Jonathan Esteve secured his first win when he was 12, a milestone for a guitarist who has held the instrument since age eight and has built guitars by hand for a decade. With one instrument aged 33, the Castalla native received a Golden Classical Music Award from an international online competition that welcomes instrumentalists of every age and from around the world. The prize for winners is a dream shared by many: a chance to perform on the stage of Carnegie Hall in New York.
The upcoming March event marks his first prize in the absolute category among all solo instrumentalists who entered this online contest after submitting a ten minute video performance. The competition welcomes players of all instruments and ages, and Esteve stood out among thousands of participants, distinguishing himself in a global field.
Carnegie Hall is regarded as one of the finest concert venues in the world, praised for its acoustics. It is precisely this venue that inspired Esteve to pursue the competition. He describes Carnegie Hall as a benchmark where many of the planet’s greatest musicians across classical forms and other genres such as jazz and blues have graced the stage. For him, performing there would be a deeply symbolic achievement and a lifelong dream fulfilled.
Esteve stood out as the sole Spanish winner in his category. The youngest competitor was 19, and the oldest was 57. For his performance he selected two dances by two distinct repertoires: Johann Sebastian Bach with the Allemande and Burree from Suite BWV 996, Luigi Legnani Caprice No. 7, and Manuel de Falla’s Miller Dance.
His influences span many celebrated guitarists, including Australian virtuosos, John Williams, English guitarist Julian Bream, and Catalan Carlos Trepat. Esteve began lessons after receiving his first six strings as a gift from his grandparents at age eight. He later acquired his first Spanish guitar in Granada around age 19 or 20, which solidified his decision to become a professional musician. He trained at the Castalla and Villena conservatories, and studied with Óscar Esplá from Alicante after earning his degree with honors. Esteve continued his studies with Trepat and Carlos Bonell, amassing a dozen national and international awards, including recognition as the best Spanish guitarist in the Valencian Ensemble, and top prizes at competitions such as Francisco Tárrega, Angel International Classical Guitar Competition, and others in Benicàssim and Benidorm. He has shared stages with conductors and performers such as José Luis Granados, Rafael Vilaplana, and Salvador Brotons, performing in venues across Spain, France, and the United Kingdom.
Beyond his ongoing success in competitions, Esteve created one of his own guitars after the latest victory. He also embodies the role of luthier, embracing entrepreneurship with a personal touch. The instrument always sits at the center of his life, and he began building guitars in 2009. His workshop now houses about thirty projects, with plans to order two more. He recalls tinkering with guitars as a child and trying his hand at the craft at fourteen. Now he has reached a level of craftsmanship that sees him winning competitions with one of his own creations while teaching the instrument and publishing a book for aspiring guitarists on a popular platform. The story is more than artistry; it is a testament to self-made skill and perseverance.
Esteve’s drive to promote the craft led him to establish the Ciudad de Castalla guitar competition, a project he directed starting in 2013. This initiative reflects his commitment to fostering musical growth within his community and beyond.