Semifinalists Announcement

A Word to All Applicants

First and foremost, thank you to every artist who applied. Your dedication, creativity, and willingness to share your work made this inaugural edition truly meaningful. The level of artistry was exceptional, and selecting among so many strong voices was no easy task.

To all participants: your contribution mattered.

Whether selected or not, you helped shape a competition that celebrates Piazzolla’s legacy—not as a monument to the past, but as a living, evolving artistic force.

This is only the beginning. We warmly invite you to stay connected for future editions, upcoming projects, and new opportunities to continue this shared journey.

SOLOISTS & ENSEMBLES

We are delighted to announce the semifinalists of the first edition of the International Competition ASTOR PIAZZOLLA®, a competition created to honor not only Piazzolla’s music, but also his spirit of innovation, individuality, and artistic courage.

The jury selected 6 semifinalists, who will be invited to perform live in Como, as well as a reserve list of 6 candidates.

All semifinalists in the Soloists and Ensembles categories must confirm their participation by February 10, 2026. In the event that a semifinalist is unable to confirm, candidates from the reserve list will be invited in the order in which they appear on the list.

COMPOSERS

This first edition received an overwhelming number of submissions of exceptional quality. In light of this, the jury unanimously decided to expand the final round and admit 15 compositions instead of the originally planned 10.

All compositions were judged anonymously: names and identifying marks were removed from all materials prior to evaluation. To ensure the anonymous continuation of the competition, only the titles of the selected compositions are announced at this stage.

The names of the composers will be disclosed after the conclusion of the competition.

Soloists

  • Erica Lynn, violin (USA)

  • Isabel Pronk, voice (Netherlands)

  • Michele Di Filippo, guitar (Italy)

  • Pasquale Allegretti Gravina, violin (Italy)

  • Pasquale Lancuba, bandoneon (Italy)

  • Romina Balestrino, voice (Argentina/Spain)

SEMIFINALISTS:

RESERVE LIST:

  1. Manaka Matsumoto, violin (Japan)

  2. Leonardo Grittani, flute (Italy)

  3. YaoQian Wu, violin (China)

  4. Stoyan Karaivanov, bandoneon (Bulgaria)

  5. Sofia Ros, accordion (Spain)

  6. Sebastian Enriques, accordion (Belgium)

Ensembles

  • BAMAS Tango Quintet (Italy)

  • CR Duo (Costa Rica)

  • I Tre Moschettieri Cello Quartet (Italy)

  • Mosa Pipitone Duo (Italy)

  • SaxMeet Ensemble (Italy)

  • Tango Spleen Orquesta (Italy)

SEMIFINALISTS:

RESERVE LIST:

  1. Duo Perfetto (Italy)

  2. Duo of fates (Hungary)

  3. Quartetto Piccinni (Italy)

  4. Duo Filipponi / Brunelli (Italy)

  5. Duo Croatico (Croatia)

  6. Florence Lilium Duo (Italy)

Composers

  • Al Demonio

  • Astro 332

  • Cerca

  • Despedida Tango

  • En penumbras y a destiempo

  • Fantasia Tanguera No. 13

  • La Petite Suite du Tango

  • Lengua al viento (homenaje a Piazzolla)

  • Luistango

  • Macabrotango

  • Magister Astor Piazzolla

  • Quasi un Tango

  • Tango Opposed

  • 4 Tangos para un inmigrante

  • Vertigos y Ausencia

COMPOSITIONS