MIPCA

Augusta Read Thomas wins the first edition of the Moliner International Percussion Composition Award

The Moliner International Percussion Composition Award (MIPCA) announces that the American composer Augusta Read Thomas has been selected as the winner of the first edition of the award.

This international call, open to composers worldwide, received a total of 247 submissions, consisting of recent works written for percussion, reflecting the growing global interest in the development and visibility of this repertoire.

The award, endowed with €1,000, was granted following an evaluation process carried out by the percussionist, composer, and artistic director of the competition, David Moliner, who assessed the works anonymously according to artistic, structural, and technical criteria.

In addition to the main prize, 48 outstanding works were selected. Their composers will receive professional support, international visibility, and promotion opportunities: Andrea Clearfield / Angela Slater / Anna Hirst Friedman / Ben Zucker /Bernat Cucarella / Chris Everest / Diego Gimeno / Dominic Lipari / Domenico Vellucci / Elias Frisk / Frederic Gieser / Gabriel Andrés Gallegos / Gyna Ryan / Ivan Danko / Jason Sullivan / John Zhu / Jon Esnaola / Kazuki Chinone / Kurt Bryan / Loren Ehlers / Massimiliano Vizzini / Ming Yang / Natsuka Kojima / Peer Baierlein / Pinar Özaslan / Ricardo Duran / Roberto Ángeles / Tiago Fialho Jesus / Upasak Mukherjee / Xu Zheng / Vadim D. Genin. The selection of a single winner does not diminish the importance of the other awarded works: one of the fundamental aims of MIPCA is to actively promote all selected composers, fostering the dissemination of their music in professional, educational, and artistic contexts worldwide.

The Moliner International Percussion Composition Award was created with the mission of placing percussion—and especially the marimba—at the center of the musical landscape, at the same level of recognition and visibility as instruments such as the piano, violin, or cello. The project seeks to expand the repertoire, encourage new works, and strengthen the presence of percussion in concert halls, institutions, and international circuits.

This vision is closely connected to the artistic career of David Moliner, who has contributed to positioning the marimba on major international stages, performing in leading venues such as the Berlin Philharmonic, the Elbphilharmonie, and the Musikverein.

As part of the recognition, Augusta Read Thomas will compose a new percussion concerto for David Moliner. This commission represents a strong commitment to expanding the major solo repertoire for percussion and to fostering a direct artistic dialogue between composers and performers, reinforcing the international projection of the instrument.

David stated: “Augusta Read Thomas brings extraordinary clarity of vision and expressive depth. Her music opens new artistic paths for percussion and embodies the spirit of this award.”

Augusta said: “Deeply humbled, grateful, and moved to receive The Moliner International Percussion Composition Award. Means the world to me, especially coming from a performer and composer as exceptional as David Moliner. I offer my hearty congratulations to all the other finalists.”

Press release MIPCA 2026

Augusta Read Thomas
Andrea Clearfield
Angela Slater
Anna Hirst Friedman
Ben Zucker
Bernat Cucarella
Chris Everest
Diego Gimeno
Dominic Lipari
Domenico Vellucci
Elias Frisk
Frederic Gieser
Gabriel Andrés Gallegos
Gyna Ryan
Ivan Danko
Jason Sullivan
John Zhu
Jon Esnaola
Kazuki Chinone
Kurt Bryan
Loren Ehlers
Massimiliano Vizzini
Ming Yang
Natsuka Kojima
Peer Baierlein
Pinar Özaslan
Ricardo Duran
Roberto Ángeles
Tiago Fialho Jesus
Upasak Mukherjee
Xu Zheng
Vadim D. Genin