Monza - Rina Sala Gallo International Piano Competition

Founded in 1947 by by Monza born pianist Rina Sala Gallo and Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli, in 1970 it became a biennial competition named after her, and today it is one of the most prestigious and international musical events in the city of Monza and in Italy. In 2018 it celebrated its 25th edition.

The philanthropic spirit that animated the founders, Rina Sala Gallo and Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli, is renewed with commitment and passion every year: to support young piano talents in a delicate phase of their career, so that they can undertake a concert career and see their dreams come true. Over 100 registered, from all over the world - 30 selected candidates .

The four preliminary rounds end with the three finalists' concert for piano and orchestra, with the Verdi Orchestra of Milan.

The competition’s Jury features preeminent pianists with the most accredited pedigrees and personalities in the world of pianism. Marcello Abbado, Sergio Perticaroli, Lazar Berman, Bruno Canino, Roberto Prosseda and Vladimir Ashkenazy, president in 2018 edition, are some of the great names who took part in it.

Among the numerous winners there are artists such as Angela Hewitt, Massimiliano Ferrati, Maria Perrotta, Anna Vinniskaya, Michael Lifits and Sofya Gulyak, Scipione Sangiovanni, Fiorenzo Pascalucci, Alexander Panfilov and Igor Andreev winner in 2018 edition.