- His work received the highest score among all the cantatas received, both from Spain and abroad
- The call for applications will soon be open for schools wishing to participate in the project
Composer Alberto Granados Reguilón has won the ‘Cantata Europa: Voices for Coexistence’ award, a competition part of Cáceres’ bid to be European Capital of Culture 2031.
His work received the highest score from the jury, who anonymously evaluated the four compositions submitted to the competition, from both Spain and abroad.
The prize, worth 6,600 euros, recognizes the artistic and educational excellence of the winning work. Furthermore, it has allowed Cáceres to promote itself within contemporary creation networks and networks of European cities for culture in preparation for its 2031 bid.
“Alberto Granados Reguilón’s work combines extremely high musical quality and pedagogical value. This first call for entries has demonstrated a very high standard, with works aligned with European values, with the Cáceres 2031 bid, and with the commitment of the Getafe City Council, which is co-participating in this project,” explained Carlos Díez, president of the Evaluation Committee and the competition jury. A jury of experts comprised, in addition to Díez, Aiblín Brito, José Luis Porras, María Cristina Iglesias, and Antonio Luis Suárez.
The Mayor of Cáceres, Rafa Mateos, was responsible for personally conveying the jury’s decision to the winning composer, thus underscoring the institutional commitment to this cultural project.
Local schools
The “Cantata Europa” is now entering a new phase of its development, with the upcoming call for applications from local schools in the city of Cáceres interested in participating in the project.
This activity is open to students in grades 3 to 6 of primary education from public, state-subsidized, and private schools who join the program. With free training for music teachers who host this project in their classrooms, performances of the Cantata will be held publicly in several concerts during the last quarter of the 2025-2026 school year. It will also be presented at Getafe Canta 2026, within the framework of the cultural and educational cooperation promoted by the Cáceres City Council and the Cáceres 2031 Consortium.
“The ‘Cantata Europa’ project brings citizens closer to a truly participatory culture. Many families enter concert halls for the first time thanks to the involvement of their children as performers,” explains Iris Jugo, general coordinator of the Cáceres 2031 Consortium. “Music teachers at schools become true protagonists of an artistic and creative activity in their classrooms. The network created among teachers through the Cantata fosters mutual support and shared educational growth, recognizing and encouraging this essential figure for the social and educational development of primary school teachers. At the same time, it highlights the value of the schools that open their doors to this initiative,” she added.
This is the first edition of the competition, conceived as an open call for contemporary creation and marks a positive milestone on the path to Cáceres to become the European Capital of Culture in 2031.
PHOTO: ©SERGIO PARRA
