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La Voz de Andalucía

Jaén Piano Prize Finalists: Ibaraki, Fiorella, and Suzuki Vie for Gold

Pianists Ayumu Ibaraki, Ruggiero Fiorella, and Yusuke Suzuki are set to compete in the grand finale of the prestigious competition.

Generic image of a grand piano on a concert stage.
IA

Generic image of a grand piano on a concert stage.

Pianists Ayumu Ibaraki (Japan), Ruggiero Fiorella (Italy), and Yusuke Suzuki (Japan) have been selected as the finalists for the 67th edition of the Jaén International Piano Competition, a highly regarded event in Spain.

These three talented performers were chosen by the jury, chaired by Albert Attenelle, from a pool of 48 participants representing 13 countries. The grand finale will take place this Saturday, April 18, in a closing concert where they will perform alongside the Málaga Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Salvador Vázquez.
The first prize of the competition includes 20,000 euros in cash and the Gold Medal. Additionally, the winner will embark on a five-concert tour, three of which are sponsored by the Real Sociedad Económica de Amigos del País de Jaén, the “Ciudad de Úbeda” International Music and Dance Festival, and the Málaga Philharmonic Orchestra within the Picasso Museum of Málaga Chamber Music Series. The second prize consists of 12,000 euros and a diploma, provided by the National University of Distance Education (UNED) in Jaén, while the third prize, sponsored by the Unicaja Jaén Foundation, offers 10,000 euros and a diploma.
In the final, Japanese pianist Ayumu Ibaraki (born in 1997) will perform Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major, Op. 58. He will be followed by Italian pianist Ruggiero Fiorella (born in 2002), who has also chosen the same Beethoven work. Finally, Japanese pianist Yusuke Suzuki (born in 1998) will present Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18.
The Málaga Philharmonic Orchestra will be led by Salvador Vázquez, a renowned conductor who received the 'Ciudad de Málaga' Award for best musical work in 2015 and the First Prize at the Córdoba International Orchestra Conducting Competition in 2016. Vázquez, who has conducted numerous prestigious orchestras, is currently the artistic director of the Andalusian Youth Baroque Orchestra (JOBA) and was appointed principal conductor of the Córdoba Orchestra in 2024.
In addition to the main awards, five special prizes will be granted. These include the Romantic Music Prize, sponsored by the University of Jaén, and the Chamber Music Prize, sponsored by the International University of La Rioja, both offering 8,000 euros. The “Rosa Sabater” Prize, from the Jaén City Council, will recognize the best interpreter of Spanish music with 6,000 euros and a concert. The Ministry of Culture sponsors the Contemporary Music Prize, also 6,000 euros, for the best interpretation of the commissioned work “Tres morillas m’enamoran” by Alberto Carretero. Finally, the audience attending the final will vote for the Audience Award, a bronze sculpture.

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