Italian pop music took the Big Apple by storm at the first-ever Young Italian Music Festival, hosted by Commissione Giovani New York, at the Hudson Terrace in the heart of Manhattan on October 28.

Celebrated artists Daniele Battaglia, Max De Angelis, and Daniele Stefani flew in from Italy to perform at the concert and were greeted with overwhelming enthusiasm from the international crowd who came to find out more about the music that people are listening to today in Italy.  The Italian trio of pop stars was joined by two local singers, Italian American Gaetano Fava and Perugian-born Eleonora Bianchini, who put their own unique spin on modern Italian music.

CGNY President Graziano Casale commented, “We are thrilled to have had such an incredible line-up for this event. Even in a city like New York, where you can hear live music of almost every genre imaginable, Italian pop music isn’t all that well-known. So this concert gave people a chance to hear some amazing singers who have been successful in Italy and beyond, and offered them a taste of what’s been happening in Italian music in recent years.”

The artists performed some of the hits that made them famous in Italy, including “Chiaraluna” by Daniele Stefani, “Sono qui per questo” by Max De Angelis, and “Fresco” by Daniele Battaglia.  And while for some of those in attendance, the concert marked the first time that they heard these songs, it will likely not be the last.

Concertgoer and Bronx resident Denise Martino has already researched the artists on YouTube and iTunes.  She added, “The festival was a wonderful opportunity to get up to speed on the latest music trends in Italy. When I travelled there several years ago, I fell in love with some of the music I heard on the radio, but unfortunately, not much of it makes its way to the US unless you actively seek it out.”

That’s where CGNY comes in. The group’s mission is to promote and preserve the Italian culture, language, and heritage among youth in the US, and since its inception in December 2008, it has proudly celebrated the aspects of Italian life that we all know and love, including music, soccer, food, wine, fashion, and of course, friendship.

CGNY is especially grateful to the generous sponsors who helped make the first-ever Young Italian Music Festival a reality: Moretti, the major partner in this event; the Jolly Hotel; Aperol; Bocca Restaurant; Bella Blu Restaurant; Brio Restaurant; Keste' Pizzeria; Dino's Pizza & Pasta; Spiotta's Salon; Bronx Net TV; and I-Italy.

The organizers of the night:

Graziano Casale - Host
Giovanna Loiotile - Host
Lisa Capezzuoli - Art Director
Fabiana Mazzocco - Entertainment Coordinator
Rino Pietanza - Finance and Treasurer
Kristine Jannuzzi - Media and PR
Andrea Forte - Live stage resp
Enzo Gravela - DJ, sound and audio

Special thanks to Deborah Megna, Stefano Contestabile, Fabrizio Caccetta, Giancarlo, Valentina and Alex for their fantastic support of this endeavor.