In Italy, brass and wind bands – known as bande musicali – are everywhere: they perform in town squares, lead religious processions, train local youth, and preserve centuries of musical tradition. Still today, they are a central feature of social life in many villages, and their history is strictly connected to that of Italy as a nation. 

In the early 19th century, as Italy moved toward unification, many military regiments had wind ensembles used to boost morale and accompany parades or military funerals; over time, civilian communities began to establish their own bands, often supported by the town hall or local parishes. They were composed primarily of brass, woodwinds, and percussion, and would perform in public squares, at festivals, and on feast days, offering a musical backdrop to their community’s most special moments.