Cypriot pianist Christos Fountos takes 3rd place at the 65th Ferruccio Busoni Competition

Cypriot pianist Christos Fountos took third place at the 65th International Ferruccio Busoni Piano Competition, held in Bolzano (Italy) from August 27 to September 7, 2025, reports philenews.com.

Fountos, 28, advanced from the initial selection of a hundred participants to the final trio, which also included Georgian pianist Sandro Nebieridze and Chinese Yifan Wu. In the final, he was warmly received by both the jury and the audience; the concluding stage of the competition was broadcast by the Italian state television channel RAI5.

Born and raised in Nicosia (Kaimakli district), the musician made his solo debut at 17 with the Cyprus Symphony Orchestra, performing Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No. 2. He studied at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in London on a full scholarship, earning Bachelor of Music, Master of Music, and Artist Diploma with distinction, along with several awards including the Silver Medal and the title Young Artist Musicians’ Company (City of London). Fountos has performed both as a soloist and as part of the Waldstein Trio in the Brahms Saal of the Wiener Musikverein and Beethovenhaus Bonn.

Participation and the prize at the Busoni Competition reinforce the pianist’s international reputation and raise the profile of the Cypriot music scene at a European level. For residents of Cyprus, this is a reason to follow announcements — future invitations to festivals and concerts featuring the musician are possible.