Based in Italy, the ArsClassica Foundation provides a range of educational and outreach initiatives, supporting young artists through professional mentorship, recording services, and other resources.

Open to emerging musicians from ages eighteen to thirty-five, the ArsClassica International Competition provides young pianists, violinists, violists, and cellists with early career support, professional collaboration opportunities, development, and partnerships.

VC Artist violist Emad Zolfaghari was the First Prize Winner of the Senior Competition. South Korean violinist Ahyeon Ju won Second Prize, while South Korean violinist Jaewon Wee was named the Third Prize Winner.

The competition's Grand Final took place in Rome in late 20245. As the First Prize Winner, Zolfaghari will receive high-quality professional audio and video recordings, with a total value of €30,000, together with concert and artistic opportunities linked to ArsClassica projects.

Zolfaghari was accepted to the Curtis Institute of Music at age sixteen, and in 2024, he was the first Canadian to receive both First Prize and Audience Prize at the Primrose International Viola Competition.

He was also the First Prize Winner at the 2023 Irving M. Klein International String Competition and the International Morningside Music Bridge Competition, Second Prize winner of the 2022 Johansen International String Competition, and Third Prize winner of the 2023 Concours OSM String Competition.

Zolfaghari performs on a 1700 Matteo Goffriller viola on loan from the Rachel Barton Pine Foundation and a Eugène Sartory bow on generous loan from CANIMEX, Inc.

Past prizewinners of the competition include violinists Anna Im and Oliver Neubauer and pianist Chang Li.