From the small Italian town of Finale Emilia (Emilia Romagna) to the heart of Manhattan – a powerful experiment in inclusion through music has now crossed the Atlantic. The project known as “Rulli Frulli” uses percussion to create a community where ability levels don’t matter – only rhythm, teamwork and joy.
What began years ago in Italy as a local band has become an educational method recognized for its impact on young people with disabilities. The idea is simple yet transformative: give everyone a drum, bring them together, and let the beat erase barriers. When dozens of players perform side by side, the sound becomes more than music – it’s a statement of unity.
This fall the initiative landed at the Scuola d'Italia Guglielmo Marconi in New York. For several days, students and teachers explored how rhythm can build confidence, cooperation and friendship. The program included workshops led by the project’s founders, who guided participants through group exercises designed to blend discipline with spontaneity. The week concluded with a collective performance – a lively display of how shared energy can override individual limits.
Observers describe a Rulli Frulli session as organized chaos – a room full of pulsing beats, laughter and concentration. The drums demand focus, but they also spark creativity. In this environment, differences fade as participants lock into the same tempo. Many parents and educators see it as a chance for young people to discover strengths they didn’t know they had.
Beyond the stage, the project is supported by research that shows how rhythm and teamwork encourage cognitive, social and emotional growth. It’s been carefully developed into a structured approach so schools and communities can apply it consistently. In New York, educators were introduced not just to the sound but also to the framework behind it – a toolkit that can be adapted to different settings.
The initiative is more than a cultural export – it’s a bridge between countries. Italian organizers partnered with American supporters to make the New York visit possible, demonstrating how collaboration can amplify impact.
For the students who picked up drumsticks for the first time, and for the audience who felt the thunder of the performance, the message was clear. Inclusion doesn’t have to be explained – it can be experienced through a rhythm that welcomes everyone, no matter who they are or what challenges they face.
