Italian pianist Giuseppe Guarrera is the latest winner of the prestigious Beethoven Prize at the Cleveland International Piano Competition (2024). Acclaimed for his "virtuosity" and "expressiveness" (Scherzo), Guarrera has performed as both a soloist and chamber musician in some of Europe’s most prestigious venues, including Wigmore Hall in London, the Pierre Boulez Saal in Berlin, and the Scherzo Foundation in Madrid. His concert engagements also span renowned festivals and venues such as the Jerusalem Chamber Music Festival, Verbier Festival Academy, Klavier-Festival Ruhr, Musikverein Vienna, Philharmonie in Luxembourg and Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, as well as an extensive tour in China.
Recent and upcoming engagements include recitals at the Verbier Festival, Bourgie Hall in Montréal, the Canadian Opera Company, Piano en Valois Festival, and a tour in Italy featuring a stop at La Fenice Theater in Venice, as well as a debut with Camerata Strumentale di Prato performing Shostakovich’s Concerto No. 2 under the baton of Jonathan Webb. Chamber music highlights include the Tokyo Spring Festival, Heidelberg Spring Festival, and Grünwalder Konzerte with horn player Ben Goldscheider and violinist Mayumi Kanagawa.
Guarrera's concert highlights include collaborations with esteemed orchestras such as the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra (V. Petrenko), the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal (C. P. Floor), the Orchestra del Teatro La Fenice (D. Kjtaenko), and The Cleveland Orchestra.
A significant milestone in his career was his invitation by the legendary conductor Daniel Barenboim to perform at the opening concert of the 2017-2018 season at the Pierre Boulez Saal. After his debut with D. Barenboim, he was re-invited for four performances in the following season and became part of the faculty at the Barenboim-Said Akademie.
In addition to his recent achievements, Guarrera is a former YCAT artist. He received the Tabor Award at the Verbier Festival in 2018 and was named a Rising Star at the Klavierfestival Ruhr in 2019. In 2017, he won the prestigious Silver Medal at the Concours Musical International de Montréal (CMIM) as well as all five other prizes, including the audience prize.
September 2025
