Young Benidorm musician Saúl Arjona wins Regional Music Award in the Percussion category

Benidorm Mayor Toni Pérez and Councillor for Education Maite Moreno welcomed young Benidorm-born musician Saúl Arjona Júdez to the Town Hall on Friday following his success at the regional stage of the 2025–2026 Professional Music Awards in the Valencian Community. The reception took place in the Mayor’s Office and was also attended by Saúl’s parents, Raúl Mahiques, director of the José Pérez Barceló Municipal Professional Conservatory of Music, and his percussion teacher.

Arjona received the award in the percussion category, having completed his studies in the speciality last June after six years of professional-level training at the José Pérez Barceló Professional Conservatory of Music, in addition to his elementary music studies.

These Professional Music and Dance Awards, presented by the Regional Ministry of Education, Culture and Universities, recognise technical and artistic excellence across different disciplines. They assess the technical and expressive quality of students’ performances as they complete their professional training at conservatories throughout the Valencian Community.

Toni Pérez congratulated the young musician on behalf of the entire city, describing his achievement as “the result of hard work and consistent, long-term training”. This progress has been built through ten years of study at the municipal conservatory, as well as his involvement with the Societat Musical La Nova de Benidorm, whose band he is a member of.

Saúl will continue his musical education at the Manuel Massotti Littel Higher Conservatory of Music in Murcia, where he has begun his advanced higher-level music studies. Both the Mayor and the Councillor for Education wished him “every success” and expressed their confidence that “his effort and dedication will be rewarded with further recognition”.

Throughout his musical career, Saúl Arjona has taken part in numerous national and international courses, both as an active participant and as an auditor, including the Benidorm International Music Course.

Among his most notable achievements are first prize at the 2025 New York Classical Music Competition; second prize at the 2025 Birmingham International Music Competition Intercentros Melómano; and second prize in the Soloist Performance category at the 24th Intercentros Melómano Competition, Valencian Community regional stage.

He has also proudly represented Benidorm at numerous recitals, auditions and competitions.