The Recreio Musical União da Mocidade was established on February 18th 1913. It was an Association that aimed to provide music, theatre and recreation and in no time it became the most important center of cultural development of the parish of São Roque, in Funchal.

Financing all the expenses, the Association created its own place for formation, production and artistic promotion, which enabled it to reach quite a regular performance, with a special emphasis on its orchestra. Genuinly Madeiran and based upon the Mandolin and similar instruments, the orquestra is composed by 1st, 2nd and 3rd Mandolins, Bandoleta, Bandola, Bandoloncelo, Classic Guitar and Double Bass. 

Around the end of the 20's, the creativity and commitment of Ernesto Serrão have decisevelly contributed to give a new quality input to the orquestra, which he directed from 1924 until the end of 1935. Without ever interrupting its activity, the Recreio Musical União da Mocidade reached the 70's, and by then the music classes and drama presentations were extended to the female sex, thus creating a new dynamics that since then has been envolving this Association.