VCR | Venice Classic Radio Italy

The first edition of the Agnesi International Music Competition will take place from 20 to 23 November 2025 at Villa Borromeo d’Adda in Arcore. The event aims to become a new point of reference in the European competition landscape. Dedicated to the composer Maria Teresa Agnesi (Milan, 1720–1795), the project seeks to promote young talents through concrete opportunities: scholarships, concerts, publications, masterclasses and the opportunity to perform before international juries of the highest calibre.

The venue of the competition, Villa Borromeo d’Adda, is one of the most fascinating historic residences in Lombardy: a place rich in art and memory, providing an ideal setting for an initiative that brings together contemporary creativity and cultural heritage. Its eighteenth-century halls will host the various stages of the competition, restoring to music that aura of beauty belonging to the great Italian tradition.

The competition is divided into several sections. Agnesi Kids welcomes very young pianists grouped by age, with fairy-tale-inspired categories and a jury that will award prizes designed to encourage enthusiasm, imagination and courage. The Piano Performance section is conceived to highlight technical mastery, timbral quality and the pianist’s communicative immediacy. The division into age groups reflects the desire to accompany candidates along a progressive path of artistic development. The section is dedicated to advanced pianists, called to demonstrate not only impeccable technique but also artistic maturity and interpretative depth.

Alongside the piano, a central role is given to the voice. The Opera Singing section and the Vocal Chamber Music section are open to singers and chamber ensembles of any nationality and vocal range, with the aim of promoting vocal and interpretative excellence within the international opera scene. Online pre-selections allow broad and accessible participation, while the final rounds in Arcore offer a moment of direct exchange and significant artistic growth. Completing the programme are the Composition Sections, dedicated to contemporary creativity. Young authors and established composers may submit new works for piano and chamber ensembles: the best compositions will be performed in concert, published and promoted internationally.

The various sections of the competition are entrusted to international juries composed of pianists, singers, composers, artistic agents and conductors active on the European scene, selected to ensure expert, transparent evaluation truly oriented toward the growth of young musicians. The full list of jurors is available on the official websites of each section of the competition.