The City Council announces the seventh edition of the Young Performers Competition ‘Ciudad de Estepona’ for children under 13 years of age.

The national competition will be held on May 24 (semifinals at Colegio San José) and May 25 (final at the Mirador del Carmen Cultural Center). The registration period will be open until April 16, 2025.

The Councillor for Culture, Macarena Diánez, and the president of the Musical Association ‘Gradus ad Parnassum’, Olga Tarasova, today presented the VII Contest of Young Performers ‘City of Estepona’ to promote and encourage culture and art among young people and with the aim of 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 have turned 14 years old on May 25, 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 16, 2025.

The competition will be held on May 24 (semifinals at Colegio San José, at 10:00 am) and May 25 (final in the Audition Hall of the Conservatory of Music, located in the Mirador del Carmen Cultural Center, at 11:00 am), with free admission by invitation of the municipal delegation of Culture.

The jury will be composed of important figures in the musical field with trajectories of national and international relevance. As president, Fernando Arias, cello, professor at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Madrid.

As members, Juan Mendoza, oboe, artistic director of the Reina Sofia School of Music; Eduardo Frias, piano, artistic director and manager of the ‘Scherzo Foundation’; Esteban Morales, percussion, manager of the Philharmonic Orchestra of Malaga; Ana Valderrama, violin, professor at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Madrid; and Luis del Valle, piano, professor at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Madrid.

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:

– Special Prize of the Public: 300 €

– Special Prize Colegio San José to the youngest contestant.

– Special Prize “Summer Camp” of 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 2026.

Special prizes for the winner of the First Prize:

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

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

– Special Prize “Orquesta Filarmónica de Málaga”. A performance as soloist with the O.F.M. in the season 2026-2027.

– Special Prize “Sociedad Filarmónica de Málaga”. Participation in a recital organized by the S.F.M. during the 2025-2026 season.

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 Orquesta Filarmónica de Málaga, OFM), artistic director of the competition. Sponsored by the City Council of Estepona. In collaboration with the 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, the ‘Sociedad Filarmónica de Málaga’, ‘Camerata Complutense’ Alcalá de Henares and “Barcelona International Young Artists Competition”, as well as the Colegio San José de Estepona and the company Royal Pianos.