According to Città di Empoli, the European Youth Orchestra “Ferruccio Busoni” secured patronage from the European Parliament for its 2026 edition, a distinction that highlights the program’s cultural, educational and international importance.
The orchestra, now in its third edition, is described as one of the most prominent youth‑orchestral training initiatives in Tuscany and among the few of its kind nationwide.
Each year the project selects young talent from numerous EU member states, offering participants an artistic and human experience built on sharing, musical excellence and the values of international cooperation.
For the 2026 edition, more than fifty musicians will convene in Empoli from Aug. 29 to Sep. 4 for rehearsals, masterclasses and a concert conducted by principal conductor Sergio Alapont. The final performance is scheduled for Friday, Sep. 4, at the Collegiata di Sant’Andrea and will feature works by Handel, Busoni, Mendelssohn‑Bartholdy and Beethoven.
The patronage is said to reinforce the orchestra’s mission to make Empoli a meeting place for new generations of European musicians and to promote unity, cooperation and European citizenship through art and education.
Municipal officials and the Busoni Center’s president noted that the recognition validates the project’s European dimension and its role in fostering dialogue among young people from diverse backgrounds.
The initiative is supported by the Ferruccio Busoni Music Study Center, the Municipality of Empoli, the Metropolitan City of Florence, the Ministry of Culture, the Tuscany Region and private sponsors, with a fundraising campaign running through the Art Bonus scheme.
For more information, visit comune.empoli.fi.it.