Seville's Bienal de Flamenco selects 25 semi-finalists in the Fourth Concurso de Jóvenes Intérpretes

Singer Ezequiel Benítez, dancer Pastora Galván and guitarist
Javier Conde are among those who classified

Flamenco-world.com

A new generation of flamenco artists is coming on strong. The fourth Concurso de Jóvenes Intérpretes de Flamenco [contest for young flamenco artists], organized by Seville's Bienal de Flamenco and the the Instituto Andaluz de la Juventud, has selected 25 hopefuls from among the more than seventy candidates who tried for the semifinals. The list of those who classified includes dancers such as Juan Ogalla, Pastora Galván and Adela Campallo; singers such as Ezequiel Benítez and Ana Real; and guitarists such as Daniel Méndez from Morón de la Frontera as well as child prodigy Javier Conde, the only non-Andalusian who was chosen. The semifinals will be held in Cádiz, Córdoba and Granada, places respectively chosen as the capitals of flamenco singing, guitar-playing and dance.

El Bolita, finalist of the Third Contest for young artists,
with David Lagos (Photo Anahí Cármody)

Although aspirants have applied from as far away as Japan or Brazil, the Andalusian talent pool clearly dominates. Of the 74 interpreters whose applications to participate in the Fourth Concurso de Jóvenes Intérpretes Flamenco were accepted, a total of 25 artists made it through the first trials, and of these, only one, guitarist Javier Conde, is from outside Andalusia.

Out of 26 who tried out for the dance competition, Cordobans Rafael del Pino Moreno (Keko de Córdoba) and Rafael Sánchez Sánchez (Chencho de Córdoba); Seville dancers Adela Silva Campallo (Adela Campallo), Rafael Campallo's sister, Felipe Mato Pérez, Juan Antonio Ogalla Martínez (Juan Ogalla) of Javier Latorre's company, and Pastora Galván, Israel Galván's sister; David Paniagua González from Seville's Santiponce; Mercedes Ruiz García of Jerez de la Frontera (Cádiz); and Pedro Córdoba Higueras from the Seville town Dos Hermanas were chosen. Also among this group is the dancer from Seville Mari Ángeles Gabaldón, a finalist in the previous edition, who has renounced her place in contest because of professional commitments.

Out of thirty aspirants, eight singers will go on to the semifinals: Seville's Ana Isabel Real Pérez, Ana Real; from Jerez Ezequiel Benítez Domínguez and Juan Antonio Zarzuela Alarcón; Nazaret Cala Luque from El Puerto de Santa María (Cádiz); Antonio Ortega Jiménez from the Seville town Mairena del Alcor; María del Carmen Marín López from the Cordoban town of Montemayor; Rocío Bazán Ramírez from Estepona (Málaga); and Virginia Gámez Gil from Málaga.

In the guitar section, out of 18 hopefuls the following will continue to the semifinals: Roque Acevedo Vázquez, from Bormujos (Seville); Cordoban Severiano Jiménez Flores (Niño Seve); Miguel Ángel Moral Reyes, from Úbeda (Jaén); Daniel López Vicente (Daniel Méndez), from Seville's Morón de la Frontera; Eduardo Trassiera López de Villavarde del Río (Seville); Francisco Javier Patino Hedrera (Javier Patino) from Jerez; the youthful Javier Conde Santos (Javier Conde) from Cáceres; and Gabriel Expósito Sánchez, from Córdoba.

Finals

The preselected contestants will perform for the jury which includes flamenco artists such as Ana María Bueno, Calixto Sánchez, Pedro Sierra, Niño de Pura, Javier Latorre, Luisa Triana and el Lebrijano, in Cádiz for the singers, Córdoba the guitarists, and Granada the dancers. In this selection phase only four finalists will be chosen for each specialty, and these will go on to perform before the jury at Seville's Bienal de Flamenco to be held next September. The three winners will be awarded the 'Bienal Trophy for 2002' as well as ten thousand euros, thirty percent of which will be handed over in cash, with the remainder corresponding to compensation for a tour which includes performances in each of the eight provinces of Andalusia.

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