# National Music Prize 2019 in Cuba now has names and surnames

**Date:** 10/31/2019

Question marks and exclamation marks, superlative phrases, emotion, joy combined in the responses of the 2019 National Music Prize winners: Ildefonso Acosta Escobar and Joaquín Betancourt.

Question marks and exclamation marks, superlative phrases, emotion, denial, joy combined in the responses of the 2019 National Music Prize winners, when a phone call stopped the busy lives of Ildefonso Acosta Escobar and Joaquín Betancourt.

The news moved them deeply. On the other end of the line, fragmented words could be heard—not due to the connection—such as 'say it again', 'I can't hear', 'oh, my mother!', 'me?', following the announcement of such distinction by the head of the Instituto Cubano de la Música, Marta Bonet.

Their names stood out among five equally prolific candidates, but their work deserved timely recognition, since they radiate more than sound, mastery, passion for art and their island, 'they have managed to impact Cuban cultural affairs and transcend through their multifaceted work', noted the jury president, Digna Guerra.

'The decision was very difficult because all the proposed candidates deserve the prize, but the selected ones truly have a body of work that supports such recognition', Guerra emphasized.

The jury, also composed of renowned Cuban musicians, national prize winners in previous years, Adalberto Álvarez, Guido López Gavilán, Pancho Amat and Beatriz Márquez, announced their decision this afternoon confident that with this choice they would settle part of the debt Cuba has with the immense work of these artists.

Acosta, guitarist, concert performer, teacher and composer, has made many contributions to the instruction of this instrument and has maintained prolific work, while Betancourt, an eminent figure of our culture, stands out for his great work bringing popular dance music to symphonic format, noted the team of specialists.

Devoted to music body and soul, beyond drawing melodies from guitars, violins or other instruments, 'the award winners have made important contributions from the point of view of creation and left a mark on new generations', Gavilán emphasized during the announcement.

The emotion is indescribable, thank you for recognizing my modest efforts in pursuit of Cuban music, there are many people deserving of this distinction, I am grateful that it is precisely in the year in which Havana celebrates its 500th anniversary, said Betancourt, violinist, orchestrator, composer and music producer.