION IS REQUIRED
The ticket price is €20.00 (single rate).
The concert takes place outdoors at the Teatro Greco at La Mortella Gardens and lasts approximately 80 minutes.
Tickets must be reserved at the ticket office of Giardini La Mortella,
from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday,
or by phone at +39 081 986220.
The management reserves the right to modify the program in case of technical or artistic necessity.
Artistic Director: Caroline Howard.