Portugal's Oldest Classical Music and Jazz Competition Crowns Tomorrow's Luminaries

The future of music in Portugal — and beyond — was on full display at the 13th Young Musicians Festival (Festival Jovens Músicos). Held at Lisbon's Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation from September 27-29, the annual festival culminates with the Young Musicians Prize, which is the country's oldest classical music and jazz competition. The Young Musicians Prize celebrates Portugal's most talented young performers, many of whom will go on to enjoy successful professional careers as soloists or in ensembles and orchestras across the globe. 

Free to the public and broadcast on Portuguese national radio channel Antena 2, the festival features young musicians competing in various categories, attending workshops, and performing with guest ensembles, orchestras, and soloists. Trombonist Gonçalo Nova claimed the EMCY Prize (European Music Competitions of Youth Prize) and harpist Beatriz Cortesão was given the Maestro Silva Pereira - Young Musician of the Year Award. Meanwhile, César Rafael Cordeiro triumphed in the composition category, and his symphonic work, Auto-Portrait, was performed by the Gulbenkian Orchestra.

Other 2023 awardees include Matilde Margalho (violin, medium level), João Sousa (clarinet, medium level), Ricardo Carvalho (flute, superior level), Gonçalo Nova (trombone, superior level), Beatriz Cortesão (harp, superior level), Daniel Bolba (percussion, superior level), Ketuk Quartet (chamber music, medium level), ClandesTrio (chamber music, superior level), and Duarte Ventura Quintet (jazz combo, superior level). 

GRoW congratulates all the winners, some of whom might be performing one day in a concert hall near you.