MILAN, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- Getting young people close to music is not an easy job, and the musical world needs to find more solutions to transfer to next generations the value of music, an Italian musician told Xinhua in an interview on Thursday.
Antonio Mormone is the president of Societa dei Concerti, a major music foundation created 30 years ago with the main goal to acquaint the Italian public with high-level international concerts.
"I did not like the way concerts were introduced to the public, and that was the reason why I decided to create this foundation in order to get common people, especially youngsters, closer to music by explaining its beauty to them in a more comprehensible language," Mormone said.
He pointed out that discovering and inviting young talents from all over the world is the best way to reach his goal.
"It is more and more difficult to attract youngsters to music, but I am comforted by the fact that those who take part in these initiatives then always return," he stressed.
Mormone grew up in a musical environment. When an accident forced Mormone to stop playing the piano, he recalled the "wonderful care" he received from main important musicians of that time, including outstanding pianist Arthur Rubinstein.
"At that time I promised to dedicate my entire life to music, and especially to young musicians so as to express my full gratitude to those who had helped me so much when I was a child," he said.
And so, after 30 years, Mormone's project organizes over 70 concerts a year, held at renowned "Verdi Hall" in Milan Conservatory by the best orchestras in the world - 14 to 16 are invited in Italy every year - including important German groups such as the Stuttgart Philharmonic Orchestra.
On Wednesday night, the Societa dei Concerti hosted a performance from the China Broadcasting Chinese Orchestra, attracting an enthusiastic public which were curious and interested in traditional Chinese instruments and melodies.
He explained that, being a foundation, the Societa dei Concerti survives in part from donations of music lovers. Some 50 percent of its funds come from its over 3,100 members, another 30 percent from the Italian government, and around 20 percent from various sponsors and donations.
In fact, tickets for Societa dei Concerti are not on sale but reserved only to members, while the Incontri musicali (Musical discoveries), performances of young talents, are free of charge so as to attract more people, especially youngsters.
Every year five-six young musicians, from 10 to 15 years old, are presented to the public by the foundation, which is widely defined by local media as Italy' s "classical music talent scout."
Societa dei Concerti has launched some of the most renowned musicians in the world, including famous Russian pianists Evgenij Kissin and Stanislav Bunin, and violinists Maxim Vengerov and Vadim Repin.
Mormone noted that many young talents come from China.
"They have an incredible technique and the capacity to immediately absorb the teachings and indications from their educators," he said.
