As part of our continuing collaboration with the 

, we are excited to announce the recipient of the 2025 ICMA-Classeek Award: 

, a rising star in the world of classical music. This prestigious award recognizes young artists who have shown exceptional promise and contributed significantly to the classical music scene.

Meet Ettore Pagano: 2025 ICMA-Classeek Award Winner

Born in Rome in 2003, Ettore began his cello studies at the age of nine. A graduate of the Conservatorio S. Cecilia in Rome, he has already garnered significant international recognition, performing at prestigious venues around the world. Notably, in the 2023/24 season, Ettore made his debut with the Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale della RAI, performing in Torino with a live RAI 5 broadcast, and internationally at the Opera House in Muscat.

Ettore has also earned numerous accolades, including First Prize and several Special Prizes at the XVIII Kachaturian International Competition in Armenia. He has also won top honours at various competitions such as the J. Brahms International Competition (2020), the Anna Kull Competition in Graz, Austria (2020), and the International Klaipeda Cello Competition. (2019). In addition, he was awarded the Salieri Prize at the 10th International Competition “Antonio Salieri” and the Second Prize at the New York International Artist Association competition, leading to a debut at Carnegie Hall.

Ettore continues to collaborate with renowned orchestras such as the Croatian Radiotelevision Symphony Orchestra, Graz Philharmonic, and the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra, and has recently performed recitals in cities like Torino, Venice, and Genoa. He also plays a cello by I. Ongaro (Venezia, 1777), kindly provided by Setaro Fine Instruments.

Nominees and 2025 ICMA Young Artist Winner

This year’s nominees for the ICMA-Classeek Award included some truly exceptional talent: Alexandra Bidi (harp), Daniil Bulayev (violin), Jonatan Senik (piano), Ido Zeev (piano), Bar Zemach (horn), and Simon Zhu (violin). We are proud to recognise them for their contributions to the world of classical music.

We are equally delighted to announce that 

, the cellist from Luxembourg, has been named the 2025 ICMA Young Artist of the Year. A charismatic performer, Benjamin has made a name for himself internationally, winning the prestigious Georges Enescu International Competition, releasing his debut album with the Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie, and being selected for the ECHO Rising Stars series. As part of our partnership with ICMA, Benjamin will join the Classeek Ambassador Programme for the 2025-26 season. 

Save the Date: Award Ceremony in Düsseldorf

The award ceremony for both the ICMA-Classeek Award and the ICMA Young Artist of the Year will take place on March 19th, 2025, at the Tonhalle in Düsseldorf. During the ceremony, Ettore will be presented with the ICMA-Classeek Award and will perform at the Gala Concert with the Düsseldorfer Symphoniker, conducted by Adam Fischer. The ceremony and concert will be available to watch online—

We extend our warmest congratulations to Ettore Pagano and Benjamin Kruithof on their remarkable achievements, and we look forward to seeing their continued success in the classical music world!

Announcing the 2025 ICMA-Classeek Award Winner

Celebrating Ettore Pagano, cellist

Soprano

Aida Pascu

 (Soprano), ICMA Young Artist 2024 award winner.

Opera is a dramatic extravaganza: love, betrayal and tragedy set against intense vibratos. Romanian soprano Aida Pascu reveals another side, “…this is a very lonely world… You go home, and you’re alone most of the time. Even if you’re married, you have a family. You’re alone. You’re on your own.” This stillness is captured in 

. A rare moment of lyrical calm and peace in an otherwise tumultuous and dark story, this aria presents a quiet moment of appreciation that individual introspection can offer. 

Individual introspection can also reveal vulnerabilities. In the aria 

, the eponymous character, Thaïs, implores for an affirmation of her beauty. Massenet effectively uses melodic repetition until we can feel Thaïs tugging on our arms, pleading for validation as she grapples with the idea that to be loved and valued in society, she must be beautiful.

, written towards the end of his life, provides a brief instrumental meditation before the stage gives way to a well-known operatic heavyweight: Puccini’s 

. This is the 19th century version of a meet-cute: the love interest, Rodolfo, opens the door of his apartment to Mimi, who wants to borrow a matchstick. She introduces herself singing, “Yes, they call me Mimi” and describes her peaceful life as a seamstress. It is a rare moment of simplicity in opera, as she shows a sincere humbleness in her appreciation of everyday beauty.

Replacing simplicity for existential longing, we continue with the first of George Enescu’s three melodies, 

. Enescu paints a graphic picture of an empty landscape through the use of wide intervals, while an ambiguous tonal landscape is supported by arpeggiated figures in the piano, reflecting inner turmoil. It is an inner turmoil that is quickly resolved in the second piece, 

, which expresses the intensity of a fervent love. The final melody, 

, reflects on mortality, with long sustained notes and descending sequences.

Halting the descent into existentialism is Albéniz’s 

. This is a vibrant piece that whistles the charming character of the Spanish city of Cádiz with its dance-like feel and playful melodies. The programme concludes with Fernando Obradors’ 

. Drawing on traditional Spanish folk songs, we see a cultural richness married with the lyrical expressiveness of our previous arias.

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