The Iturbi Prize was created in June 1981 with the aim of honouring and preserving the memory of the great Valencian pianist José Iturbi, who died on 28 June 1980 in Beverly Hills (California). At the same time, it has become a launching platform for young talents beginning their careers in the demanding world of piano, just as Maestro Iturbi himself once did.
The València Iturbi International Piano Competition, held every two years, celebrated its 22nd edition in 2023. In 2025 it returns with renewed energy to celebrate its 23rd edition, reaffirming its commitment to artistic excellence and the promotion of emerging talent.
This new stage of the Iturbi Prize is marked by the incorporation, in December 2019, of the prestigious Spanish pianist Joaquín Achúcarro as Artistic Director. Under his leadership, and with the support of a renewed Artistic Committee, an updated competition model has been designed that focuses on the deepest values of piano performance, thus redefining the rules and spirit that govern it.
The jury of the 23rd edition will be made up of leading figures from the world of music: Catherine d’Argoubet, Nikolai Demidenko, Janina Fialkowska, Ana Guijarro, Paul Hughes, Jorge Luis Prats, Nicola Sani and Didier Schnorhk, under the chairmanship of Joaquín Achúcarro.
The Competition has the collaboration of the Orquestra de València, one of the most renowned symphony orchestras on the Spanish and international scene, based at the Palau de la Música de València.
Following the innovative spirit of José Iturbi, who brought the music of his time to the main American stages (Philadelphia Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, Boston, Chicago, Detroit…), the Prize also promotes contemporary creation. For the 2025 edition, an original work has been commissioned from the composer Sebastián Mariné, to be performed during the Semifinal phase.
Throughout its more than forty years of history, the Competition has included on its jury renowned figures such as Alicia de Larrocha, Alexis Weissenberg, Jenő Jandó, John O’Conor, Pascal Rogé, Andrea Lucchesini, Henry Barda, Rosa Sabater, Maria Tipo, Sulamita Aronovsky, Dmitri Bashkirov, Joaquín Soriano, Joaquín Rodrigo, Joaquín Nin-Culmell, Eduardo López-Chávarri and Menahem Pressler, among others.
The Iturbi Prize has welcomed participants from all five continents, maintaining a special connection with pianists from former Eastern Bloc countries, especially during the final years of the Cold War, some of whom achieved the top awards.
The València Iturbi International Piano Competition is part of the World Federation of International Music Competitions (WFIMC), based in Geneva, which brings together the most prestigious music competitions worldwide. It is also a member of the Alink-Argerich Foundation, an international benchmark among prestigious piano competitions.