The University of Bologna writes an important page in the history of Sardinia and its ancient musical tradition. The Alma Mater will award an honorary degree to the 90-year-old musician Luigi Lai on Tuesday 14, and pay homage to him with a concert by Fresu.

THE CEREMONY – «The greatest launeddas player of all time - direct insufflation triple clarinet of the Sardinian tradition - will receive a degree in Disciplines of Music and Theater from the University of Bologna. The same evening, in the Aula Absidale, the maestro will be celebrated with the presentation of a documentary film about him by Gianfranco Cabiddu, and with a concert conceived for him by Paolo Fresu: they will play together, with the participation of the musicians of Sonos 'e memoria », announces a note from the prestigious Italian university. The ceremony is scheduled for 4 pm, in the Aula Magna of Santa Lucia. Alma Mater, the oldest European university, founded in 1088, well highlights how Lai «is the greatest living interpreter of the music of the launeddas, an instrument of oral tradition present in the southern part of Sardinia, of which Lai preserves and continues to elaborate the wide repertoire».

THE PARCHMENT – The Magnificent Rector Giovanni Molari will open the ceremony, then Professor Domenico Staiti will pronounce the Laudatio and then the director of the Department of Arts, Giacomo Manzoli, will explain the reasons that led to the approval of the proposal for conferring the degree in Disciplines of Music and Theater to Luigi Lai. The maestro, originally from San Vito, having received the parchment, will hold a masterful lesson on the music of the launeddas, during which he will concretely exhibit the techniques and compositional structures, performing parts of the repertoire. The tribute to maestro Lai will continue during the evening: at 9 pm, in the Aula Absidale: (Via de' Chiari, 23/A - Bologna) there will be a tribute concert to Luigi Lai with prof. Ignazio Macchiarella (University of Cagliari), with the director Gianfranco Cabiddu and with Paolo Fresu and the musicians of Sonos and memory (Elena Ledda, Mauro Palmas, Gavino Murgia, Federico Sanesi, Marcello Floris). Admission is free with online booking.