The idea of the OSS came from a discussion among the Salesians working in the Sacred Heart community in Rome and young Giuseppe Lo Presti, Salesian leader and conductor, also active in the Secretariat for the Salesian Family. "Together we decided to found the first Salesian Symphony Orchestra, which we want to be a youth orchestra able to give the opportunity to all young musicians from any Salesian house to experience music following the model of Don Bosco in a setting like Sacred Heart, the cradle of the Salesians in Rome", explained the young man.
Lo Presti, just 22 years old, has very clear ideas and lots of energy. In his young age he has already accumulated a professional curriculum worthy of attention and respect: he started as a percussionist by chance and by necessity (in middle school he could practise the drums and in music high school there were no free places for the piano), then he deepened his knowledge of piano, violin and conducting, and now he studies at the renowned "Santa Cecilia" conservatory in Rome. But his musical commitment was accompanied by his own Salesian commitment: in fact, this young man from Messina, who grew up at the Salesian oratory in the "difficult" district of Giostra, has always conceived of music as a weapon of redemption and social elevation. It is no coincidence that he has already founded and conducted the Giostra Philharmonic Orchestra, made up of many boys and girls for whom otherwise there were not many alternatives.
"Our goal was precisely this: to give young people, especially from the oratory or the street, the opportunity to become part of our family," said Lo Presti, speaking of that experience. "In the orchestra we have a motto" he continues: ‘One orchestra, one family’. Because we aim not only to grow professionally but also to be a family, to grow together as human beings. We want to become an orchestra different from the others, we want to welcome youngsters who need to be accompanied on this musical journey and we want to take them away from the street."
Strengthened by this vision and accumulated experience, the young conductor has now launched this new OSS initiative together with the Salesians at "Sacred Heart" in Rome. And also in this case the ideas are very clear: orchestral and personal professionalisation, formation and Salesianity are the three characteristics that will be pursued in implementing the project.
As mentioned, the project was immediately welcomed by the 10th Successor of Don Bosco, who from Turin, next to the statue of Don Bosco in the Valdocco courtyard, launched a message of support: "Dear young people of the OSS born this year at Sacred Heart. I am very pleased to know that there are many young musicians from Salesian Italy involved in this beautiful project. Don Bosco loved music, but above all Don Bosco loved music at the service of the mission. Congratulations, I will ask the Lord for a special blessing for you. Happy birthday!”
Currently the auditions for the formation of the Salesian Symphony Orchestra have already begun, and in just three days 30 young musicians from various oratories around the Provinces of Italy have already presented themselves: from Southern Italy, from Brescia, Rome and Tuscany. In general, the project is open to young musicians between the ages of 16 and 35. The main venue will be Rome, at the Salesian Basilica of the Sacred Heart, the heart of the Congregation in the city of Rome, but obviously the hope will be to move around on tours and events.
The OSS will follow Don Bosco and all the great musicians of the past as a model, who will help during the musical and Salesian formation all the young people who will be part of this beautiful formation scene.
"Our orchestra seeks to bring together young people from different backgrounds: conservatories, musical high schools and oratories, all together to form a single family and a single orchestra capable of reaching people's hearts through music", concludes Lo Presti.
