The musician, born in Manresa in 1998 and currently based in Hamburg, Germany, was one of 32 finalists selected from 203 international participants. Competitors underwent preliminary rounds in eleven countries, including France, Italy, Russia, China, and Korea.
After being invited to Dubai, Ricarte successfully passed two further elimination rounds, culminating in the grand final with an orchestra, where he was the sole representative from Spain. In the decisive round, he performed Mendelssohn's Concert number 1 and Gershwin's Concerto in F.
The jury highly praised Ricarte's performance, awarding him the second prize and 25,000 dirhams (approximately 5,700 euros). He was only surpassed by the Korean winner, Ahin Kim, while the French pianist Nicolas Bourdoncle took third place.
Xavier Ricarte is currently pursuing a master's degree with professor Hubert Rutkowski and teaching piano at a university in Hamburg. Despite living abroad, he maintains strong ties to his home region, frequently performing in Manresa and collaborating with the Joventuts Musicals de Moià.
