Maria Golia

Born in 1916, Maria Golia came to the piano as a child and showed exceptional talent early on. She studied in an era when musical training was inseparable from personal formation: discipline, listening, patience. Qualities she would carry with her for the rest of her life.

After an early concert career, she chose to devote herself to teaching. It was not a compromise but a deliberate decision: to pass on what she had learned, with the same seriousness with which she had received it. For her students the piano was never just technique — it was thought, responsibility, something built over time. Maria Golia taught people to play by teaching them to understand.

She died in 2007, leaving a deep mark on those who knew her. Many of her students went on to become musicians and teachers themselves, carrying forward a way of understanding music that extends far beyond the stage.

The Competition

The "Maria Golia" International Piano Competition is born from this legacy. It is not a formal tribute to a name, but a cultural project that takes seriously the values of the person who inspires it: rigour in study, respect for the pace of growth, the belief that talent is built day by day.

The competition is designed to accompany pianists through the different stages of their journey. Section I welcomes young players from their earliest years of study, with six age-based categories. Section II is open to pianists of any age, with a video pre-selection and a final round in person. Two different ways to take part, one underlying idea: music as a path, not a destination.

The first edition will take place from 1 to 3 May 2026 at the Castello Ducale di Agliè, a Savoy residence in the heart of the Canavese region of Piedmont. A venue chosen for its historical significance and its capacity to host an event that brings together music, education, and heritage.

The competition is organised by the Associazione Orium APS.

It was not created to crown winners, but to recognise journeys.