It was 1956 when a violinist with the Philadelphia Orchestra and the new Italian consul general discovered a mutual love of 18th century Italian chamber music, and from their impulse to share Italian music and culture, the America-Italy Society was born.

Today, the Society, located at 1420 Walnut Street in Center City, has 750 members and a broad range of activities. Still at its core is the free concert series of the Amerita Chamber Players, all of whom are members of the Philadelphia Orchestra, and an extensive Italian language program.

The Society also sponsors Pranzo e chiacchere, an Italian-speaking luncheon group meeting monthly in local Italian restaurants, hosts lectures, films, art exhibits, day trips with Italian themes, and a series of study tours of Italy to meet notable Italians and view their private art collections. The Society is also engaged internationally in the saving and restoration of Venetian art and monuments.

In less than fifty years, the America-Italy Society of Philadelphia has established itself as a center for all who thrive on the beauty of the Italian language and derive inspiration from Italian arts and culture.