The final audition of the Pablo Casals International Award 2022 took place last Friday November 18th in the auditorium of the Tívoli of the Escola Municipal de Música Pau Casals del Vendrell (EMMPAC). The jury was made up of internationally renowned cellists Henri Demarquette, Marie Hallynck, Asier Polo and Peter Thiemann. Bernard Meillat, musical advisor of the Foundation, acted as secretary of the jury.
Amy Goto was born in the USA to Japanese parents in 2004. She began playing the cello at the age of 3 and made her debut as soloist at age 9 with the Charleston Symphony Orchestra. In 2020, she was selected as the youngest member of the Classe d’Excellence de Violoncelle de Gautier Capuçon at the Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris. Her performances at the Classe d’Excellence were featured on Medici.tv and Radio Classique. In July 2022, she attended the Verbier Festival Academy’s Soloist program. In September 2022, she was selected as an active participant in Frans Helmerson’s studio at the Kronberg Cello Masterclasses. She received the Hope Award at the IX Intenational Tchaikovsky Competition for Young Musicians at age 11 and has competed as semifinalist in the Mazzacurati Competition in 2019 and the Washington International Competition in 2022. Amy has studied with Philippe Muller since 2017 and also with Christophe Coin since 2022.