Competition 2025

John Rutter (UK) – President

Born in London, he studied at Highgate School together with John Tavener. He also studied music at Clare College of the University of Cambridge, an institution where he was later appointed professor of first organ and then choral conducting from 1975 to 1979. In 1981 he founded the Cambridge Singers choir, which he continues to direct to this day and with which he has recorded an extensive repertoire of sacred music (including his own compositions), specifically with his own record company, Collegium Records. He lives near Cambridge and is often called upon to conduct other major professional and amateur choirs and orchestras around the world. Rutter’s compositions are predominantly aimed at choral music of the a cappella motet genre, but also of a more structurally complex nature with extensive works such as the Gloria and Requiem. In 2002 his version of Psalm 150, commissioned for the Queen’s Golden Jubilee, was performed for Thanksgiving Mass at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London. Rutter also composed a work for young people called Bang! His compositions are published mainly by Oxford University Press but also by his music publishing house Collegium. Rutter’s music clearly shows influences from the contemporary English and French choral tradition, as well as those from pop music and the U.S. choral tradition. Although he has often composed and conducted religious music, Rutter told the U.S. television program 60 Minutes in 2003 that he is not a particularly practicing person, but receives particular inspiration from the spirituality of sacred verses and prayers. The 60 Minutes episode, which aired a week before Christmas 2003, focused on Rutter’s wide popularity among choral groups in the United States, Britain and other countries, and on his composition Mass of the Children (“The Mass of the Children”), composed after the untimely death of his son Christopher, a young student.

Roberto Berzero (Italy) – Jury Member
Roberto Berzero has been a tenured teacher of Choral Conducting and Choral Composition at the Conservatory of Alessandria. His educational background is rich and varied: he graduated in Piano, Choral Conducting and Choral Music, Conducting and Composition, also deepening his study of Baroque Singing. Throughout his career, he has combined teaching in conservatories – having won the competition for tenure – with intense musical activity. He has collaborated with prestigious institutions such as the Teatro alla Scala and the Minipolifonici of Trento, both as conductor and singer, and has also taught at various educational institutions. As a composer, he has won numerous national and international awards. Among his most appreciated works are the 4 Major Antiphons of Our Lady for mixed choir from 4 to 9 voices, recorded on the CD Mater Christi. In 2020 he won first prize in the National Composition Competition “Europe is like an orchestra, music has no borders,” in memory of Maestro Ezio Bosso, with Salve Europa! for soprano soloist and large orchestra. This competition was announced by the Presidency of the Council of Ministers – Department for European Policies and the Ministry of University and Research. The following year, in 2021, he received another first prize at the N.O.T.A. Music International Competition thanks to the trilogy of lyrics Carminiella mia, composed for soprano, bass- baritone and piano. In 2022 he was awarded first prize at the F. M. Pagano for the lied Amici e patrioti addio, written for baritone and instrumental ensemble. 2023 was a particularly successful year: he was awarded first prize at the 5th Corinfesta International Composition Competition (AERCO) with L’acqua e l’uomo, for children’s choir and instrumental ensemble; second prize at the CANTICO International Competition (ANDCI) with Cantico delle creature for mixed a cappella choir (6 voices); and, in the same competition, first prize in special mentions with Cantico di frate sole for women’s a cappella choir (4 voices). Also in 2023, at the ARCOVA Composition Competition, he won first prize with Fantasia for children’s choir and instrumental ensemble, another first prize with Brutti sogni for a cappella women’s choir (3 voices), and a special mention for Ave Maria, composed for children’s or women’s choir (3 voices). The year 2024 also opened with new awards. He won second prize at the Musiche nuove dalla Livenza Competition (Contrà Camolli) with Il bosco magico for children’s choir and instrumental ensemble and the selection of his composition Il mondo è vibrante for the ANDCI National Choir, written for mixed a cappella choir (4 voices). Finally, at the Seghizzi International Composition Competition, he won first prize and the Seghizzi Trophy with A Christmas Carol for female a cappella ensemble (6 voices), as well as a second prize with Luna d’argento for male a cappella choir (4 voices).

