2021 Piazzolla Music Competition Announces Prize Winners

Accordionist Anton Stachev won first prize in the solo division while the Quinteto Respiro garnered first prize in the ensemble division

Run by PARMA Recordings, the Fundación Astor Piazzolla, and members of the composer’s family, the Piazzolla Music Competition aims to unearth new talent through performances of Astor Piazzolla's work. This year the competition celebrated Astor Piazzolla’s 100^th birthday.

The 2021 winners of the soloist division are:

• Grand Prize “Panaleón Award” Anton Stachev, accordion (St. Petersburg, Russia)

• Silver Medal Daniel Rojas, piano (Sydney Australia)

• Bronze Medal Lysandre Donoso, bandoneon (Paris, France)

• Bronze Medal Maximillian Natahan, vibraphone (Montevideo, Uruguay)

The 2021 winners of the ensemble division:

• Grand Prize “Porteño Award” Quinteto Respiro (Paris, France)

• Silver Medal Dalí Quartet (Philadelphia, USA)

• Bronze Medal Quinteto Emedea (Paris, France)

Special Prize winners include:

• Quinteto Emedea (Paris, France)

• Anton Stachev (St. Petersburg, Russia)

• Rose William (Indiana, USA)

• Sonus Piano Trio (California, USA)

Entries were open to pre-professional and professional soloists and ensembles of six or fewer from all over the world. Proceeds from the competition, totaling $10,000, are being donated to the Playing for Change Foundation to support music and art education in under-resourced communities around the world.

First prize (the "Pantaleón Award") consists of $1500 USD for a soloist or $3500 USD for an ensemble, a recording contract with PARMA Recordings, and a concert tour of China arranged and funded by PARMA. Second and third prizes offer a year-long subscription to iClassical Academy.

The jury was headed by GRAMMY-winning pianist and composer Pablo Ziegler and includes both GRAMMY-winning bandoneonist Héctor del Curto and GRAMMY-nominated bandoneonist/composer Daniel Binelli.