Founded in 1921, Filarmonica Laudamo is the oldest Sicilian concert association and the seventh created in Italy.
Instantly characterised by the elevated quality of its artistic programming, as early as 1930 it was awarded the Encouragement Prize by the prestigious Royal Academy of Italy which consisted in financial support that was confirmed every year during the Thirties and the Forties.
In 1934, the Municipal Administration provided the small concert hall annexed to the Vittorio Emanuele Theatre, that ever since has been known as the “Sala Laudamo”.
In 1938 Filarmonica set up the “A. Laudamo” School of Music, later transformed into a Certified Music High School and today the “A. Corelli” Conservatory of Music (an Institute of Excellent Culture).
During the Forties, Filarmonica Laudamo produced the opera seasons, compensating for the absence of activity at the Vittorio Emanuele Theatre, closed after the 1908 earthquake (and reopened in 1985).
Until 1948 this was the only active concert society not only in Messina, but on the whole of Eastern Sicily, and its musical seasons hosted all the greatest international names.
During the post World War II period the previously almost exclusively chamber music programming opened to the symphonic repertoire, dance and also musical plays, thereby conquering new audiences.
In 1970 the association opened its own office in the “Filarmonica Laudamo Library of Music”: specialist library that today owns thousands of books, repertoires and Italian and foreign magazines, scores, full scores, manuscripts, LPs, CDs, audio and video tapes and DVDs.
The totally computerised library has been open to the public since 1985 and is used a great deal by a large number of students, musicians and music lovers.
In 1985, Filarmonica Laudamo was acknowledged in compliance with Regional Law 44/1985 as an “association of regional interest”, thanks to the 30 concert events of “great artistic importance” it had organised.
In 1993 it became a “Non-profit Organisation”.
During that same year it published a book filled with important musicological contributions and iconographic material ( 1921-1991. La Filarmonica Laudamo di Messina ), revisiting its artistic development that is also an example of cultural and artistic growth within a civilised community.
In 2001, Filarmonica Laudamo celebrated its eightieth anniversary with a photographic exhibition and also published a new book, also the result of original musicological research.
Now in its 85 th season and having produced its 1745 th concert, Filarmonica Laudamo has become a reference point for musical life and not only in Sicily.
The association's activities are performed in the following sectors:
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Concert seasons with 30 events for season ticket holders, prestigious performers from the international concert world (symphonic and symphonic-choir groups, dance companies, polyphonic choirs, chamber music musicians, soloists) and a repertoire that ranges from antique to contemporary music;
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Concerts decentralized in the province, with admission free of charge;
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Concerts for schools with admission free of charge;
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Musical propaedeutics activities;
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Contemporary musical performances;
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Commission of new music;
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Conferences, meetings and exhibitions;
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Publishing initiatives;
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Production of recordings;
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Musical projects in cooperation with the Messina University, with the “A. Corelli” Conservatory of Music in Messina, with the Italo-German Cultural Association and other important cultural institutions.
Filarmonica Laudamo is a member of CIDIM, AIAM, USAC and CIMS, it operates out of its own premises where there is also the Sound Archive as well as the Library; it owns a Steinway & Sons concert grand piano and a Steinway & Sons 3/4 baby grand.
The Association employs an artistic director (appointed in 1994), and specialised staff: one person responsible for administration, a secretary, two people responsible for external services, an assistant administrator and a librarian.
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