The Alejandro García Caturla National Composition Competition, created in 2007, is a way to pay tribute to the great Cuban musician Alejandro García Caturla. It is an event sponsored by the Cuban Music Copyright Agency (ACDAM) (313 6th Street, Vedado, Plaza de la Revolución, Havana) and the Cuban Institute.

The Alejandro García Caturla National Composition Competition is open to composers of any age. This means that all Cuban composers residing in the country may enter only unpublished works, of which they may submit up to two. The works must be between three and seven minutes in length. The texts may be divided into parts, movements, or sections.

This competition is held every two years and its fundamental objective is to promote and develop musical creation in the country, in instrumental formats for which there is no extensive repertoire. Two prizes are awarded, along with any necessary mentions.

The works in the Alejandro García Caturla National Composition Competition are premiered by leading Cuban musicians. The event also facilitates the dissemination of the winners’ music through the recording and publication of scores.

Its first edition was dedicated to Chamber Music, the second to contemporary choral music, and the third, in 2011, will be dedicated to composition for Concert Bands.

Twenty-five works participated in the first edition. The honors went to Yanier Hechavarría’s Eco-sonogram; Ariannys Mariño Lalana’s Cycle of Guitar Duets; Héctor Ángulo’s Fallujah (The Second Guernica); and Evelin Ramón García’s Two Chamber Combinations.

In the second edition, the jury included Juan Piñera, María Felicia Pérez, and Guido López-Gavilán, among others. Wilma Alba Cal, a graduate of the Guillermo Tomás Conservatory (San Juan Bosco No. 57, Guanabacoa, Havana), specializing in Choral Conducting, and a composition student at the Instituto Superior de Arte (ISA) (Calle 120 No. 1110 between 9th and 13th, Cubanacán, Playa, Havana), was the winner of the two first prizes in this edition of the competition.

The same featured a suite for children’s choir and string and piano quartet, performed by the National Children’s Choir conducted by Maestro Delfina Acay, and by a string ensemble from the Guillermo Tomás Conservatory (San Juan Bosco No. 57, Guanabacoa, Havana) and students from the ISA (Calle 120 No. 1110 between 9th and 13th, Cubanacán, Playa, Havana), and pianist Lisandra Rodríguez. Also by her authorship, Six madrigals for mixed a cappella choir, performed by the Entrevoces Choir and conducted by Digna Guerra.

Second prize was shared between Wilma Alba Cal and Luis Ernesto Peña for their work, “I Barely Cried.” A special mention was given to Conrado Monier’s work, “Canto del bongó.”