The Virtuoso International Piano Competition (VIPC) was founded in 2017 from an idea by pianist and pedagogue Chiara Soave and violinist and professor Antonio Granata, with the aim of promoting pianistic talent and musical culture through an event of high artistic and educational standing.

The first edition, titled Concorso Musicale Città di Villafranca, took place in 2018 in the Sala Alida Ferrarini in Villafranca di Verona, welcoming dozens of Italian and international pianists right from the start. The enthusiasm and artistic quality of the early editions quickly established the competition as a prominent event on the musical scene.

In 2023, the event assumed the name Villafranca International Piano Competition, reflecting its growing international scope. In 2024, Alessandro Pontarollo, pianist and philosopher, joined the artistic direction alongside the founders, contributing to expanding the cultural and analytical vision of the project.

Building on the success of the editions up through 2026 at its historic venue in Villafranca, the competition consistently welcomed over 80 participants per edition from Europe, Asia, and the Americas, confirming its place among the most dynamic and inspiring piano competitions in Italy. The main sections featured the Categories, dedicated to students divided by age group with programs designed to highlight their technical and artistic abilities, and the Piano Performance section, reserved for professionals and structured in three stages (preliminary, semifinal, and final) judged by an international jury of renowned artists and professors.

With the 2027 edition, the competition opens an important new chapter in its history: the event moves to the shores of Lake Garda under the name Brenzone Piano Festival. While renewing its bond with the surrounding region, the competition maintains its iconic historical acronym VIPC, which evolves into Virtuoso International Piano Competition.

The Brenzone Piano Festival is not merely a competition, but a place of encounter, advanced training, and cultural dialogue—a space where rigorous musical research and performance excellence become a vehicle for growth, passion, and shared beauty.