Piano meeting returns to Sardoal with concerts, training and competition

“ ANDthese 10 years that we have of this event, and the possibility that we may be holding this meeting again this year, is proof that it has reached its maturity ", said today to Lusa the President of the House of Sardoal, Pedro Rosa, having highlighted the cultural dynamics in welcoming an international event.

Organized by the Associação Aquiles Delle Vigne (A2DV) in partnership with the municipality of Sardoal, in the district of Santarém, the initiative is said to be one of the main dedicated to piano in the region, bringing together interpreters, teachers and young musicians from different countries in a program that combines training, competition and public performances.

The mayor considered that “the work that was done, not only at the level of promotion, but also at quality” and the “differentiator character” printed to the meeting contributed to make it “a reference” cultural.

“ I would even risk saying that we are no longer just a local, regional reference, we are already a national reference ", sustained, pointing to the institutional support received as a sign of the recognition achieved by the event.

The meeting starts on July 4th with the show “Fado do Piano”, starring Leonor Duarte and Daniel Delaunay, following, throughout the week, young talent concerts, a videoconcert dedicated to the American composer Steve Reich and the performance of Ukrainian pianist Vitaly Pisarenko, winner of the Franz Liszt piano competition in Utrecht, the Netherlands.

Rosa highlighted the inaugural concert as a bet on the diversification of audiences, referring to the first time that the meeting includes a fado show accompanied by the piano.

The program also includes the initiative “Music for Heritage”, scheduled for July 10, which combines a walk through the local heritage to musical moments in different areas of the county.

According to the president of the municipality, this activity, already usual in the program, has registered a significant demand and allows to combine the valuation of the heritage with the musical enjoyment.

On the 11th there is a concert of winners with the work “The History of the Soldier”, by Igor Stravinsky, with participation of Miguel Neto, of the Sardoalense Union Philharmonic, while the closing will be in charge of the Orchestra Philharmony of the Beiras, in a concert scheduled for July 12.

In parallel to the artistic program, the International Piano Contest of Sardoal is held, open to pianists from all countries and divided into the categories Juvenile, Junior and Senior.

The competition runs between July 6 and 12, with open competitions to the public, and allocates a total of 10 thousand euros in monetary prizes.

The best ranked senior category will also have the opportunity to play the Concerto para Piano de Edvard Grieg accompanied by orchestra, at the final concert of the meeting.

The ‘masterclasses’, also scheduled between July 6th and 12th, are intended for piano students, who will have access to individual lessons and study instruments provided by the organization.

Pedro Rosa argued that the meeting has contributed to democratizing access to culture and classical music.

“Culture has no elites” and should create “the possibility for all people to access culture regardless of whether they are in Porto, Lisbon or Sardoal,” he said.

In the 2025 edition, the event brought together 45 young pianists from 23 countries and featured pianist Mário Laginha at the opening concert.

The mayor expressed the expectation that this year’s edition will maintain a similar international participation, considering that pianists “have already begun to look at Sardoal” as an event that can value their artistic careers.

With free admissions to the general of the initiatives, the XI International Meeting of Sardoal Piano takes place between the 4th and 12th of July at the Gil Vicente Cultural Center and other heritage areas of the municipality.