ICMA laureate Ettore Pagano wins the 2026 Queen Elisabeth Cello Competition

31/05/2026

Ettore Pagano

Italian cellist Ettore Pagano (*2003) won First Prize at the 2026 Queen Elisabeth Cello Competition. The First Prize includes a cash award of €25.000 and numerous concert engagements in Belgium and abroad. Thanks to the Pau Casals Foundation, Ettore Pagano will also receive the Goffriller Casals cello on loan for a period of four years.

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ICMA winners Kainrath and de Solaun recorded Grieg Sonatas

17/05/2026

Violinist Julian Kainrath and pianist Josu de Solaun

Two ICMA winners, violinist Julian Kainrath and pianist Josu de Solaun joined for a recording of the three Violin Sonatas by Edward Grieg. The recording took place in the Auditorio Manuel de Falla in Granada which is also the home base of the label IBS Classical, with Francisco Moya as Sound Engineer for IBS Classical.

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Lifetime Achievement Award winner Felicity Lott died at the age of 79

17/05/2026

Dame Felicity Lott

English soprano Felicity Lott died on May 15 at the age of 79. She studied at the Royal Academy of Music from 1969 to 1973. Two years later, she made her debut at the English National Opera as Pamina in Mozart’s The Magic Flute. Her career took the soprano to all the major opera houses of […]

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ICMA-Classeek winner Ettore Pagano successful with the Poznań Philharmonic

28/04/2026

Ettore Pagano
(c) Kuba Cichocki / Filharmonia Poznańska

Jacqueline du Pré was only twenty when she recorded Edward Elgar’s Cello Concerto with the London Symphony Orchestra. Until then, the concerto had often been treated as something of a curiosity, but du Pré’s interpretation firmly secured its place in the canon of cello literature while also setting a daunting benchmark for the young musicians […]

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Meet the young ICMA winners

20/04/2026

Bamberger Symphoniker
(c) Marian Lenhard

The International Classical Music Awards promote both well-established artists and young musicians at the starting point of their career. Those are also represented in the annual ICMA Gala, which is available at the Deutsche Welle YouTube channel. Here is a short presentation video realized by Deutsche Welle:

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ICMA Lifetime and Discovery Award winners as excellent partners

16/04/2026

Can Saraç & Adam Fischer

Last Sunday in Copenhagen, the winner of the 2025 ICMA Discovery Award, Can Sarac, performed with the Danish Chamber Orchestra under the baton of ICMA Lifetime Achievement Award winner Adam Fischer. ICMA Board Member Frauke Adrians reports.

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Paavo Järvi received his ICMA trophy

24/03/2026

At the ICMA awards ceremony in Bamberg, Salvatore Pichireddu from Naxos received the Symphonic Music trophy. Paavo Järvi won this award for his recording of Mahler’s Fifth Symphony with the Tonhalle Orchestra Zürich. The conductor could not be present due to other commitments. The maestro now is the proud recipient of this trophy which was […]

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Can Saraç and Dirk Joeres impressed in Leverkusen with outstanding performances

24/03/2026

Can Saraç with the Westdeutsche Sinfonia
(c) Remy Franck

As part of the ICMA Young Artist Awards Network, the young Turkish pianist Can Saraç, winner of the 2025 Discovery Award, made a guest appearance with the Westdeutsche Sinfonia in Leverkusen. Remy Franck reports.

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ICMA Gala 2026 – Pictures from the Award Ceremony

20/03/2026

The International Classical Music organized their annual Award Ceremony and Gala at the Concert Hall of Bamberger Symphoniker in Bamberg. The Award Ceremony was hosted by ICMA President Remy Franck and Secretary General Nicola Cattò. The trophies were presented by the ICMA Jury members.

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