This date in the International agenda of La Herradura is one of the village’s greatest achievements in self promotion. Young guitarists from all over the world put their names down for the arduous competition in the quest for international recognition and prize money.

This year the competition will be held from the 22nd to  the 26th of November in the Centro Civico, thanks to the collaboration between the Ministry of Culture in Madrid, the provincial Board of Culture in Granada and the Town Hall itself. The yearly event also counts on the essential help of individual citizens from the area who give up time and resources to promote and support it.

Aspirants still have time to submit their name, as long as they are under 35 and have not won the First Prize on any previous occasion. The final date for submission is the 7th of November.

This year pays homage to the Andaluz composer, Manuel Castillo Navarro-Aguilera (Sevilla, 1930 – 2005), composer of the three guitar preludes to be interpreted in the first phase of the competition. Also honoured is Antón García Abril (Teruel, 1933), whose Dos Cantares must be performed in the second phase by all participants. Each participant can play a piece of their own choice in each of the first two phases, but it must not exceed 15 minutes.

In the third and final phase the for remaining competitors, they will have to interpret a piece by Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco (Florencia, 1895 – Hollywood 1968), after which the judges will announce their verdict on the winners.

As for the prizes, the 1st Prize comprises of 9,000 euros and a beautifully handmade guitar by Luis Santiago Hernandez, son of Paco Santiago Marin. The 2nd Prize is for 4,000 euros and the Third Prize is for 2,000 euros. There will also be a Special Prize, called Leo Brouwer, worth 700 euros for the best interpretations of Dos Cantares.

(News: Herradura, Costa Tropical, Granada, Andalucia)