Founded on May 27, 1845, the Filarmonica Sestrese boasts 170 years of uninterrupted activity.
The association is based on principles such as social commitment, community engagement, charity work, and cultural and musical growth. In 2011, the Filarmonica Sestrese was recognized as an association of national importance by the Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities and Tourism.
The Filarmonica is active in various fields: it runs courses in its own music school, its orchestral ensemble performs concerts and parades, and it participates in and organizes music competitions, as well as festivals and tours.
For 170 years, the music school has been one of the main activities of our association. It has over 250 enrolled students and offers courses for various types of instruments: woodwinds, brass, and percussion, as well as guitar and piano. Moreover, there are music courses for children aged 3 to 5 and a musical training course for children aged 6 to 7. The school includes young students in the Filarmonica Sestrese’s Junior Band (about 35–40 members), whose primary goal is to train them in ensemble music. Later, the young musicians join the wind orchestra, which currently consists of about 65 members, most of whom are students from our music school.
The repertoire of the Filarmonica Sestrese wind orchestra spans various musical genres: symphonic, operatic, jazz, pop, and film music. Thanks to its versatility, it offers a wide range of musical performances suitable for any event: ceremonies, inaugurations, shows, festivals, private parties, and musicals. Over the years, the Filarmonica Sestrese has participated in numerous tours, performing in Italy, across Europe, and in the United States. These musical trips provide an important formative and cultural experience, as they offer the opportunity to encounter different musical realities and foster strong bonds among the wind orchestra members. Some destinations of past tours include the United States, Germany, France, Spain, and Russia.
The Filarmonica Sestrese has also taken part in several international wind orchestra competitions—valuable educational experiences for the ensemble and a testing ground for the musical growth of its individual members.
In 1998, the orchestra began recording CDs. To date, eight albums have been produced, including both live and studio recordings. There have also been several collaborations with local theaters to produce theatrical performances.
Our association organizes a number of initiatives, including the “G. Ratto Music Competition,” the “Festival for Young Conductors,” and the biennial “International Music Festival.” The latter, first held in 2004, welcomes musical ensembles from all over Europe to our city and is eagerly anticipated by both musicians and the Genoese public.