Benidorm announces the 34th Course and 24th Benidorm International Music Competition

From the 2nd to the 7th of July, classical music and the international level return to Benidorm with the International Music Course and Competition, which on this occasion reach the thirty-fourth and twenty-fourth editions, respectively.

Benidorm International Music Course will develop six instrumental specialties: cello, sax, piano, trumpet, violin, and marimba by teachers of the level of masters Michal Dmochowski, Luis González, Mariano García, Savva Fatkulin, Angel Sanzo and Conrado Moya, who will be accompanied by repertoire pianists Graham Jackson (cello), Pepe Gallego (trumpet), Francisco Martí (saxophone) and Liza Yaroshinskaia (violin).

The course is aimed at music students from all over the world who, in addition to receiving classes, will be able to attend concerts performed by the most advanced teachers and students that are scheduled daily throughout the week.

The public can access these recitals. And this year, as the Councilor for Culture Jaime Jesús Pérez has highlighted, "we have the Classrooms of the 'José Pérez Barceló' Music Conservatory and the Auditorium of the Cultural Center"

The students explained the counselor, "will be able to enroll in the course until April 30 in its two modalities: active and listeners." The enrollment for the active modality is 200 euros and 50 euros for the listening modality. For the first, Pérez pointed out, "a selection will be made according to the order of registration and the accredited level, " considering a maximum number of 12 places per specialty.

The capacity will set the limits for the listening modality.

Pérez highlighted the municipal action: "the City Council will grant 50% of the enrollment to active students of the selected municipal bands and conservatory and 100% to listeners, as well as conservatory teachers who choose and are accepted as assets".

The professor of the saxophone specialty at the Conservatory and director of the International Course and of the competition in the last 15 editions, José Fuster, has highlighted that in parallel to the course, there will be lutherie workshops and instrument exhibitions, which fully satisfy the expectations of the students that in the previous edition were 117.

Fuster announced that there are already more than 50 requests for participation from all over Europe and America, including Qatar, noting that the new conservatory and auditorium facilities represent "a logistical break", enhancing the level of the course.

Pérez Esteban, for his part, highlighted that in 2023 "the course is committed to the best professionals to improve teaching and professional training of students" and that, together, "we return to the origins: provide feedback to local musicians and position Benidorm in music at an international level", since the recognition of the teachers and the course is always "of the highest level".

24th International Music Competition

The International Music Competition this year will be led by the violin.

Students enrolled in the International Music Course in the active modality can participate in the Contest. The students will compete for the first prize, Benidorm City Council Special Prize, consisting of the contracting for the execution of the Opening Concert of the 2024 Course and other prizes in kind that detail the bases and in which prestigious luthiers and related commercial firms collaborate. 

The second and third prizes also include auditions at the Tajuña Classical Recital and the Marqués de Santillana Festival, both directed by Serguei Mesropian, along with prizes in kind.

New in the 2023 edition

Both Pérez and Fuster have highlighted the incorporation of professor Mariano García to the cast of master teachers completes the cloister of virtuosos of this edition that adds to the contest the Special Audience Award that will add a new interpretive opportunity to the winner at the Caprichos Musicales de Comillas festival, as well as an accrediting diploma.

A Pilates course for musicians is the latest. Fuster explained that it is an innovation given the postural loads required by interpretation and performance with instruments seeking to relax and better recover the participants.

The Councilor for Culture, Jaime Jesús Pérez encouraged them to enroll in the course and to actively enjoy music, recalling that "the course has been maintained at a very high level from the beginning, with international recognition, supported by a course that motivates teachers and students”.

The details of the course are available on the web: https://www.cursomusicabenidorm.org/