Sanjuaneros, hallways and bambucos, in honor of Anselmo Durán
Musicians from all over the country gathered in Neiva to perform sanjuaneros, hallways and bambucos, in honor of the musical legacy of composer Anselmo Durán. The winners of each category demonstrated their virtuosity on stage, taking with them the recognition of the audience present.
María Alejandra Ruiz Mallungo
@amperiodista
Tiples, guitars, violins and masterful voices sang the melodies of the Huilense and Colombian region, in the “Anselmo Durán Plazas” National Musical Interpretation Competition, which took place yesterday morning at the facilities of the Pigoanza Theater of the city of Neiva, within the framework of the Bambuco festival of San Juan and San Pedro.
Music from Huila and Colombia
Talented musicians, performers and composers from the department and other regions of the country gathered in the capital of Huila to participate in this outstanding cultural event.
Fabián Arenas, music monitor and coordinator of the event commented on this: “The interpretation contest includes artists from all over Colombia, who perform already known repertoires from the different authors of Colombian folk music.”
Sanjuaneros, corridors and bambucos
12 participants participated in the contest, including soloists and groups from regions such as Antioquia, Caquetá, Cundinamarca, and of course Huila, who performed sanjuaneros, corridors and bambucos, delighting all attendees.
The qualifying jury made up of teachers Juan Diego Rojas Vargas, Libia Cabrera Lozada and Alejandro Rozo Sandoval, had the task of choosing the winning soloists and groups in each category.
The winners
Vocal modality:
- First place – Dueto Maderas Group
- Second place – Lizeth Vega
- Third place – Philharmonic Choir
Instrumental mode:
- First place – Tacoa Trio
- Second place – Manuel Francisco Olaya Castañeda
- Third place – Kajica Quartet
The legacy of Anselmo Durán
Huila composer born in Neiva on November 12, 1907. Son of the Opita musician “El Chato Durán”, director of the Neiva band, he received his first musical lessons from him that would allow him to be a member of it at the very early age of twelve. years.
Very little of Anselmo Durán’s authorial work is known. Apart from his waltz “Carlina”, and the bambuco “Laureles”, the composition that gave him immense national recognition is his famous party bambuco “El Sanjuanero”, released in 1934 as an instrumental work and a few years later with lyrics by Mrs. Sofía Gaitán of Kings, emblem of Huila and its annual San Pedro festivities.
The frequent error of classifying “El Sanjuanero” as a joropo arises from the first verse of its lyrics “in my land everything is glory when you dance a joropo…” The truth is that its rhythm is that of a Rajaleña with a partying bambuco accent, according to the concept of Octavio Marulanda, the erudite Valluno musical researcher.
It is thanks to this musical legacy that each version of the San Juan and San Pedro Bambuco Festival in Neiva always holds the “Anselmo Durán Plazas” National Musical Interpretation Competition, to honor his memory in the region.
