Ibla is the name of the UNESCO World Heritage ancient Baroque quarters of Ragusa, the southernmost province of Italy, in Sicily. But in the past quarter century, Ibla has also become synonym of good music.
The Ibla Grand Prize International Music Competition, celebrating this year its 24th anniversary, has become one of the world’s cultural treasures. And it has a connection to New York.
Held each year in early summer in the quietly beautiful and charming Baroque city of Ragusa-Ibla, this competition has proven to be a consistent and world-class showcase for musical talent of the highest order. The competition’s founder, Salvatore Moltisanti, himself a pianist, has created an atmosphere that encourages openness to any and all forms of music, allowing presentations of all musical styles as well as instruments (this has included several types of jazz ensembles, domra virtuosos, accordionists, folk singers and many others from outside the classical mainstream, as well as instrumental and vocal performers of standard and contemporary repertoire), and creating a place where the ideas of wonderfully talented people can be nurtured in a spirit of international respect.
Following the competition in Sicily, every year winner musicians are invited to New York were they perform at Carnegie Hall as well as at Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimò NYU whose founder, Baronessa Mariuccia Mariuccia Zerilli Marimo is chairman of the Ibla Foundation.
This year the awarded musician succesfully performed between May 12th and May 14th.
Here is the list of performers:
Francesca Adamo, Soprano – ITALY
Fabiana Biasini, Piano – ITALY
Alessandro Blanco, Guitar – ITALY
Giuseppe Blanco, Piano/Jazz – ITALY
Nanke Flach, Piano – THE NETHERLANDS
Luca Giovannini, Cello – ITALY
Miwa Hoyano, Piano – JAPAN
Rafal Luc, Accordian – POLAND
Cho Hyun Park, Piano – SOUTH KOREA
Elsa Roux Chamoux, Soprano – FRANCE
Annette Scholten, Lame Sonore – THE NETHERLANDS
Giuseppe Sinacori, Guitar – ITALY
Anna Rutkowka-Schock, Piano – POLAND
Donatella Sollima, Piano – ITALY
Andrea Timpanaro, Violin – ITALY
Audrey Yamamoto, Piano – JAPAN
