Guitarist and composer Matteo Prefumo has won the Grand Prize at the “Made in New York Jazz Competition 2025", one of the most prestigious jazz contests internationally. A council of distinguished judges, consisting of three genuine icons of world jazz: Randy Brecker, Lenny White, and Mike Stern, awarded the award. In the competition, Prefumo performed his original composition ‘A New Beginning’ with Tony Tixier (piano), Josh Ginsburg (double bass), and Francesco Ciniglio (drums). The composition garnered the most votes from the international audience in the "Composer" category, and the jury selected it as the overall winner, beating out all other categories: solo instrument, solo vocal, ensemble, and arrangement. "This award means everything to me. The emotion of being acknowledged and heard by artists such as Randy Brecker, Lenny White, and Mike Stern is one that I will always cherish", Prefumo stated. ‘A New Beginning’ is a very personal piece. I wanted to write something harmonically complicated but with a melody that was clear and singable enough for everyone to hum". This is Prefumo's second international recognition in less than a year. In December 2024, he received the ISJAC Rule Beasley Prize in Jazz Leadsheet Composition for the piece ‘The Way It Is!’.