Estepona City Council celebrates the final of the VI Concurso Nacional de Jóvenes Intérpretes ‘Ciudad de Estepona’ for children under 13 years old.

The competition will take place on May 25 and 26 at the Felipe VI Auditorium with free admission until full capacity is reached. Young instrumentalists of piano, strings (violin, viola and cello), wind, harp and guitar will participate.

The Estepona City Council informs that the sixth edition of the National Competition for Young Performers ‘Ciudad de Estepona’ will be held during the next May 25 (semifinals at Colegio San José, at 10.00 am) and May 26 (final at the Felipe VI Auditorium, at 11.00 am).

This national competition aims to find and help young music virtuosos to reach higher levels, and is aimed at young performers of piano, string instruments (violin, viola and cello), wind, harp and guitar up to 13 years of age, excluding those who will be 14 years old on May 26, the last day of the competition.

The 10 semi-finalists of the VI Concurso Jóvenes Intérpretes ‘Ciudad de Estepona’ are the following:

– Rafael Álvarez-Buiza Avakimyan, piano, 13 years old, Badajoz.

– Alicia Arriaza González, cello, 12 years old, Seville.

– Pablo Beltrán Sánchez, viola, 12 years old, Zaragoza.

– Gabriel Jara de Castro Oliveira, trumpet, 11 years old, Cuenca.

– Rubén Delgado Castillo, violin, 12 years old, Málaga.

– Juan Antonio Gómez García, clarinet, 12 years old, Almería.

– Manuel María Mahamud Zadorina, piano, 12 years old, Oviedo.

– Sara Camila Molina Isaaccura, harp, 11 years old, Madrid.

– Martina Moliner Alcaine, violin, 13, Zaragoza.

– Gabriel Tomás Rodríguez, cello, 12 years old, Barcelona.

From all of them, the jury will choose the five finalists on May 25, who will perform on Sunday, May 26 at 11.00 a.m. in the Felipe VI Auditorium. Invitations to attend the final gala can be collected from Monday at the Centro Cultural Padre Manuel, from 11.00 to 14.00 hours, and from 17.00 to 20.00 hours.

During the gala will perform the young 14-year-old violinist from Madrid, student of Yehudi Menuhin School in London, Inés Maro Burgos Babakhanian, winner of the fifth edition of the contest in 2023. In addition, all semifinalists will receive a diploma after the test.

The mayor of Estepona, José María García Urbano, encourages citizens to come and enjoy the music of these young talents who will become great figures of music in the coming years. He also stressed that this contest, organized by the Musical Association ‘Gradus ad Parnassum’, has the collaboration and support of cultural institutions as prestigious as the Reina Sofia School of Music and Albéniz Foundation, the Scherzo Foundation, GEWA Strings, or the Philharmonic Orchestra of Malaga, among others.

For her part, the director of the musical competition, president of the Musical Association “Gradus ad Parnassum” and professor of the Philharmonic Orchestra of Malaga (OFM), Olga Tarasova, has highlighted the high level of the jury members; all of them important figures in the musical field, with careers of national and international relevance. As president, Luis del Valle, concert pianist, professor at the Real Conservatorio Superior de Música de Madrid. And as members, Juan Alonso Mendoza, oboist and artistic director of the Escuela Superior de Música Reina Sofía and Fundación Albéniz; Eduardo Frías, concert pianist, artistic director and manager of the ‘Fundación Scherzo’ of Madrid; Ana María Valderrama, concert violinist, professor at the Real Conservatorio Superior de Música de Madrid; Fernando Arias, concert cellist, professor at the Real Conservatorio Superior de Música de Madrid; and Salvador Vázquez, chief conductor of the Orquesta de Córdoba.

There will be cash prizes of 1,000 euros for the winner of the competition, 700 euros for the second, and 500 euros for the third, as well as two finalists’ diplomas of 200 euros each. There will also be a special public prize of 300 euros, which will go to one of the five finalists.

In addition, the following prizes will be awarded:

Special Awards:

– “Andante con Moto” of Radio Clásica, of RTVE. Participation in the program to the winners of the First Prize and the ‘Summer Camp’ Special Prize.

– Summer Camp Music and Culture’ Award from the Estepona City Council and the Escuela Superior de Música Reina Sofía for one of the finalists. Participation in the ‘Summer Camp’ course organized by the School for two weeks in July 2025.

Special prizes for the winner of the First Prize:

– New Special Prize ‘Scherzo Foundation’. A recital at HINVES Pianos PianoLab in Madrid organized by Fundación Scherzo https://fundacionscherzo.es/

– ‘GEWA’. GEWA Strings will award a case to the winner of the Competition who plays a string or wind instrument.

– ‘Orquesta Filarmónica de Málaga’. A performance as a soloist with the OFM in one of the musical cycles organized by the OFM.

– Philharmonic Society of Malaga’. Participation in a recital organized by the S.F.M. in the Sala Antiguo Conservatorio María Cristina during the 2024/2025 season. In addition, at the discretion and decision of the Society’s representatives, any other finalist may be awarded with another or other extraordinary recitals, or the participation in the same recital. As compensation for such participation, the Society will endow the participant with a prize amounting to 500 euros.

Other special prizes:

– ‘Iberian Sinfonietta’. A solo performance with the orchestra for one of the finalists during the 2024/2025 season.

– New Special Prize ‘Barcelona International Young Artists Competition’ for the best string instrumentalist, to participate in the Final of the Competition in December of this year, accessing directly to the final and without going through the elimination round.

– New Special Prize ‘Camerata Complutense’ Alcalá de Henares. A solo performance with the orchestra in December of this year for one of the string, wind, harp or guitar finalists.

– ‘Colegio San José’. Special trophy for the youngest contestant.

The winner of the Competition will give a recital in the Felipe VI Auditorium on the day of the celebration of the Final of the VII Concurso Jóvenes Intérpretes Ciudad de Estepona. In addition, all semi-finalists will receive a diploma after the competition.

Organized by the Musical Association ‘Gradus ad Parnassum’, chaired by Olga Tarasova, artistic director of the competition. Sponsored by the Estepona City Council. In collaboration with Radio Clásica, RNE, Escuela Superior de Música Reina Sofía and Fundación Albéniz, Fundación Scherzo, GEWA Strings, Orquesta Filarmónica de Málaga (OFM), Sociedad Filarmónica de Málaga, Orquesta Iberian Sinfonietta, “Camerata Complutense” Alcalá de Henares and “Barcelona International Young Artists Competition”, as well as Colegio San José de Estepona, the company Royal Pianos and Hotel Mare Estepona.

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