The "Città di Procida" Band was founded in 1986 thanks to the passion and perseverance of a number of people who still had vivid memories of the Procida Band of the 1940s and 50s. The main aim was to attract young people to study music and form a small band that would perform at civil and religious events. The idea was a great success and just two years after its foundation, the "Città di Procida" Band made its debut.

During its first 10 years the Band had several presidents and three directors who contributed greatly to its success. Under the direction of Maestro Michele Papandrea (who succeeded Maestro Augusto Arcamone in September 1994) and with the help of one of our most well-known presidents, Antonio Esposito, in 1994 the entire band underwent a process of renovation to make it a modern group in step with the times.

Since then the band has undergone a process of rejuvenation and is now made up entirely of young people. It has also changed its objectives completely and now seeks to play an important role in its immediate social environment and to continually improve the Band's level of artistic achievement.

In March 1999 and in 2001 the Band took part in the great "Flicorno d'Oro" International Band Competition in Riva del Garda, Italy, finishing in seventh and third place respectively in Division Three, and receiving the consolation prize and special prize, which were awarded directly by the President of the jury, Maestro Franco Cesarini.

In September 1999, 2000 and 2001 they participated in the "Bacchetta d'Oro" National Band Competition in Frosinone, Italy, where they came second in the Division Three, won the Silver Baton prize for having given the best performance in the entire contest of the symphonic march "Introdacqua" by Gesualdo Coggi, and came third in Division Two.

In January 2000 the Band was twinned with the Band of Albiano (Trentino, Italy).

In recent years the Band has also worked to form the Procida Junior Band, made up of musicians under 18 years of age. Under the direction of Francesco Trio, the Junior Band made its debut at the Valle d'Itria Festival in Cisternino, Italy, in July 2000. This was followed by their participation in the Frosinone competition in September 2001 and in the first International Youth Competition in Riva del Garda (where they placed fourth overall) in April 2001.

In October 2001 the Band hosted an advanced workshop by the composer and conductor Lorenzo Pusceddu, who it also commissioned to compose the piece "Prochytas", published by Scomegna, to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of its foundation. In February 2002, it hosted another workshop by the Italian composer and conductor Lorenzo Della Fonte.

In April 2003 the Band collaborated with another local band to participate in the National Band Festival "Cavallo di Fuoco" in Ripatransone, Italy. In May of the same year it gave a concert in Naples as part of the "Maggio dei Monumenti" celebrations.

In June 2003 it participated in the S. Angelo in Formis Band Festival (Italy) and in July of the same year it took part in the VII edition of the Valle d'Itria Festival in Cisternino. In August it gave two concerts in Serra Petrona and also in Tolentino where it was a guest of the local "Nazareno Gabrielli" Band. In September it was invited to attend the final evening of the Second National Milazzo Band Festival where it received the public commendation of Maestro Fulvio Creux, Director of the Italian Army Band. In October, following an idea from Francisco Trio, the Band's Director, the Band organized, for the first time in Southern Italy and in collaboration with the Municipality of Procida, the "First Wind Band Conducting Course". Participation was restricted to ten conductors from the south of the Peninsula and the course was taught by the internationally renowned director, Lorenzo Della Fonte.

In December 2003 the band took part in the First International Band Contest "City of Sinnai" in Division Two.

In October 2004 the Band hosted the "Second Wind Band Conducting Course", taught by the American conductor, Eugene Migliaro Corporon, and the Italian director, Lorenzo Della Fonte.

In May 2005, in collaboration with the "Carl Orff" Wind Orchestra from Priolo Gargallo, Siracusa, the Band organized the "First Course for Wind Band Conductors", taught by Eugene Corporon and Lorenzo Della Fonte.

In July 2005 the Band was invited to participate in the International Wind Band Contest "City of Valencia" where it came third in Division Two. In August it was invited by the Amaseno Band to hold a concert to mark the occasion of its twenty-fifth anniversary. In November, the Band organized the "Third Course for Wind Band Conductors", taught by Lorenzo Della Fonte.

In February 2006, and in collaboration with the "Carl Orff" Wind Orchestra, it hosted the "Fourth Course for Wind Band Conductors", taught by Eugene Corporon and Lorenzo Della Fonte.

In March 2006 the Band recorded its first CD based on the traditional funerary repertoire of Procida Holy Week.

In August 2008 the Band was invited to take part in the National Festival for Bands in San Mauro Cilento, Italy.

In November 2008 it organized the "Sixth Course for Wind Band Conductors", taught by Lorenzo Della Fonte.

In September 2009 the Band was invited to participate in the V edition of the Laino Borgo Wind Band Contest, Italy, where it won the prize for the best conductor and for the best composer and also received a special mention for the best performance of the compulsory piece.

In April 2010 it participated in the "Flicorno d'Oro" International Band Competition in Riva Del Garda in Division One and in May 2010 in the "Bacchetta d'Oro" International Wind Band Competition in Fiuggi, where it came third in Division One.

The Band has premiered numerous original compositions in Italy by many great composers such as Grainger and Claude T. Smith.

Currently, the Band has 40 members who are either professional musicians or students at the best conservatories in the region.

The Band has been directed by Francesco Trio since October 2002, and Giuseppe Cascone has been its President since October 2006.


BIOGRAPHY OF THE CONDUCTOR

Francesco Trio

Francesco Trio began his career as a jazz saxophonist and since 2000 he has devoted himself entirely to directing wind bands.

He is the founder of the Procida Junior Band, a group of young musicians aged between 6 and 18. Since November 2002 he has been the Principal Conductor of the "Città di Procida" Wind Band, which he has directed at various Italian music competitions, including: the "Flicorno d'Oro" (Riva del Garda); the "Bacchetta d'Oro" (Frosinone); the VII and X editions of the Valle d'Itria Festival (Cisternino); Canicattini Bagni (Sicily); the III edition of the National Band Festival "Cavallo di Fuoco" (Ripatransone) and the I edition of the National Band Festival (Delianuova), as well as at the International Wind Band Contest "City of Valencia".

He has collaborated with the Ripatransone Youth Wind Orchestra to record a CD, released by Animando, performing as both conductor and a musician.

He has studied Orchestra Conducting with Lorenzo Della Fonte and Eugene Migliaro Corporon and completed courses in conducting and refinement with teachers of national and international renown (including Jo Conjaerts and Douglas Bostock).

He has worked as a teaching assistant with Lorenzo Della Fonte, giving master classes in conducting.

He is continually involved in researching and organizing conducting courses with internationally recognized teachers and he has always been committed to the local tradition of promoting original music for wind bands.

He has performed several national premieres of original works for wind band by renowned composers such as Grainger and Claude Thomas Smith.

He was selected, after an audition process, to conduct the Tokyo Kosei Wind Orchestra during the first master class in its history in Turin during September 2010.

He attended the "San Pietro a Majella" Conservatory in Naples, where he gained his master's degree in Wind Band Conducting.

Since November 2006 he has also been the Principal Conductor of the "Città di Sora" Symphonic Band (Frosinone, Italy).