Seven days of concerts, lectures and workshops will take place in the unique event that celebrates the music industry in Italy

Next week, from November 18th to 24th, the 8th edition of Milano Music Week (MMW) begins, an event that celebrates the music industry. More than 300 free events — DJ sets, lectures, workshops, meetings with artists — will take place in the city, inviting artists and the general public to actively participate in the world of music.

MMW emerged in 2017, an initiative by the city of Milan together with musical associations. What at the beginning was a shy week, with few lectures and conferences about the music industry, is now a gigantic event that brings companies and people from different regions of Italy to Milan. 

This year, the theme of the eighth edition is “The future is already here” (“Il futuro è già qui”). For Nur Al Habash, artistic director of Milano Music Week, the theme reflects the urge of the music industry to adapt to new technologies. While part of the industry treats technological advances as something to worry about only in the future, MMW wants to approach the subject from a new perspective:

We want to say that nowadays technological advancement is so fast that as soon as there’s a new thing, after three months, it’s already a reality. It’s not being in a hurry and, at the same time, it’s being conscious of the fact that the future is happening now and there’s actually no point in talking about the future anymore. It’s about being ready for the present”, says Nur in an interview with Radio IULM.

Under this new perspective, the event — the only one in Italy about the music industry — can help and teach emerging artists and companies in the sector on how to deal with the developments that technology causes in music. Furthermore, Milano Music Week stabilizes itself as an opportunity to build a network between different professionals and function as a space to exchange ideas about work, creativity and mental health. “It is important because this is the only time of the year that we take the time to talk among us [music professionals]. And, for those who don’t belong to the music industry, it shows that music is a proper job, not a hobby, an industry.”

For musicians, the event is a chance to reflect on their careers and obtain the knowledge necessary to establish themselves in the industry, completely free of charge, through lectures and workshops.

But not only that. Applications for the traditional MMW contest closed today, in which an artist or band is chosen to perform at the end of the event, on the 24th. According to Nur, every year they receive around 200 applications per day; however, only three artists reach the final. As the contest judge, she says she looks for finalists with personality: “We look for artists that can convey an original language or an original image through their music, through their name, their bio and press photos; everything combined together, get a chance to be selected”, says.

The events

This year, Parco Sempione is the headquarter of the Week, with events at Castello Sforzesco, around Arco della Pace and at the Triennale Milano, but also with programs in other locations in the city, organized by Milano Music Week partners. 

Nur’s personal choice is the visit to the Acquario Civico Milano, an event that will take place on the 19th, at 4pm, and will feature a playlist of original songs by CAM Sugar, an Italian label with musical repertoire from the 60s and 70s. On Sunday, her pick is the concert by the pianist Angelo Trabace, who will play compositions by Emahoy Tsegué-Maryam Guèbrou, an Ethiopian artist who reinvented classical music with an African twist.

These and other events, such as lectures, workshops, classes, concerts and DJ sets, are free and take place throughout the week. It is possible to book tickets through the DICE platform.

^{Featured image: MilanoMusicWeek}