10 December 2025 – “Note Solidali”: the Christmas Concert at the Marist Brothers’ General House, a moment to celebrate 18 years of FMSI and renew our commitment to child rights
Christmas, with its ability to bring people together and inspire gestures of solidarity, invites us each year to care for one another and to renew our commitment to the communities with whom we walk. In this spirit, the Marist Brothers’ General House will host an event open to the community, where music, sharing, and mission come together in a space that has always embodied the Marist tradition of welcome and attentive listening. The guitar concert, which will take place in the Church of the General House on 10 December, will be a special moment not only to celebrate Christmas together but also to mark 18 years of FMSI and the collective journey in favour of children’s rights around the world.
Musical Programme
9 December — A day dedicated to performances and event preparation
- 09:00 – Guitar competition of the Díaz School (closed event)
- 11:00–15:30 – Recorded live broadcast of the concert by Vatican Radio
10 December — The Christmas concert in the Church of the General House
- 17:45 – Opening remarks by FMSI, the Marist Brothers and Maestro Díaz
- 18:00 – Concert open to the public (approx. 1h30)
Special Guests: internationally renowned teachers and artists
This year we will welcome musicians from different countries, who will enrich the programme with their artistic experience and diverse musical languages:
- Senio Diaz, was born in Siena and devoted himself to the study of the guitar with his father, the renowned Alirio Díaz. Formerly a professor at the “I. Landaeta” Conservatory in Caracas, Senio Alirio Díaz later taught at the “G. Martucci” Conservatory in Salerno, the “Alfredo Casella” Conservatory in L’Aquila, and subsequently at the International Academy of Music of the Alirio Díaz Foundation in Rome. He teaches Advanced Training Courses in Italy and abroad. He is the founder of the National “Alirio Díaz” Competition, held annually in Venezuela, and of the International “Alirio Díaz” Competition for young guitarists. As a sign of esteem for his recognized artistic merits, in 1986 Andrés Segovia gifted him a Fleta guitar, which he still performs with today.
- Ahmet Kanneci, Guitar Professor at the University of Ankara (Türkiye), a leading figure of guitar pedagogy in the country. An international concert performer, student of Alirio Díaz and author of numerous arrangements.
- Gabriel Guillén Navarro, Professor at the Conservatory of Eisenstadt (Austria), promoter of the International Guitar Festival and the “Alirio Díaz” Competition, with a strong focus on the Venezuelan repertoire.
- Daniele Salvatore Pidone, teacher at the Music High School of Catania and active concert performer, whose repertoire includes arrangements linked to the artistic legacy of Alirio Díaz.
- The ConTemporary Guitar Duo, formed by Felicia Toscano and Luigi Picardi, an ensemble that explores cross-genre musical languages and expands beyond traditional stylistic boundaries.
Their presence will make the event a moment of high artistic quality and an opportunity to highlight the richness and diversity of musical and cultural backgrounds.
An invitation to participate
This concert is born as a moment of Family and Community. An opportunity to pause, listen, and rediscover—through music—the deeper meaning of Christmas: building relationships, promoting solidarity, and nurturing together our shared commitment to the rights of every child and young person. We are delighted to welcome all those who wish to join us for this evening of celebration, appreciation, and encounter.
