The most significant innovation is the Call for Composers, a new initiative that commissions an original symphonic work for the preliminary rounds. All finalists will be required to conduct this newly written score, allowing the Competition to promote contemporary creation and to evaluate the candidates’ ability to approach an unfamiliar piece with insight, precision, and imagination. This addition enriches the artistic profile of the Competition and offers young composers a valuable international platform. Another important development is the creation of the Patron Association of the Cantelli Prize, a newly established body of supporters and cultural leaders committed to ensuring the Competition’s long-term sustainability. Their support strengthens our institutional structure and enables us to invest even more decisively in young talent and international outreach. We are also introducing a new Giuria Giovani, a panel composed of young musicians and emerging professionals. Their presence reflects our commitment to widening participation, encouraging new perspectives, and involving the next generation in the decision-making process of a major international competition. Finally, the 2026 edition presents a Jury with an unprecedented global diversity. Representatives from seven different countries—Italy, England, Monaco, Hungary, Poland, the United States, and Japan—will contribute to the evaluation process. This broad international representation reinforces the Competition’s mission to engage with the global conducting community and to offer candidates a truly international outlook. Together, these innovations mark a decisive step forward: the Premio Cantelli is evolving from a historic competition into a dynamic platform where conductors, composers, institutions, and young audiences can meet, exchange ideas, and shape the future of orchestral music.
Please introduce in a few words your competition, its history and legacy.
The Guido Cantelli International Conducting Competition was established in 1961 to honour the visionary Italian conductor Guido Cantelli, one of the most extraordinary talents of the post-war generation, whose brilliant career was cut short by his tragic death at only 36. From its very first editions, the Competition became a symbol of excellence and a prestigious gateway for young conductors, and its winners have gone on to build remarkable international careers. After a long hiatus, the Teatro Coccia relaunched the Competition in 2020, reaffirming its historical mission: discovering outstanding young talents, promoting a culture of artistic integrity, and celebrating Cantelli’s legacy of precision, imagination, and human depth. Today, the Competition stands among the most respected European platforms for emerging conductors and is proudly preparing its XIV edition, which marks the 70th anniversary of Cantelli’s passing.
Tell us a little about your city
Novara is a vibrant and welcoming city located between Milan and Turin, in the heart of northern Italy. With its elegant historic centre, its Renaissance and Baroque architecture, and the iconic dome by Alessandro Antonelli, Novara has long been a cultural crossroads. Music plays a central role in the city’s identity, and the Teatro Coccia—its main opera house—has been a place of artistic creation, civic pride, and community life for more than a century. Are there any novelties / new aspects of your competition that you have introduced or will introduce? The XIV edition introduces several new elements that broaden the artistic scope of the Competition and strengthen its international identity.
New Member Competitions
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