The City Council announces the eighth edition of the Young Performers Competition ‘Ciudad de Estepona’ for children under 14 years of age.

The national competition will be held on May 23 (semifinals at Colegio San José) and the final on May 24 at the Mirador del Carmen Cultural Center.) The competition is open to young instrumentalists of piano, stringed instruments,

The mayor of Estepona, José María García Urbano, and the president of the Musical Association ‘Gradus ad Parnassum’, Olga Tarasova, today presented the VIII Contest of Young Performers ‘City of Estepona’ to promote and encourage culture and art among young people, in addition to helping young virtuosos of music to reach higher levels. The alderman has highlighted the commitment that the city makes to promote culture in all its expressions and to support artists of musical interpretation.

The national competition is open to young instrumentalists of piano, stringed instruments, wind, harp and guitar, up to 13 years of age, excluding those who are 14 years old on May 24, the last day of the competition, and have Spanish nationality or residence. The rules can be consulted on the website www.esteponamusical.es. The deadline for participation will remain open until April 18, 2026.

The members of the Jury will evaluate the recordings and select 10 semi-finalists, who will have the status of contestants. The results of the selection will be communicated by the end of April 2026. From the ten semi-finalists, the Jury will choose the 5 finalists on May 23rd (semifinals at Colegio San José, at 10:00 a.m.), who will perform on Sunday, May 24th in the Audition Hall of the Conservatory of Music, located in the Mirador del Carmen Cultural Center, at 10:30 a.m., with free admission until full capacity is reached. During the final gala will perform the clarinetist Jesús Berrio Hernández, winner of the VII edition of the contest.

The jury will be composed of important figures of the musical field with trajectories of national and international relevance. As president, Juan Mendoza, oboe, artistic director of the Escuela Superior de Música Reina Sofía. As members, Fernando Arias, cello, professor at the Real Conservatorio Superior de Música de Madrid and Escuela Superior de Música Reina Sofía; Eduardo Frías, piano, artistic director and manager of the ‘Fundación Scherzo’; Yulia Iglinova, concertmaster of the Orquesta Sinfónica de RTVE; Cristina Lucio – Villegas, piano, orchestra conductor, artistic director of the ‘Camerata Complutense’; Augusto Techera, artistic production director of the Teatro de la Maestranza in Seville; Nadia Zhdanova, musicologist, cultural manager and artistic agent of Sol Classic Management and Artists Management Company (Verona).

The following prizes will be awarded:

– 1st Prize: 1,000 €; 2nd Prize: 700 €; 3rd Prize: 500 €; and two Finalists’ Diplomas: each of 200 €.

Special prizes for the winner of the First Prize:

– Special Prize “GEWA”. GEWA Strings will award a case to the winner of the Competition.

– Special Prize “Fundación Scherzo”. A recital at the Hinves Pianos facilities in Madrid.

– Special Prize “Orquesta Filarmónica de Málaga”. A soloist performance with the O.F.M. in the 2027-2028 season.

– Special Prize “Sociedad Filarmónica de Málaga”. Participation in a recital organized by the S.F.M. during the 2026-2027 season.

– Special Prize “The Future Starts Here”. Participation in one of the concerts of the series “The Future Starts Here” in the 2027 edition, organized by Altair Producciones at the Auditorio Joaquín Rosado, Moncloa-Aravaca district of the Madrid City Council.

Special Awards:

– Special ‘Summer Camp’ Award from the Exmo. Ayuntamiento de Estepona and the Escuela Superior de Música Reina Sofía, for one of the semi-finalists. Participation in the ‘Summer Camp’ course organized by the School for two weeks in July 2027.

– Special Audience Award: 300 €.

– Colegio San José Special Prize to the youngest contestant.

Other special prizes:

– Special Prize “Iberian Sinfonietta”.

– Special Prize “Camerata Complutense”.

– Special Prize “Barcelona International Young Artists Competition”.

Organized by the Musical Association “Gradus ad Parnassum”, presided by Olga Tarasova (cellist professor of the Philharmonic Orchestra of Malaga, OFM), artistic director of the competition. Sponsored by the City Council of Estepona.

In collaboration with Radio Clásica, the Escuela Superior de Música Reina Sofía, GEWA Strings, HINVES Pianos, Fundación Scherzo, Orquesta Filarmónica de Málaga (OFM), Sociedad Filarmónica de Málaga, “Sol Classic Management”, Orquesta ‘Iberian Sinfonietta’, ‘Camerata Complutense’ Alcalá de Henares, ‘Barcelona International Young Artists Competition’, ‘Ciclo Jóvenes Talentos’ and Altair Producciones, as well as Colegio San José de Estepona and El Campanario’ Multi-Sport Club.

www.esteponamusical.com