The Musikkapelle “La Lira” was created in 1906 in order to enliven festivals, weddings and private events in Issime and neighboring villages. The war forced the Association to cease its activity until 1979, when it started again with energy. The courses to introduce young people to music reinforce the staff of the band who grows till it reaches 50 members, under the direction of various teachers.
Directed since 1994 by Maestro Enrico Montanari, the Musikkapelle performs in concerts, festivals, fairs and carnivals, playing especially to revive the cultural life of its village. Among the activities of recent years we indicate the recording of a compact disc, twinnings with other Italian and foreign musical groups and, on the occasion of the centenary of the foundation, the publication of a book and the preparation of an exhibition of photographs, documents, musical instruments and uniforms.
The band regularly participates at the Walsertreffen , gatherings of Walser people held alternately every three years in a community of the Alps, as well as the annual Raduno (meeting) of the Aosta Valley concert bands, organized for the third time in Issime in 2010. The group also participated in the International Band Competition “Vallée d’Aoste”, with a young staff in 2006, achieving third place in the third category, and in 2008 with the full team in the second category, always under the direction of Master Montanari. In 2011 the Youth Band of the music school, directed by Nicola Linty, attended with excellent results in the competition of young concert bands in Costa Volpino (Bergamo).
One of the most gratifying experiences for the group was the participation, in the summer 2012, at the Certamen Internacional de Bandas de Música in the spanish town of Valencia, where the Musikkapelle “La Lira” has obtained a significant third place in the category of the ensembles with 50 musicians.