DistantNews
Support us
🇧🇪 Belgium /Culture & Society

Historic Cello and Belgian Chocolate: Queen Elisabeth Competition Winner Ettore Pagano Reflects

From VRT NWS · () Dutch

Translated from Dutch, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • Italian cellist Ettore Pagano won the 2026 Queen Elisabeth Competition, describing the experience as life-changing.
  • Pagano will play Pablo Casals' historic Goffriller cello for four years, an instrument he feels deeply connected to.
  • Beyond the competition and prize, Pagano cherishes the 11 new friendships formed with fellow laureates during the intensive preparation period.

Italian musician Ettore Pagano, the 2026 winner of the Queen Elisabeth Competition for cello, described the experience as "life-changing." The 23-year-old has been awarded the extraordinary opportunity to play the historic Goffriller cello, previously owned and played by the legendary Pablo Casals for 65 years.

Life-changing.

— Ettore PaganoThe Italian cellist describes his experience winning the Queen Elisabeth Competition.

Pagano expressed profound connection to the instrument, stating, "The sound resonates in my bones, my chest, my belly. I am very happy to play this instrument for four years. It will teach me a lot, I think." He plans to perform Bach's cello suites, pieces made world-famous by Casals, calling Bach "the bible for all musicians."

Reflecting on the competition's end, Pagano admitted to sleepless nights after his final performance. "You suddenly realize: it's over, after millions of notes for the competition, I don't have to play a single one more," he said, though this respite was temporary.

The sound resonates in my bones, my chest, my belly. I am very happy to play this instrument for four years. It will teach me a lot, I think.

— Ettore PaganoPagano expresses his feelings about playing Pablo Casals' historic cello.

During his intensive month of preparation, Pagano found a unique source of strength: Belgian chocolate. "My family often brought me chocolate in the past few weeks. It helps to practice better," he shared. His fondness for chocolate led him to commission a special chocolate creation from a Brussels chocolatier – an Italian shoe, rather than a cello.

Bach is the bible for all musicians.

— Ettore PaganoPagano speaks about the significance of Bach's music.

Pagano also highlighted the camaraderie among the laureates. He recalled late-night conversations with fellow finalists, sharing deepest secrets after 12-hour practice days. "Besides the experience and the prize, you gain 11 friends," he noted. He described how the isolation week, free from social media and the internet, blurred the lines between competition and concert, allowing them to forget they were rivals and focus on the music.

You suddenly realize: it's over, after millions of notes for the competition, I don't have to play a single one more.

— Ettore PaganoPagano reflects on the immediate aftermath of his final performance.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by VRT NWS in Dutch. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog