A series of concerts, seminars and conferences on Sibelius all over Italy are sponsored by the Institutum Romanum Finlandiae and the Finnish embassy to mark the 150th anniversary of the Finnish composer's birth. Sibelius started his second symphony (performed at S. Cecilia on 21-24 March) in the winter of 1901 in Rappalo where he and his wife were recovering after the death of the youngest of their three daughters.

The short symphony was performed by the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra the following year with Sibelius conducting. During his period in Rappalo Sibelius also travelled to Rome and to Florence.

For the full programme of the events see the Institutum Romanum Finlandiae website and for details of the Orecchio di Giano per Sibelius concert series see the website of the organisers Musica Immagine, www.musicaimmagine.it.