Iniziative
Erasmus Orchestra
The Erasmus Orchestra was created in 2017 on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Erasmus Programme (the European programme that provided more than 4 million youths with the experience of a training/study opportunity abroad), under the initiative of the Indire’s Erasmus+ Italian National Agency.
The Erasmus Orchestra is a musical ensemble, unique in its kind, made up of students of Italian conservatories and music institutes that participated or are taking part in an Erasmus international mobility experience.
Objectives
The initiative carries deeply symbolic meaning aiming to promote the values of the Erasmus generation, that is open, dynamic and supportive, and to enhance the values of Europe, by using music as a metaphor of integration, encounter and development of competences beyond any linguistic, geographical and cultural barriers.
Results of the project and further improvements
Since its debut in 2017 at the Festival of Europe in Florence, the performances of the Erasmus Orchestra have obtained great success of audience and interest from media and institutions, beyond national level. This has led the Indire’s Erasmus+ Italian National Agency to invest further in the future of the project. The future perspective is to include students from other countries to perform in Europe and in the rest of the world and spread the values of the Programme, while offering occasions of cultural exchange and dialogue. Through the Orchestra, the Agency aims to contribute to enhancing talents and excellences of Italian conservatories and music institutes, by developing collaborations and partnerships to offer young professionals a unique opportunity to showcase their talent, providing a valuable chance for young musicians’ professional career, with public international performances.
In a growth perspective, the Erasmus orchestra will participate in international networks, including the European association of conservatories, and will start structured fundraising projects, aimed at supporting the orchestra, and social and cultural initiatives.
Erasmus Orchestra in numbers

Upcoming concerts

Past concerts
7 March 2023 // Inauguration of the Didacta Italia Fair
The Erasmus Orchestra performed for the opening of Fiera Didacta Italia 2023. The evening took place on Tuesday 7 March 2023 at the Salone dei Cinquecento, Palazzo Vecchio, Florence.
30 January – 2 February 2023 // “Study in Sicily” Egypt tour
The Erasmus Orchestra, with the participation of students from the Conservatories of Sicily and the Conservatory of Cairo, held a series of special concerts in Egypt from 30 January to 2 February 2023, scheduled in Luxor, Cairo and Alexandria. The initiative took place within the “Study in Sicily” project, which sees INDIRE, the Sicilian Region and the Italian Cultural Institute in Cairo among the promoters.
19 December, 2022 // Sala Scarlatti, San Pietro a Majella Conservatory in Naples
Director: M. Elio Orciuolo
The Erasmus Orchestra performed on the sidelines of the international seminar “P.E.A.C.E. Erasmus+ contribution to European civic participation”.
19 May, 2022 // Florence | Salone dei Cinquecento, Palazzo Vecchio
Director: M. Elio Orciuolo
The concert inaugurated the fifth edition of Fiera Didacta Italia.
10 May, 2022 // Florence | Verdi Theater
Director: M. Elio Orciuolo
“Europe becomes music…Happy birthday Erasmus!”. The Erasmus Orchestra celebrates the Program’s 35th anniversary with a free concert at the Teatro Verdi in Florence as part of the Festival D’Europa. The event is organized in collaboration with the “L. Cherubini” in Florence.
15 December, 2021 // Florence | Niccolini Theatre
Director: M. Elio Orciuolo
“Once upon a time… in Europe”. The Erasmus Orchestra in concert at the Teatro Niccolini in Florence for the launch of the new seven-year Erasmus+ (2021 – 2027) with a tribute to the music of Maestro Ennio Morricone.
28 January, 2020 // Brussels | Free University of Brussels
Director: M. Elio Orciuolo
The Erasmus Orchestra performed on the sidelines of the meeting ‘Co-creating Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps’ on 28 January at 18 at the Université Libre de Bruxelles. The meeting was organized by the European Commission – DG Education and Culture and saw the participation of the stakeholders of the program and high representatives of the EU institutions.
5 December 2019 // Rome | Music Park Auditorium
Director: M. Elio Orciuolo
The concert, scheduled at the Auditorium Parco della Musica (Sala Petrassi), was organized by the Erasmus+ national agency Indire on the occasion of the Indire Small Schools Week. In addition to classical music pieces, the Orchestra also performed pieces from the Christmas and crossover repertoire for the first time.
8 January 2020// Brussels| Université Libre de Bruxelles
The Erasmus orchestra performed at the end of the meeting “Co-creating Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps”. The concert was held on 28 January at 6pm at the Université Libre de Bruxelles. The meeting was organised by the European Commission – DG Education and Culture and was participated in by programme’s stakeholders and other representatives of communitarian institutions.
5 December 2019 // Rome | Auditorium Parco della Musica
The concert, at the Auditorium Parco della Musica (Petrassi hall) was organised by the Indire’s national agency Erasmus + on the occasion of the Indire’s small schools’ week. Besides classical music pieces, the orchestra performed for the first time music pieces from Christmas and crossover repertoires.
8 October 2019 // Florence |Salone dei Cinquecento
Conductor: M. Elio Orciuolo
The concert inaugurated the third edition of Didacta Fair Italy 2019
8 May 2019 // Church of Santo Stefano al Ponte, Florence (Festival of Europe)
Conductor: M. Elio Orciuolo
The concert was held within the programme of the Festival of Europe 2019.
17 October 2018 // Teatro della Compagnia, Florence (opening of Didacta Fair Italy)
Conductor: M. Elio Orciuolo
The concert inaugurated the second edition of Didacta Fair Italy.
28 September 2018 // Culture of legality in Europe, Valley of the Temples, Agrigento
Conductor: M. Elio Orciuolo
The concert was held in the area of the Temple of Juno, inside
the Valley of the Temples archaeological Park.
8 May 2018 // Concert for Europe, Brancaccio Theatre, Rome
Conductor: M. Elio Orciuolo
The concert opened the “Erasmus, what’s next?” Conference of
the States General of the Erasmus Generation.
13 October 2017 // Erasmus Days, University of Strasbourg, France
Conductor: M. Elio Orciuolo
The concert was held on the campus of the University of Strasbourg, as part of the official celebrations for the 30th anniversary of the Erasmus programme, organised by the French National Erasmus+ Agency.
27 Sept. 2017 // Didacta Fair, Fortezza da Basso, Florence
Conductor: M. Silvestro Sabatelli
Opening concert of the three-day fair on school education.
26 Sept. 2017 // Inauguration of Didacta Fair Italy, Salone dei Cinquecento, Florence
Conductor: M. Silvestro Sabatelli
The performance opened the first edition of Didacta Fair Italy one of the main national events dedicate to the school world.
9 May 2017 // Conference “Erasmus and the future of Europe”, Salone dei Cinquecento, Florence
Conductor: M. Elio Orciuolo
The concert ended the event included in the programme of national celebrations for the 30 years of Erasmus.
7 May 2017 // Celebration of 30 years of Erasmus, Festival of Europe, Teatro della Compagnia, Florence
Conductor: M. Elio Orciuolo
The concert opened the Festival of Europe in Florence and was dedicated to the 13 Erasmus students who were victims of a road accident in Spain in March 2016.
Playlist
Contacts
The staff of the Erasmus Orchestra is selected through periodic public tenders addressed to Conservatories and Music Institutes, which can participate by communicating students who have lived or are living an Erasmus mobility experience. The notices are published on this website and on the Indire website.
Form more info contact: orchestraerasmus@indire.it.