Performing his winning renditions of “Prelude and Fugue in C-sharp Major BWV 848” and “Prelude and Fugue in F-sharp Major BWV 882” by Baroque composer Johann Sebastian Bach, ID 117 Music Production student Jascha Obieta gained international recognition for his phenomenal performance at the World Bach Competition (WBC) 2020. 
With the piano as his instrument of choice, Obieta placed second place under the Keyboard and Plucked Instruments Category (University division), sharing the spot with Jiajun David Lai of the USA. Meanwhile, USA’s Hilda Huang and Australia’s Reuben Johnson both placed first in the said category.
With the ongoing pandemic, music, now more than ever, presents itself as a place of solace and comfort that holds significance in our lives. The “Boulder Bach Festival,” a Colorado-based music organization, initiated an international contest for musicians coming from different backgrounds to help showcase their musical talents, to give educational opportunities through the World Bach Competition, and to commemorate the works of German composer and Baroque master Johann Sebastian Bach.
Furthermore, the World Bach Competition features musicians coming from high school, university, community, and professional levels performing Bach’s signature gentle yet tender compositions—using such voices and/or instrument of choice like percussion, brass, woodwinds, strings, keyboard and plucked instruments, non-traditional instruments, non-classical instruments, non-Western instruments, acoustic and electric instruments.
Practice makes perfect
In an interview with The Benildean, Obieta mentioned he was inspired to enter the competition because of his sheer curiosity.
“I was curious and I searched online for international competitions and found WBC 2020, then I thought to myself ‘I would win this for fun’,” further emphasizing that for him, joining the competition was already a win in itself.
In parting wisdom to other aspiring musicians, Obieta shared that practicing as often as you can is the most important factor in achieving one’s dreams.
“Place any musical instrument or technology of your choice and/or a music notebook and keep it beside your bed at all times where you can see it, then make better music than the best you can,” he shared.
Watch Obieta’s winning performance here.
