Andrea Postacchini International Violin Competition Festival

One of Italy's most prestigious violin competitions

The Andrea Postacchini Festival in Fermo, in the heart of the Marche region, revolves around one of the most important international violin competitions on the Italian scene. Named after the renowned luthier from Fermo Andrea Postacchini (1781-1862), considered the "Stradivari of the Marche", the competition attracts young violinists from all over the world to the Municipality of Fermo, transforming the historic centre into a crossroads of music and talent. The event is organised by the Antiqua Marca Firmana ETS Cultural Centre.

The 2026 edition

The 33rd edition took place from May 23rd to 30th, 2026, bringing together 128 young musicians from 29 nations, aged between 8 and 32. The competitors, divided into four age categories, performed accompanied by highly experienced official pianists. The pulsating heart of the event was Fermo's Teatro dell'Aquila, with Palazzo Brancadoro also hosting some collateral events.

The international jury

The jury was chaired by French violinist Pierre Amoyal, alongside internationally renowned names such as Eszter Haffner (Austria), Sergey Ostrovsky (Russia/Switzerland), Roberto Ranfaldi (Italy), Carmit Zori (USA), Ti Zhang (China), and Edoardo Zosi (Italy). The total prize money exceeded 30,000 euros, distributed across the various categories.

Programme and events

In addition to the competition rounds, open to the public every morning from 9:15 AM at the Teatro dell'Aquila, the schedule included numerous events as part of the "Maggio a Fermo in Musica" festival:

• Evening concerts "Who's Playing Tonight?" with the competing violinists (May 25th, 27th, and 28th, 8:30 PM)
• Lutherie exhibition from May 24th to 30th, featuring master luthiers Luca Tacchella and Giovanni Lazzaro
• Grand finale and awards ceremony on Saturday, May 30th at 9:00 PM, with a concert by the winners

A showcase for future talents

The overall winner of the 2026 edition was Japan's Wakana Kimura, awarded a violin made by luthier Luca Tacchella, a bow by Walter Barberio, and the medal of the Senate of the Republic. The Postacchini Festival thus represents not only a competition of the highest level but also a genuine showcase for young performers destined for international stages, in the Marche Region, which boasts a long and noble tradition linked to the art of lutherie and music.