National Prize for Artistic Teaching 2023 Awarded to Distinguished Composer José Loyola Fernández

April 8, 2024

The National Prize for Artistic Teaching 2023 was awarded to composer José Loyola Fernández at the José Martí Memorial, presented by Culture Minister Alpidio Alonso Grau; the Rector of the University of the Arts, Rolando V. Ortega; and the director of the National Center for Art Schools, Elizabeth Castro. The ceremony was attended by other cultural figures and National Prize recipients, according to a press release from the National Center for Art Schools (Cneart).

Among the 18 proposals submitted by the artistic teaching subsystem and other cultural institutions, the jury composed of Helmo Hernández (president), Corina Mestre Vilaboy, Graciela Chao Carbonero, Jesús Ortega Trusta, and Miguel Iglesias Ferrer unanimously decided to award the prize to Dr. C. José Loyola Fernández, an illustrious composer, music theorist, orchestra conductor, and flutist, Cneart specified.

José Loyola Fernández was born in Cienfuegos in 1941 and is recognized for his brilliant career and dedication to promoting and enriching Cuban music. A graduate of the National School of Art in Havana in 1967, he continued his studies in Poland, where he obtained a Master's degree in Art and later earned the scientific degree of Doctor in Humanities in the specialty of Music Theory.

In addition to his outstanding work as a composer, José Loyola is the founder and president of the International Golden Boleros Festivals since 1987, as well as the founding director of the Charanga de Oro, an ensemble recognized for its interpretive mastery and vast repertoire that encapsulates the essence of Cuban popular music.

A member of Uneac, José Loyola's musical legacy spans a range of genres, from choral and symphonic music to compositions for film and theater, which have been acclaimed both nationally and internationally. His valuable contribution to artistic teaching and his prolific career make him a worthy recipient of the National Prize for Artistic Teaching 2023.

During the presentation of the National Prize, the Women's Choir of the National School of Music performed the piece Cement, Brick and Sand by José A. Méndez, a moment that highlighted the talent of new generations educated by teachers of the caliber of the honoree, Cneart reported.

Likewise, instrumentalist, composer, teacher, and music advisor Juan Piñera, a former student of Dr. C. Loyola, expressed his gratitude and admiration toward the maestro and recalled his long and fruitful professional trajectory.