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PUCV collaborates with the Dr. Luis Sigall International Contest

Martes 23 de septiembre de 2025

Every October, the city of Viña del Mar welcomes a new edition of the Dr. Luis Sigall International Musical Performance Contest, an emblematic competition in the Latin American music calendar that will celebrate its 49th edition, dedicated to the violoncello, between the 5th and the 10th of October.

The contest is organized by the Cultural Corporation of Viña del Mar and is supported by the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso and the Viña del Mar Municipality. In addition, it receives funding from the Music fund at the Ministry of Culture, Art and Heritage.

From its foundation in 1974, the competition has consolidated as a space for young talents worldwide. It stands out due to the participation of international performers as well as the presence of chilean musicians that have achieved global recognition.

The Vicerector of Community Relations at our university, Jacqueline Páez, expressed that “our University has a strong commitment to art and beauty in its various expressions, both at the regional and national levels. For this reason, we consider our duty as a university of excellence to democratize culture, taking it to different spaces and audiences, in order to promote the formation of new ones”.

"We are proud to establish ourselves as a strategic partner of the Luis Sigall competition, a musical event that is of international renown. At the same time, this demands the great responsibility of contributing to its growth and consolidation”, she added.

In this context, the participation of the PUCV is directly related to the guidelines of its
2023-2029 Institutional Strategic Development Plan, which emphasizes the promotion of
art and culture as a fundamental part of the university relations with the regional
community.

About the competition

The Luis Sigall competition is part of the World Federation of International Music Contests since 1979. In this edition, after a rigorous selection process, six young cello players were chosen as semi-finalists: Amy Goto (U.S); Francisco Joui Karr (Germany); Johannes Gray (U.S); Karl Figueroa Zúñiga (Chile); Andrej van Brakel (the Netherlands); and David Martín Gutiérrez (Spain).

The activities will begin on Sunday, October 5, with an Inaugural Concert at the Viña del
Mar Municipal Theatre, which will officially launch a week dedicated to the cello and music.

The semi-final stage will take place on Monday, October 6th, and Tuesday, October 7th, at
6 PM at the Viña del Mar Club, and the final will take place on Friday, October 10th at 6
PM at the Municipal Theatre. On this occasion, the finalists will perform symphonic pieces
together with the Chamber Orchestra of the PUCV, conducted by Maestro Alvaro Gómez.

This year, the judging panel is comprised by renowned figures related to the cello and
education: Christine Walevska (U.S.); María Gabriela Olivares (Chile); Polonia Sienkiewicz
(Chile); Julio Barrios Wattson (Chile); Katharina Paslawski (Poland); and Eduardo Salgado
Solovera (Chile).

Additional Activities

The program also includes activities that are open to the community, as follows:

  • Wednesday, October 8. Encounter of Cellos at the Viña del Mar Hall.
  • Thursday, October 9. Violoncello Masterclass by Christine Walevska, at the PUCV
    facilities.
  • Thursday, October 9. Classical Singing Masterclass, at 3:30 PM, at the Viña del Mar Hall, given by Patricia Cifuentes, first chilean winner of the Luis Sigall Competition in this category.

These activities are directed towards conservatory and university students and musicians
in general, and they are free of charge, after registration.

Strategic Communications Department

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