The Estepona Town Hall has announced that on 20 November at 21:00, the Felipe VI Auditorium will hold the Extraordinary Santa Cecilia Concert. This event will feature the premiere of 'Estepona, jardín de luz', the winning composition from the V International Composition Competition for Symphonic Band, themed 'Estepona, Garden of the Costa del Sol'.
Composed by David Rivas, a musician from Toro, Zamora, born in 1980, the suite is awarded a unique prize of €10,000. This concert marks the beginning of the Estepona Municipal Band's 2026-2027 concert season. Tickets can be downloaded from teatroestepona.com, limited to two per person and free of management fees.
Concert programme
- Conchín “La Quiles” - Pasodoble (2025)
- La Ruta del Cid - Medieval symphonic poem (2017)
- Entre la Caleta y Triana - Pasodoble (2017)
- Finisterra, a fin do mundo - Symphonic poem (2017)
- Estepona, jardín de luz - Suite for band (2026)
'Estepona, jardín de luz' is a descriptive suite in three movements, highlighting the natural environment, urban light and landscape, and the cultural and musical life of the city. It aims to evoke a vibrant and luminous city where landscape, architecture, and daily life coexist harmoniously. Rivas describes the music as a sensory and emotional evocation rather than a literal depiction, designed for a band of grade 3, prioritising melody, instrumental colour, rhythm, and formal clarity.
The intention is for listeners to 'journey' through Estepona via sound, from the contemplation of the sea and mountains to a leisurely stroll through its whitewashed, flower-filled streets, culminating in the lively and expressive pulse of its popular culture.
About the international composition competition
The competition, organised by the Estepona Town Hall, aims to inspire prominent composers to create symphonic works for band repertoire, reflecting the city of Estepona. This year, 18 renowned national and international composers participated. The first edition of the competition was launched to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Estepona Municipal Music Band, founded in 1940.
Previous winners include:
- 'Estepona, Jardín del Mediterráneo (Astabuna)' by Álvaro López Cámara
- 'Estepona, el Jardín del Mundo' by Fernando Ferrer Martínez (Ferrer Ferran)
- 'Impresiones de Estepona' by Christiaan Janssen
- 'Estepona, la Ciudad de las Flores' by Hugo Chinesta
All winning works, including 'Estepona, jardín de luz', are now part of the Estepona Municipal Band's archive.
About david rivas
David Rivas Domínguez, born in 1980, holds degrees in Art History and Music History and Sciences from the University of Salamanca. He has been a secondary school music teacher in Castilla y León since 2006. With over 450 compositions to his name, Rivas has received numerous national composition awards. His music has been performed in various countries, including Argentina, Mexico, and Japan, and has been featured in over 25 recordings.
Rivas has won eight national composition awards and has received recognition in the USA for his band music. He is a member of the Latin Grammy Academy and the Academy of Music of Spain, and has been awarded the Scientific Foundation Caja Rural Prize for Excellence in Culture since 2017.
