Estepona Town Council has announced that composer and conductor David Rivas, from Toro (Zamora), has completed his winning entry for the fifth international “Estepona, Garden of the Costa del Sol” Composition Competition for Symphonic Band. His piece, a band suite titled “Estepona, Garden of Light”, takes the city as its inspiration.

Rivas submitted the finished, fully scored composition — including the conductor’s score and individual musician parts — ahead of the 18 September deadline. Once reviewed by the specialist panel, the work will receive its public premiere alongside the formal award presentation.

The Estepona Municipal Band, conducted by Rivas himself, will perform the piece on 20 November at the Felipe VI Theatre, during the extraordinary concert held in honour of Saint Cecilia.

The suite unfolds in three descriptive movements covering the natural landscape, light and cityscape, and cultural and musical life, portraying Estepona as a bright, living city where scenery, architecture and daily life exist in harmony.

The competition, organised by the Town Council, carries a single, indivisible prize of €10,000 and aims to encourage leading composers to write symphonic works for wind band inspired by Estepona. This year’s edition drew eighteen entries from composers of national and international standing.

The judging panel, chaired by Culture councillor Macarena Diánez, included conductor and composer Fernando Ferrer Martínez (“Ferrer Ferran”), Goya-nominated composer and clarinettist Óscar Navarro González, and José María Moreno Valiente, principal conductor of the Malaga Philharmonic Orchestra.

David Rivas Domínguez, born in Toro in 1980, holds degrees in Art History and in Music History and Sciences from the University of Salamanca. A secondary school music teacher since 2006, his catalogue spans more than 450 works, several award-winning, performed across dozens of countries worldwide and recorded on more than 25 albums. His accolades include multiple national composition prizes, several Global Music Awards medals, two Akademia Awards, a LIT Talent Award and a Jerry Goldsmith Award, alongside membership of the Latin Grammy Academy and the Spanish Music Academy.

Admission to the concert is free.