Piano Highlights at Viña del Mar

Postponed from 2019, the XLVI International Musical Competition "Dr. Luis Sigall" took place last month in Viña del Mar, Chile. Eight finalists were invited to perform live, from which three Finalists were selected to play with the Marga Marga Chamber Orchestra and its conductor Alvaro Gomez, who is also the Artistic Director of the Competition.

26-year old Claudio Berra from Turin won First Prize, ahead of Anfisa Bobylova (31) and Ryoko Arata (31).

Claudio Berra was born in Turin, in 1997. He graduated with full marks and honors at Turin’s State Conservatory under the guidance of Laura Richaud. Having studied with M° Benedetto Lupo at the “Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia” in Rome, and with M° Enrico Pace at the “Accademia di Musica di Pinerolo”, he is now living in Basel, Switzerland where he studies with M° Claudio Martinez-Mehner.
He made his debut with the Turin’s Conservatory Orchestra under the baton of Giuseppe Ratti in 2015 and he performed both with orchestra and as a soloist in many national and international venues. He made his debut in Chile, performing with the UAB orchestra directed by M° Santiago Meza in 2019.
During the last 3 years he played in many venues around Italy and Europe, for institutions like Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Accademia Filarmonica Romana, Teatro La Fenice in Venice, Ravello Festival and in important halls like Auditorium Parco della Musica, Sala Casella, and many others.

He was supported by the “DeSono” foundation and by the Liechtenstein International Musikakademie. He is also currently teaching in Vibo Valentia’s State Conservatory.