The Havana Plectro Competition began in 2003 as a national gathering highlighting the three instruments: the tres and the lute. It was founded and organized annually by maestro Efraín Amador. Due to its success at the time, it became a biennial international festival.

By 2007, the Plectro Habana Festival had welcomed a total of 15 participating countries. That same year, it was decided to merge this competition with the Musicalia event held by the Instituto Superior de Arte (ISA) (1110 Calle 120 between 9th and 13th, Cubanacán, Playa, Havana), for organizational and primarily economic reasons.

Two years later, at the IV Plectro Habana Competition at Musicalia 2009, Yesleidi Calzada won awards on the lute and Manuel Alejandro Barrero on the tres, a fact that demonstrated the renewal and validity of the Cuban school of music, mainly with these instruments.

At this same event, Amanda Raquel García and the chamber duo Amanecer Amador and Marien Leliebre received awards in the intermediate and advanced lute specialty categories. Andrys Escalante, Emilio Padrón, and Lázara Taimí Nodarse received awards in the tres category. The special improvisation award went to Elisandra Enamorado for tres and Erwind Vichot for lute. Maestro Efraín Amador Piñero presided over the jury, which included masters Doris Oropesa and Claudina Hernández, as well as graduates José A. Pérez Miranda, Ariadna Amador, and Enid Rosales. Also present were popular music maestros Marcelo Lamas, Efraín Ríos, Fernando Murga, and Erdwin Vichot.

In this edition, Lilian Pantoja, a professor at the ENA (120th Street between 9th and 13th Streets, Cubanacán, Playa, Havana), who is also the director of the Laúdes de La Habana chamber ensemble, received a Diploma of Recognition for her fruitful teaching work of more than 15 years.

The recently concluded 5th Plectro Habana Festival 2011 was dedicated this time to the centenary of the unforgettable Arsenio Rodríguez and the 105th anniversary of Alejandro Aguilar, the Prince of the Lute.

The program, which spanned more than a week, featured performances on various stages, featuring the duos Avatar and Cuaresma, the trios Trovarroco and Amanecer, and the spectacular 16-year-old Gabriel Isaías. Master classes were also given by renowned maestros such as Efraín Amador and Doris Oropesa, with guest appearance by Taimí Tovar. There were meetings with luthiers, tres players’ performances, and a wide variety of other activities that contributed to the successful development of this event.

The next edition of this festival is eagerly awaited by the public in 2013.