The semi-final of the national competition will take place on May 23 at Colegio San José, while the final will be held on May 24 at Mirador del Carmen Cultural Center, with free entry. Young musicians specializing in piano, strings, wind instruments, harp, and guitar will participate, along with the winner of the VII edition, clarinetist Jesús Berrio Hernández. Estepona City Council has announced that the eighth edition of the Young Performers Contest ‘City of Estepona’ will be on May 23 (semi-finals at Colegio San José at 10:00 am) and the final on May 24 at 10:30 am at Mirador del Carmen Cultural Center, with free admission until full capacity is reached. This national competition aims to foster cultural and artistic development among young individuals, helping them reach new heights in their musical journey. The contest is open to young performers of piano, string instruments, wind instruments, harp, and guitar, up to 13 years of age. The semi-finalists for the VIII Young Performers Contest ‘City of Estepona’ are: – Cristina Alonso Sánchez, viola. Oviedo, 13 years old – Gael Chamorro Iglesias, piano. Valencia, 13 years old – Marco David Gayo Lehner, violin. Madrid, 12 years old – Gabriel Jara de Castro Oliveira, trumpet. Cuenca, 13 years old – Chensui Jin, piano. Madrid, 13 years old – Sara Camila Molina Isaaccura, harp. Madrid, 13 years old – Mario Ñíguez Molina, piano. Málaga, 10 years old – Clara Onieva Gálvez, guitar. Granada, 13 years old – Antonio Ortiz Trabalón, violin. Malaga, 12 years old – Javier Roa Alcázar, saxophone. Cadiz, 13 years old – Zihao Carlos Zou, piano. Valencia, 13 years old The Jury will select the 5 finalists on May 23, who will then perform at the final on Sunday, May 24 at the Audition Hall of the Conservatory of Music located in Mirador del Carmen Cultural Center. The final gala will feature a performance by clarinetist Jesús Berrio Hernández, winner of the VII edition. The Jury comprises renowned figures in the music industry with national and international acclaim. The prizes include 1st Prize: 1,000€; 2nd Prize: 700€; 3rd Prize: 500€; and two Finalists’ Diplomas, each worth 200€. Special prizes await the winner of the First Prize, including awards from GEWA Strings, Fundación Scherzo, Orquesta Filarmónica de Málaga, Sociedad Filarmónica de Málaga, and ‘The Future Starts Here’. Additional special awards and prizes will be presented to other participants. The event is organized by the Musical Association ‘Gradus ad Parnassum’, with Olga Tarasova as the president and sponsored by Estepona City Council. Collaborating partners include Radio Clásica, Escuela Superior de Música Reina Sofía, GEWA Strings, HINVES Pianos, Fundación Scherzo, Orquesta Filarmónica de Málaga, Sociedad Filarmónica de Málaga, ‘Sol Classic Management’, Orquesta ‘Iberian Sinfonietta’, ‘Camerata Complutense’ Alcalá de Henares, ‘Barcelona International Young Artists Competition’, ‘Ciclo Jóvenes Talentos’, Altair Producciones, Colegio San José de Estepona, and El Campanario Multi-Sport Club. For more details, visit www.esteponamusical.com