Italian Cellist Ettore Pagano Wins Queen Elisabeth Competition 2026
Italian cellist Ettore Pagano has won the prestigious Queen Elisabeth Competition for Cello 2026, claiming one of classical music’s most coveted prizes in a dramatic final at Brussels’ Bozar concert hall. The 23-year-old musician from Rome impressed both the jury and a packed audience with his performance of Sergei Prokofiev’s demanding Symphonia Concertante, earning a standing ovation, according to the Queen Elisabeth Competition’s official announcement.
A Prize of Unprecedented Prestige
Pagano receives the International Queen Elisabeth Grand Prize — Queen Mathilde Prize, worth €25,000, along with numerous concert engagements in Belgium and abroad. But the most extraordinary element of this year’s award is the four-year loan of the historic 1710 Goffriller “Casals” cello — the very instrument played by legendary Catalan cellist Pablo Casals for some 65 years.
As BELGA News Agency reported, the instrument was built around 1710 by renowned Venetian luthier Matteo Goffriller and accompanied Casals throughout much of his legendary career. The cello was displayed at Bozar during the final week of the competition and will be formally handed over to Pagano next week. The loan, arranged through the Pau Casals Foundation, serves as a tribute to both Casals and Queen Elisabeth of Belgium, who were born 150 years ago and shared a close friendship rooted in their passion for music.
The Competition and the Finalists
The 2026 edition marked the third cello edition of the competition, which rotates disciplines between violin, piano, voice, and cello. Twelve finalists emerged from preliminary rounds held at Flagey in early May, competing through a week of finals at Bozar from 25 to 30 May. Each finalist performed the compulsory piece “Four Odes to the Tidings of Flowers” by composer Fang Man, alongside a concerto of their choice, accompanied by the Belgian National Orchestra conducted by Antony Hermus.
The full prize list reflects the competition’s global reach, with winners spanning six countries:
- 1st Prize (Queen Mathilde Prize): Ettore Pagano (Italy, 23) — €25,000
- 2nd Prize (Belgian Federal Government Prize): Tae-Yeon Kim (South Korea, 20) — €20,000
- 3rd Prize (Count de Launoit Prize): Leland Ko (USA/Canada, 28) — €17,000
- 4th Prize: Álvaro Lozano Cames (Spain, 20) — €12,500
- 5th Prize: Yo Kitamura (Japan, 22) — €10,000
- 6th Prize: Maria Zaitseva (Russia, 24) — €8,000
Tae-Yeon Kim also received the Klara Audience Award (€2,500), while Álvaro Lozano Cames won the RTBF Musiq3 Prize (€2,500). Six unranked laureates each received €4,000.
A Rising Star with a Distinguished Pedigree
Born in Rome on 25 February 2003, Pagano began studying the cello at age nine and quickly distinguished himself on the international stage. His training includes studies at the Walter Stauffer Academy in Cremona with Antônio Meneses, the Accademia Musicale Chigiana with David Geringas, and the Cello Academy of Pavia with Enrico Dindo. He is currently continuing his training in Berlin.
Pagano’s victory follows a string of significant achievements. In March 2025, he won the prestigious Premio Abbiati — the Italian music critics award — in the soloist category, and he was also named a laureate of the International Classical Music Awards (ICMA). His performance of Prokofiev’s Symphonia Concertante during the final round was widely praised as a masterful display of technical command and musical depth.
Historical Significance
The 2026 edition carries exceptional symbolic weight. It marks the 75th anniversary of the competition’s renaming after Queen Elisabeth (in 1951) and coincides with the 150th birth anniversary of both Queen Elisabeth and Pablo Casals. Pagano becomes the third cello winner of the competition, following Victor Julien-Laferrière (France, 2017) and Hayoung Choi (South Korea, 2022).
La Libre Belgique described the atmosphere of the final week, noting that twelve young cellists from across the classical world competed for the prestigious title. The competition, founded in 1937 by Queen Elisabeth of Belgium, remains one of the most demanding classical music competitions globally and a founding member of the World Federation of International Music Competitions.
What’s Next
Pagano’s concert calendar is expected to fill rapidly following his victory. A CD box set titled “Cello 2026,” featuring highlights from this year’s competition, is scheduled for release on 6 June. The loan of the Casals Goffriller cello — widely regarded as one of the finest instruments in existence — will undoubtedly shape Pagano’s upcoming performances and recordings, offering audiences a rare opportunity to hear the historic instrument in concert once again.