Composer and conductor Diego Navarro, founder and director of the Festival Internacional de Música de Cine de Tenerife (FIMUCITÉ), has been designated the honour of Distinguished Son of the island, for his exceptional contribution to the development and wellbeing of Tenerife society.
The act, which took place at the Salón Noble del Palacio Insular, had the honour of the presence of the Cabildo president, Rosa Dávila, the prime vicepresident, Lope Afonso; and members of the Corporación Insular, as well as the honorees and their families. Rosa Dávila pointed out that “we are together here, at the Salón Noble to celebrate this act of Honours and Distinctions, which is the highest recognition the Cabildo can give, a tribute to those who have made our island greater by projecting its identity both with and outside of our borders”.
At the ceremony, Juana de Herrera, Isabel González González 'Azucena Roja', Fidela Díaz Yanes, Onagra Lorenzo Díaz, Eva Fernández Jiménez, and Carlos Cólogan Soriano were also recognised with the title of Distinguished Children of the Island of Tenerife.
“Each of the honorees has contributed, in their respective fields, to enhancing Tenerife's cultural, historical, and social legacy. Although their careers are diverse, they all share a common thread: their passion for art, culture, and the defense of Tenerife's identity. Some of them are no longer with us, but their legacy lives on. Their work, their ideas, and their impact continue to guide us and remind us that one single person can change the history of their community,” the president noted.
About Diego Navarro
Diego Navarro Reyes was born in Santa Cruz de Tenerife in 1972, and music has been at the core of his very being for as long as he can remember. He knew early on that his vocation was more than just a passion; it was a clear and early calling. A proud son of Tenerife, he carries his island as his flag and has established himself as a well-rounded artist in his many roles: composer, conductor, and active promoter of the genre.
His filmography as a composer includes successful Goya-winning films such as 'Atrapa la Bandera' and the more recent 'Mariposas Negras'; other titles such as 'The Photographer of Mauthausen', 'The Wasteland' and 'Two' have enjoyed significant success on platforms such as Netflix.
In 2007, he founded and has since directed the Festival Internacional de Música de Cine de Tenerife (FIMUCITÉ), the longest-running festival of its kind in the world, with more than 18 consecutive editions. This has led him to become one of the most respected and appreciated conductors in the world of soundtracks. He has worked with the greatest masters of the genre, such as Hans Zimmer and Howard Shore, to name but a few. He has also been responsible for historic concerts such as the only centenary celebration of Universal Pictures Studios and the DreamWorks Animation Studios concert, both held in Tenerife. In 2022, the Santa Cruz de Tenerife City Council awarded him its highest distinction, the city's Gold Medal.
Diego Navarro is a member of the Spanish Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, SGAE, and, in July 2024, the Hollywood Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences invited him to join this prestigious institution. That same year, he was the official conductor selected by Paramount Pictures to participate in the recording and filming of the Gladiator II Concert Suite for its premiere in Rome. In December 2024, commissioned by the Orquesta Sinfónica de Tenerife, he composed "Navidad de luz y mar" (Christmas of Light and Sea) to close the traditional Christmas concert.
About FIMUCITÉ
The 19th edition of the Festival Internacional de Música de Cine de Tenerife, FIMUCITÉ, which will take place from the 7th to the 12th of July, 2025, has the support of the Cabildo de Tenerife and Turismo de Tenerife as its main sponsors, Gobierno de Canarias via Promotur Turismo de Canarias and the Instituto Canario de Desarollo Cultural, the city councils of Santa Cruz de Tenerife and San Cristóbal de La Laguna, and the Organismo Autónomo de Actividades Musicales de La Laguna. FIMUCITÉ also thanks the involvement of the Orquesta Sinfónica de Tenerife and the Auditorio de Tenerife, and other public and private partners, including Distrito Centro-Ifara of the Santa Cruz de Tenerife City Council, Fundación DISA, Emmasa, Domingo Alonso, and AUDI as the official festival car, Fundación SGAE, and Fundación CajaCanarias.