Italian Focus at Cremona Musica 2025

At the end of September, the annual Cremona Musica exhibition – a significant global event – took place, offering new insights into the music industry. As a member of the Media Lounge, Piano Street is again pleased to provide a pianistic perspective on key events.

Every autumn, the historic city of Cremona – long celebrated as the cradle of violin making – transforms into a vibrant hub for musicians, instrument makers, and music lovers from around the world. Cremona Musica, held across three expansive exhibition halls at Cremona Fiere, offers a rich panorama of musical artistry and craftsmanship. The fair’s major sections – Piano Experience, Cremona Winds, and Mondomusica – span the full spectrum of musical expression, from the elegance of concert grands to the intricacies of string and wind instruments.

Beyond the exhibition floors, music spills into the streets and courtyards of Cremona’s historic center. Outdoor performances and special concerts bring life to the city’s squares and landmarks, blending the fair’s professional energy with the charm of Italy’s most musical city. Over three days, visitors experience an astonishing variety of activity: 400 exhibitors from 35 countries present their latest creations and innovations, while an ambitious program of more than 200 events fills every hour with sound and discovery.

The schedule reads like a festival in itself – concerts by notable artists, masterclasses with renowned teachers, round tables exploring the future of music, and presentations that spotlight new technologies and craftsmanship. Whether it’s a student trying instruments, a professional networking with peers, or an aficionado listening to a recital, this event offers something for everyone.

In an age increasingly dominated by screens and streaming, Cremona Musica stands as a reminder that music is still best experienced live, shared, and human. It’s not just a fair – it’s a celebration of sound, skill, and community, where commerce meets culture in the most harmonious way. Artistic coordinator Roberto Prosseda emphasized the fair’s unique ability to foster community, noting that sharing meals, hearing live music, and forming personal connections are experiences that digital platforms can never truly replace.

Cremona Musica Awards

The cultural committee of Cremona Musica International Exhibitions and Festival has announced the recipients of this year’s Cremona Musica Awards, a distinction established in 2014 to celebrate individuals and institutions that have made outstanding contributions to the world of music.
This year’s laureates represent a broad and inspiring cross-section of musical artistry.
The Imola Piano Academy, together with its founder Franco Scala, was presented with the “Project” award, celebrating decades of dedication to nurturing young pianists and shaping the next generation of performers. Rounding out this year’s honors, pianist Bruno Canino received the prestigious “A Life for the Piano” award, a fitting tribute to his immense artistic influence, lifelong devotion to music, and extraordinary career spanning over six decades.
The legendary violinist Midori received the “String Performance” award, recognizing not only her impeccable technical mastery but also her long-standing humanitarian commitment to music education and community outreach around the globe. Composer Francesco Filidei was honored for the bold innovation and expressive depth of his recent works, which continue to push the boundaries of contemporary composition.

Piano Performances

Among the standout moments was a recital by Ruben Micieli, whose passionate reading of Chopin offered a glimpse of his artistry ahead of his participation in the forthcoming Chopin Competition in Warsaw. Also Filippo Tenisci’s project and recital “Reimagining Wagner” – with transcriptions of Wagner by Liszt – brought great value to any fortunate listener.
Compelling was the appearance of young pianists from the Rovigo Conservatory’s Ph. D. program, performing in collaboration with the Mendelssohn Association. Their programs, dedicated to Italian piano music, featured rarely heard works by Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Ricordi, Golinelli, Respighi, and several rediscovered gems by Pizzetti, Montemezzi,and Pilati – composers whose contributions had long slipped from the concert repertoire.

Chopin’s Piano Concertos Reimagined for Piano and String Quintet

Cremona Musica presented an intimate reinterpretation of Fryderyk Chopin’s piano concertos, performed in their rare transcriptions for piano and string quintet. The programme featured Luigi Carroccia in the Concerto No. 1 in E minor, Op. 11, and Francesca Antonucci in the Concerto No. 2 in F minor, Op. 21, accompanied by the Quartetto Doréand double bassist Edoardo Dolci.

