The cante, baile and guitar competition is to be held from April 25th to May 8th, 2004 at the Gran Teatro in Córdoba

Flamenco-world.com, February 2004

The city of the Mosque is getting ready for its triennial date with flamenco. Concurso Nacional de Arte Flamenco de Córdoba (Córdoba's National Contest) is to hold its seventeenth edition from April 25th to May 8th, 2004. Those aspiring to attain any of the contest's prestigious awards in the categories of cante, baile and guitar may present their entry form until March 26th, 2004.

Matilde Coral

Since 1956, young flamenco talents have sought endorsement in Córdoba. Winning one of the awards of the reputed National Contest of Córdoba has become a challenge for all those wishing to make a name for themselves in the flamenco world. The competition, true to the aim of "not leaving in oblivion the contest held in Granada in 1922 promoted by Manuel de Falla and Federico García Lorca", seeks in each of its editions - and this is already number seventeen - "to show those who are already emerging figures or to confirm the great artists". Not in vain does the competition's list of award winners include names such as Fosforito, Fernanda and Bernarda de Utrera, José Menese, Matilde Coral, Merche Esmeralda, Paco de Lucía, Paquera de Jerez, Víctor Monge Serranito, El Lebrijano, Manolo Sanlúcar, Juan Habichuela, Mario Maya, Paco Cepero, El Pele, Paco Peña, José Mercé, Joaquín Grilo, José Antonio Rodríguez, Vicente Amigo, Javier Latorre, Antonio el Pipa...

In this edition, whose entry deadline is March 26th, 2004, contestants vie for the following prizes, each of which is endowed with a diploma and three thousand euros cash. In the cante section, the most outstanding one in the contest - in fact, it started out as only a cante jondo contest -, the established awards are 'Antonio Mairena' (seguiriyas / tonás), 'Manolo Caracol' (soleares / bulerías), 'Fosforito' (serranas, livianas... / polo and caña), 'Camarón' (alegrías / mirabrás, romeras, rosas...), 'Antonio Chacón' (malagueñas, granaínas, cartageneras... / tarantas, tarantos...), 'Cayetano Muriel' (local fandangos / personal fandangos), 'Pepe Marchena' (guajiras, colombianas... / milongas, vidalitas...) and 'Niña de los Peines' (tientos, peteneras... / tangos, garrotín, farruca).

Baile, guitar and special awards

Juan Habichuela

In the case of baile, the prizes are 'Mario Maya' (alegrías, mirabrás, romeras, rosas), 'Matilde Coral' (tangos, tientos, garrotín, tarantos, zambra), 'Antonio Gades' (farruca, zapateado, martinetes), 'El Güito' (soleares, seguiriyas, caña, polo), 'Pilar López' (caracoles, rondeñas, serranas, peteneras...), 'Carmen Amaya' (bulerías, zorongo, alboreá, rumba, tanguillo). Guitar has two awards: 'Manolo Sanlúcar' for concert toque and 'Juan Habichuela' for toque accompanying cante and baile.

The so-called "contest of contests" moreover offers the special prizes 'Silverio' for cante, 'Antonio' for baile and 'Paco de Lucía' for guitar, endowed with a sculpture by Venancio Blanco and twelve thousand euros, intended for "contestants who, in the jury's opinion, offer exceptional quality".

Contest rules and entry form at: www.flamencocordoba.com

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