The idea
Where the track comes from: the intuition, the image, the initial question.
The Festival
An evening on the line
between tool and author.
A live final at the Auditorium Little Tony. Between 8 and 12 finalist songs, chosen through an international public call. Every track reaches the stage with its creative process: not just something to hear, but the account of how it came to be.
The process sheet
We make public
what usually stays private.
For every finalist track we show the creative reasoning: the idea, the tools, the human role, the aesthetic choices. It is an integral part of the work, and it is assessed.
The tools
Which generative systems were used, and how.
The human role
The choices, the discards, the revisions: the artistic direction.
The aesthetics
The authorial reasons behind the final form of the track.
The award categories
We reward authorship, in all its forms.
Best Artistic Idea
The strength of the initial intuition, even before its execution.
Best Human–Machine Dialogue
The quality of the exchange between author and generative system.
Best Narrative Use of AI
AI as voice and storytelling, not as a shortcut.
Creative Transparency Award
The honesty and clarity with which the process is told.
Audience Award
The choice of those in the hall and those watching from home.
Around the evening
A cultural event,
not just a contest.
Educating the audience is one of the five principles of the Charter. The side events are not an optional add-on: they are an essential part of the project.
Introductory talk
A short moment that frames the evening’s themes for a non-specialist audience.
Workshop for students
Assisted composition and critical listening to generated music, run with industry professionals.
Masterclass for musicians
A session for those who make music and want to bring AI into the way they work: not only generating tracks, but using generative tools as a new resource in their own workflow.
Why San Marino
A small European laboratory
on the relationship between music and AI.
A small state with an international identity and a manageable scale, already a hub for music events, San Marino can speak up, with a spirit of experimentation and a declared ethical stance, on a question that concerns everyone. Edition Zero is a pilot: we start small, done well, sustainable.