Tullio Visioli (Italy) – Member of the Jury

Tullio Visioli, composer, choir director, recorder player and singer, was born in Cremona, Italy. He is a lecturer in Musicology and Music Didactics in Rome, at the Lumsa University, in Pedagogy of Children’s Vocality in Ravenna, at the Master’s Degrees in Artistic Vocology and Clinical Vocology and, in Rome, for the Master’s Degree in Pedagogy of Expression at Roma 3. He directs the Children’s Choir and teaches recorder in Rome at the Scuola Popolare di Musica di Testaccio. He conceived in 2006 and directs for the ASL of Centocelle (Rome) the integrated choir Voc’incòro and, since 2014 he has activated, together with a team of specialists, the choir Mani Bianche Roma, inspired by Venezuelan experiences (Abreu System) of integration between deaf and hearing people. Active in writing new musical repertoires for children and young people, he has published compositions intended for children’s choir, youth choir and recorder, condensing his pedagogical vision in the books VariAzioni, elementi per la didattica musicale (Anicia 2004) and Il Baule dei suoni (Multidea 2011). A trainer and speaker at conferences and study days on music pedagogy, choral music, music composition and phoniatrics, since 2018 he has been among the founding members and promoters of the Association Jazz Goes to School. He is currently writing a study text dedicated to children’s voice and choral singing.

Gyöngyösi Levente (Hungary) – Jury Member
Born in 1975 in Cluj/Kolozsvár (Romania), Gyöngyösi Levente studied at the Ferenc Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest under Professor György Orbán. He graduated on May 5, 1999, with his first opera, The Stork Calif. He has composed a vast number of choral works for renowned Hungarian and international choirs, including the Pro Musica Girl’s Choir (Hungary), the Stellenbosch University Choir (South Africa) and the Iowa State University Choir (USA). Her choral compositions are particularly popular in Japan and the United States, as well as in South Africa and the Philippines. In addition to choral music, he has composed four symphonies (the third of which was commissioned and performed by the Budapest Festival Orchestra), four masses, a Piano Concerto, a Flute Concerto, a Piccolo Concerto, the Passion according to St. Luke, and the Christmas Oratorio. His most important work, the opera-musical The Master and Margarita, was performed at the Hungarian State Opera in 2021. In 2023 he was awarded the title of Artist Emeritus of Hungary by the Hungarian State.

Claudio Ferrara (Italy) – Jury Member
Claudio Ferrara was born in Santiago, Chile, on April 6, 1990. In the U.S. he attended the Music Theory and Composition school course, and upon his return to Italy he obtained an old-school diploma in Composition at the Conservatorio di Santa Cecilia in Rome. At the same conservatory he also obtains a bachelor’s degree in “Maestro Collaboratore al Pianoforte” and a two-year specialist degree in “Vocal and Sacred Repertoire Direction,” both with highest honors. He studied jazz at the Saint Louis School of Music in Rome, and singing under the guidance of countertenor Mario Bassani. In the guise of cantor he has been part of numerous Roman choral ensembles and has some commercial recordings to his credit (Brilliant Classics and Edizioni Paoline) as well as being a founding member and first tenor of “Prima Prattica Ensemble,” a vocal quintet specializing in Renaissance repertoire. As a conductor of orchestra and choir, he has performed on various occasions. Prominent among them is the conducting of the Youth String Orchestra of the Santa Cecilia Conservatory at the Christmas Concert of the Chamber of Deputies on December 20, 2020. For his main activity, that is, as a composer, he has received numerous awards: he has currently received dozens of prizes and honorable mentions among national and international competitions (Guido d’Arezzo, Seghizzi, Turoldo, Bobbio Sacra, Preveza, Vincenzo Amato, Alma Dantis, etc.), counting him among the most recognized emerging composers in the Italian choral scene. His works are frequently performed in Italy and abroad in public concerts and included as compulsory pieces in choral singing competitions (Guido d’Arezzo, Seghizzi…). He is also the recipient of numerous commissions for the creation of new choral music. His works have been published by Feniarco, Arcopu, Tactus records, Aldebaran Editions, PH Publishers, Sonitus Edizioni, Diaphonia Edizioni. He is frequently invited to serve on juries of national and international composition competitions. He has also received several awards for his vocal chamber and symphonic music. He is currently a tenured professor of music at the “Italo Calvino” Grade I secondary school in Rome. As the son of an Italian diplomat, and because of his childhood spent abroad, he is fluent in English and French in addition to Italian. www.claudioferraracomposer.com.