Almost twenty composers participate in the 5th Estepona Symphonic Band Contest

A total of 18 composers from various nationalities are participating in the fifth edition of the International Composition Competition for Symphonic Band 'Estepona, Garden of the Costa del Sol', a cultural initiative endowed with a prize of 10,000 euros gross for the best original work.

Municipal sources have reported that the contest is open to adult musicians of any nationality and aims to encourage the creation of symphonic scores inspired by the city, promoting through music its identity, environment, and traditions. "In addition to the artistic quality of the submitted project, the jury will consider aspects such as the professional trajectory of the candidates, their catalogue of works, their experience, and their dedication to composition for symphonic band or wind and percussion orchestra."

Last year, the winning work was chosen by Fernando Ferrer Martínez, band and orchestra director, composer, and pianist; Óscar Navarro González, director, clarinetist, composer, and music educator; and José María Moreno Valiente, director of the Malaga Philharmonic Orchestra.

The winning work of the IV Edition was "Estepona, the City of Flowers," a sinfonietta for wind and percussion orchestra composed by Hugo Chinesta, a Valencian composer and director specialized in music for band and wind orchestra.

Competition Deadlines

The registration period for this V Edition ended on February 13, and from now on, a jury composed of three specialists of recognized prestige in the field of composition and/or musical direction will be responsible for selecting the winning proposal.

The chosen author must deliver the completely finished work, written and formatted, including the general score and the individual parts for each instrument, before September 18, 2026.

After the corresponding technical review by a specialized commission, the piece will premiere on November 20, 2026, at the Felipe VI Auditorium Theatre, during the special concert in honor of Santa Cecilia. The performance will be by the Estepona Municipal Band, under the direction of the awarded composer, at which time the public award ceremony will also take place.

The competition was first called on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the foundation of the Municipal Music Band (1940-2020). Since then, the winning works from the previous four editions have become part of the archive of the Municipal Band's department, thus consolidating a musical legacy linked to the cultural projection of the municipality.