The National Festival of Composition of the Accademia Filarmonica of Bologna, created as a homage to the memory of Bolognese composer and philanthropist Alfeo Gigli, is characterized by an original formula providing for the execution of all compositions sent to the attention of the Board of the Festival from 1 January to 30 June 1996, on the basis of the formalities stated in the specific rules. 37 scores by as many composers (from 15 different Italian regions) were received and performed by the Ensemble Musica Attuale in three concerts on 17, 18 and 19 October 1997 at 17.00 at the Sala Mozart of the Accademia Filarmonica. Then three CDs with all the compositions in the programme were released. Some of the scores were selected and performed on other occasions.
The initiative, unique in Italy in its genre, intends to promote the activity of Italian composers, thus giving an image of the great variety of today’s composing experiences, free from any form of prejudices or merit judgement: there emerges an extremely manifold overall picture, where beside extremely avant-garde composing languages are more traditional languages, in a great surprising variety of proposals which are evidence of the remarkable liveliness of Italian composers at the threshold of the third millennium.