In October, during Italian American Heritage Month, a delegation from the Piccolo Coro dell’Antoniano, the renowned children’s choir featured in the Zecchino d’Oro, will travel to the United States for the first time in its history for a special week of events in New York, from October 6 to 13, 2026, dedicated to music, Italian language and culture, education, and solidarity.
This will be the choir’s second international trip, following its Asian tour in China. The tour, titled “Generations of Voices – Music for Humanity,” aims to create a cultural bridge between Italy and the United States through music and encounters among children. The project will involve schools, families, Italian institutions, Italian American communities, and international audiences, transforming the Piccolo Coro’s first visit to America into an opportunity for cultural, educational, and human exchange.
The initiative is promoted by Incanto Productions and the Global EduLanguage Foundation, in collaboration with Antoniano di Bologna, and grew out of a project strongly championed by Simona Rodano, known in American schools for the past 20 years as “The Italian Fairy – La Fata Italiana.”
The tour is supported by the Consulate General of Italy in New York, the Italian Cultural Institute of New York, the Coccia Foundation, the UNICO National Foundation, the Italian Caucus of the New York City Council, as well as leaders from the Italian and Italian American business communities.
Throughout the week, the children of the Piccolo Coro dell’Antoniano will take part in concerts, institutional meetings, and educational and cultural activities.
The program will begin on October 7 with an official welcome from Giorgio Marrapodi, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Italy to the United Nations, followed by an institutional reception at New York City Hall hosted by the Italian Caucus of the New York City Council. On October 8, the Piccolo Coro will be welcomed by the Consulate General of Italy in New York and the Italian Cultural Institute, before continuing with a special concert in New Jersey organized in collaboration with the Coccia Foundation.
During the week, the choir will also visit several New York City public schools offering Italian-English bilingual programs, promoting cultural exchange through music and language.
The week will conclude with the Piccolo Coro taking part in the Columbus Day celebrations on Fifth Avenue, bringing the voices of the Zecchino d’Oro to the red carpet in the heart of New York and providing Italian children’s music with a special international showcase.
“When I was six years old, I sang the songs of the Zecchino d’Oro without ever imagining that one day I would have the privilege of helping bring those voices to New York. Bringing the choir directly into American schools gives young people studying Italian in the United States the opportunity to discover and experience the Italian language through the voices, emotions, and firsthand experiences of children their own age coming from Italy. Bringing the Piccolo Coro to New York means bringing the Italy of children to America – an Italy capable of speaking to everyone through joy, music, and hope.”
Simona Rodano, President and Founder, Global EduLanguage Foundation
“This is the first time in our history that the Piccolo Coro has crossed the ocean to come to New York. Bringing the voices and songs of the Zecchino d’Oro to America means bringing a piece of Antoniano and Bologna to the families and children we will meet, and sharing with them the friendship, joy, and desire to be together that have always inspired our choir.
It will be a journey with many dimensions. In schools, it will be an exchange: our children will sing and listen, and they will learn that music speaks a language that needs no translation. In meetings with institutions, it will be a small seed of peace, because when children sing about meeting others, dialogue, and welcoming one another, they build something that lasts longer than applause.
And through the connection with the Franciscan friars who, in New York as in Bologna, care for those who have less, it will become an expression of solidarity – the same Franciscan spirit that has been our home at Antoniano for 70 years, rediscovered in another city, on another continent.”
Fr. Giampaolo Cavalli, President, Piccolo Coro dell’Antoniano
“The Coccia Foundation is deeply excited and honored to take part in this special initiative dedicated to promoting and celebrating our Italian heritage. One of the most meaningful aspects of this collaboration with the Global EduLanguage Foundation is the opportunity to welcome the Piccolo Coro from Italy to the United States for the first time.
Bringing these young voices across the ocean creates a wonderful bridge between our two countries and gives our community the opportunity to experience and rediscover Italian culture in a truly special way. To me, this represents much more than a performance: it means building bridges, inspiring our children, and ‘passing the torch’ to new generations.
The Coccia Foundation is proud to support an initiative that celebrates our roots while creating meaningful cultural experiences that will leave a lasting impact on future generations.”
Elisa Coccia, President, Coccia Foundation
“On behalf of the thousands of members of UNICO National, we are pleased to support this program, which represents a unique and meaningful way to promote Italian American culture. Our goal is to support initiatives that present a positive image of our cultural heritage through education, helping to enhance and preserve it for future generations.”
Chris DiMattio, President, UNICO Foundation