Supported by the Walter Stauffer Academy, the performance highlighted the concertos’ chamber-like clarity, revealing new colours and expressive nuances within Chopin’s Romantic language. This unique arrangement offered audiences a fresh, introspective perspective on two of the composer’s most beloved masterpieces.

PianoLink International Amateurs Piano Competition 2025

Included in the program, Cremona Musica let the finals of the 2025 edition of PianoLink International Amateurs Piano Competition took place at the famous Ponchielli Theatre in Cremona (where even W. A. Mozart performed). The distinguished jury included: Alessandro Deljavan, Bruno Monsaingeon and Muza Rubackyte.
12 finalists were selected by an international jury. Founded to bridge the gap between amateurs and maestros, PianoLink continues its mission to make advanced musical education accessible to all who share a passion for the piano.
The sixth edition of the competition concluded at Cremona Musica 2025, with Cheuk Hin Ivan Wong of Hong Kong taking the overall prize. The general category winners were Marco Cima and Nicola Ormando (Italy), Robert Finley (USA), and Ken Iisika (Japan). The Audience Award went to Tomoko Inoue of Japan.

“This competition, born in 2020 from a visionary idea hidden in PianoLink’s archives, has shown for six years that amateurs are the true protagonists of the musical world,” said PianoLink director Filippo Vizzini, noting that “thanks to partners like Fazioli and Cremona Musica, we welcomed participants from four continents this year. The overall winner from Hong Kong brings us great joy and pride.”

Disklavier Day

A major highlight was the international roundtable on the future of hybrid piano teaching, centered on the innovative capabilities of Yamaha’s Disklavier technology.
Organized with the support of the Modena Conservatory, a partner in the PNRR Edunext – Next Education Italia and Turandot projects, the event brought together educators, researchers, and artists from leading institutions across Italy, the United States, Germany, Vietnam, Australia, and China to discuss the pedagogical, technological, and cultural implications of remote piano instruction.
Panelists included Prof. Roberto Prosseda (Conservatory of Rovigo), Prof. Giuseppe Modugno (Conservatory of Modena), Prof. Christoph Sischka (Freiburg University of Music), Prof. Yon Seen Lee (YSL Music School and WAAPA University), and Prof. Elyane Laussade (Melbourne Sinfonia). Joining remotely are Prof. Wang Qiu (China Conservatory of Music) and Prof. Kuei Pin Yeo (Jakarta Music Foundation).

The session featured live demonstrations of remote piano lessons connecting Cremona with Perth (Australia) and Beijing (China), illustrating the precision and immediacy of Disklavier’s technology. Lisa Yui from Yamaha Artist Services New York lead a remote masterclass with a student performing live in Cremona.
In the afternoon, composers Ardavan Vossoughi and Alessio Santolini Raggi presented new creative projects exploring how Disklavier technology expands possibilities for performance, composition, and interactive musical collaboration.

A Biography of Charles-Valentin Alkan

Pianist and scholar Vincenzo Maltempo presented the new reprint of his acclaimed biography on Charles-Valentin Alkan, published by Florestano Edizioni. Maltempo is widely recognized as one of the foremost interpreters and researchers of the reclusive French composer, whose technically demanding works remain among the most original of the Romantic era.

This book, the first of its kind in Italy, invites readers to rediscover Alkan through a comprehensive biography and a full exploration of his works. Its aim is not only to provide the foundation for an engaging journey into a neglected genius, but also to spark new research and encourage a richer, more informed discussion around his extraordinary legacy.
During the event, Maltempo performed selections from Alkan’s compositions, illustrating the depth and complexity of the composer’s music.

The Enigma of Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli

Thirty years after his death, Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli (1920–1995) remains one of the most mysterious and revered figures in classical music.

Musicologist and broadcaster Luca Ciammarughi presented and explored the deeper meaning of Michelangeli’s art, moving beyond the stereotype of perfectionism to reveal an artist of profound emotional intensity and inner conflict. The author discussed the book with Filippo Michelangeli, creator and director of the Pentagrammi series, which debuts with this publication.

Stay tuned for more articles and interviews from Cremona Musica 2025 in Piano Street’s article flow!