Tokyo, Japan.- The young Dominican cellist Aarón Ernesto Di Lorenzo, 12 years old, won first place in the SIMANOF 2026 International Music Competition, held in Tokyo, Japan, holding high the name of the Dominican Republic in front of young musicians from six countries.
Born in Verón, Punta Cana, Aarón began his musical training at El Sistema Punta Cana, a music education and social transformation program developed by the Foundation for the Cultural and Artistic Expansion of Punta Cana (FUNEYCA). He is currently studying at the National Conservatory of Music of the Dominican Republic and is a scholarship recipient of the Foundation for Music, institutions that support his academic and artistic preparation.
During the competition, Aarón shared the stage with 12 young musicians from Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, Japan, the United States, and the Dominican Republic. His performance of the Allemande from the Cello Suite No. 1 in G major, BWV 1007, by Johann Sebastian Bach, captivated the jury with its musicality, sensitivity, and understanding of phrasing, qualities especially remarkable in a performer of such a young age.
The international jury, composed of renowned musicians from Japan, Mexico, the United States, and Venezuela, unanimously awarded first place to the young Dominican cellist. During the evaluation, its members highlighted his technical mastery of the instrument, the precision of his tuning, and, above all, his ability to deliver a true interpretation of the work, beyond the correct execution of the notes.
This triumph constitutes a new recognition of the country’s musical talent and demonstrates that artistic excellence knows no borders or age limits. It also highlights the importance of identifying, training, and providing international opportunities to the many Dominican children and young people who possess extraordinary musical abilities.
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As the winner of the competition, Aarón received a prize valued at US$ 2,200, which includes his fully paid participation in the SIMANOF London 2027 Tour as a soloist with the orchestra, which will bring together children and young people from different musical programs around the world.
The concert will take place under the side by side format, allowing the members of the SIMANOF Orchestra to share the stage and music stands with professional musicians linked to the London Symphony Orchestra.
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For this presentation, it is projected that Aarón will perform the Cello Concerto No. 1 in A minor, Op. 33, by the French composer Camille Saint-Saëns, one of the most important and demanding works in the cello repertoire.
In addition to participating in the competition, Aarón was part of the SIMANOF concert tour in Japan, where he performed the piece Dream, by Japanese composer Takafumi Kakizaki, together with a choir of children and young people with disabilities from El Sistema Japan. The participation of the Japanese soloist Ayako, performer of the shō, allowed him to discover the sonority of this ancient traditional Japanese instrument.
The encounter between the cello, the orchestra, the choir, and the unique sound of the shō became one of the most memorable experiences of the entire tour for Aarón.
For El Sistema Punta Cana, this first place reaffirms the power of musical education to transform the lives of children and young people in the Verón-Punta Cana community.
