The third edition of the “Villa de Bilbao” musical competition returns in may: where piano, violin and mathematics meet

• This cultural proposal, part of the ‘2M: Mathematics and Music’ initiative, will be held from 15 to 18 May 2026 at the “Juan Crisóstomo de Arriaga” Professional Conservatory.
• As a major new feature, this edition will debut the "First International HINVES Spirio Prize", strengthening the international profile of the competition.
• A special event will take place on Saturday 16 May, alongside an analysis of the winning performances and a concert open to the general public.
• The closing ceremony and prize-giving will be held on 30 May at the Sociedad Bilbaina.
• The initiative is part of Bilbomath, an agreement signed between Bilbao City Council and BCAM to promote internationalisation and innovation in attracting talent.
• The repertoire is free choice and registrations are now open for pianists and violinists born between 1994 and 2018.
• Prizes include concerts at the Sociedad Bilbaina and the Bilbao Conservatory, as well as scholarships ranging from €500 to €1,000.

Algorithms and staves have more in common than it might seem. Under the ‘2M: Mathematics and Music’ initiative, the BCAM - Basque Centre for Applied Mathematics —a BERC Excellence Research Centre accredited three consecutive times with the Severo Ochoa distinction (2013, 2018 and 2021)— is organising the third edition of the “Villa de Bilbao 2026” competition alongside Bilbao City Council.

The event will begin on Friday 15 May with a concert by last year’s winners, Xabier Boixet and Sofia Meladze, followed by three intense days of piano and violin auditions. The competition is part of the ‘2M: Mathematics and Music’ programme led by Luca Fanelli (Ikerbasque Research Professor at UPV/EHU and BCAM, and pianist) within the BILBOMATH project. This collaboration between Bilbao City Council and BCAM aims to promote internationalisation and innovation in talent attraction.

The third edition will take place from 15 to 18 May 2026 at the “Juan Crisóstomo de Arriaga” Professional Conservatory. This edition will conclude with the closing ceremony scheduled for Saturday 30 May at 19:00 at the Sociedad Bilbaina.

This initiative seeks to reveal the beauty found at the intersection of mathematics and music, serving as a fundamental pedagogical tool to boost the artistic careers of young talent. The competition not only fosters musical culture but also creates a meeting space where participants of various nationalities share interests and experiences.

The competition, which covers piano and violin, is designed as a pedagogical tool to boost the careers of children and young people born between 1994 and 2018, divided into categories from A to I. One of the most prominent additions this year is the First International HINVES Spirio Prize, with the award ceremony and technical analysis of winning performances taking place on Saturday 16 May at the J.C. Arriaga Professional Conservatory.

Absolute winners in every category will receive plaques and diplomas, while the following prizes have been established for the senior categories (G, H, and I):

• Category G: Two shared concerts with Category H winners (one at the Bilbao Conservatory and one at the Sala Hinves in Madrid) plus a €500 scholarship to cover travel expenses.
• Category H: Two shared concerts with Category G winners (one at the Bilbao Conservatory and one at the Sala Hinves in Madrid) plus a €750 scholarship to cover travel expenses.
• Category I: One concert at the Sociedad Bilbaina and another shared piano and violin concert at the Sala Hinves in Madrid, plus a €1,000 scholarship to cover travel expenses.

The artistic direction is led by Luca Fanelli (Ikerbasque Research Professor UPV/EHU and BCAM, pianist), with co-direction from Ales Larrazabal (Bilbao Conservatory; pianist), Rubén Darío Reina (RTVE Orchestra; violinist), and Maite Villate (Bilbao Conservatory; pianist). The organisation is managed by Magdalena Strugaru (UPV/EHU).

The event is supported by Bilbao City Council; Juan Crisóstomo de Arriaga Conservatory of Bilbao; the Harmonic Analysis and Partial Differential Equations group of the UPV/EHU; the Basque Government; Ikerbasque; Sociedad Bilbaina; HINVES; the European Research Council (ERC); and BCAM’s Severo Ochoa Distinction of Excellence.

ABOUT BCAM

Located in the heart of Bilbao, BCAM is a world-class interdisciplinary research centre in Applied Mathematics founded in 2008 as a Basque Centre for Applied Mathematics (BERC). Its focus is on interdisciplinary research in mathematics, training and attracting scientific talent, and promoting global scientific and technological progress. Having received the Severo Ochoa distinction three times (2013, 2018, and 2021), BCAM is consolidated as one of the most important institutions in its field in Europe. BCAM currently employs over 160 researchers from 36 countries. BCAM’s partners, alongside Bilbao City Council, include Ikerbasque, Innobasque, UPV/EHU, the Provincial Council of Bizkaia, and Petronor Innovación S.L.