Applications Open to 2025 Piccolo Violino Magico Competition

The international competition will be held from July 7–13, 2025, in San Vito al Tagliamento, Italy

First held in 2006, Italy’s Piccolo Violino Magico Competition is open to international violinists aged up to 13. 

The first prize winner will receive a €5,000 scholarship, alongside a violin worth €9,000 made by Fabio Piagentini using Italian wood from Tarvisio forest donated by the Risonanze Festival.

Second, third, and fourth prizes will be awarded €3,000, €2,000, and €1,000 scholarships, respectively. Further special prizes are yet to be announced. 

Additionally, the winners will have the chance to perform at one or more concerts of the Academia d’Archi Arrigoni ensemble’s 2025/26 winter season. 

Held in three rounds, the competition will take place at the Auditorium Comunale in San Vito al Tagliamento from July 7–13, 2025. Still to be announced, the final jury will include internationally acclaimed artists.

For the first two rounds, candidates will be accompanied by the Accademia d’Archi Arrigoni ensemble. The finalists will perform with the FVG Orchestra.

To apply, click here. The deadline for applications is April 15, 2025. 

Coordinated by Pavel Vernikov and Domenico Mason, the preselection jury, will evaluate candidates’ videos by April 30, 2025. A maximum of 20 candidates will be selected for the competition.

“Il Piccolo Violino Magico aims to become a model of a healthy, positive, top-level musical contest for young artists, offering them the great opportunity to perform with an orchestra during the competition rounds,” said the competition’s organizer, Domenico Mason in an interview. 

“I believe it is the most delicate and important phase in developing a young violinist's technical and musical skills,” he added. “I really think children develop critical social skills and empathy through interacting with other children, while also learning the value of hard work and persistence that is so essential in the musical profession.”