The “Al-Mosaquer” General Association of Moors and Christians, in collaboration with Mojácar Council, has announced the 2024 “Al-Mosaquer” II National Competition for the Composition of Moorish and Christian Marches.

In October last year, the association and the local authority published the rules for the second Moorish and Christian marches competition for all those composers who wanted to compete for this award.

The rules stated that the works must be original, unpublished and not have been performed previously.

On the 1st of February, the jury, meeting at the Municipal Music School, after studying and analysing the compositions received and following the criteria established by the rules, selected four as finalists.

The works are: “Bellum Christianum”, “Daga”, “Deus Vult” and “Tierra del Indalo”, by authors still unknown until the final vote takes place.

The jury is made up of the “Al-Mosaquer”  General Association of Moors and Christians president, Emilio Egea Gea; Mojácar Council Culture Councillor, Noemí Linares; the competition director and Garrucha Ex Mari Orta Municipal Music School teacher, Ginés Gallardo Jerez; the director of the Mojácar Music Band and teacher at the Mojácar Municipal Music School, Miguel Ángel Miranda; and Andrés Galera Cano, director of the “El Castillo de Serón” Music Band and teacher at the Purchena and Tíjola music schools, as well as a member of the board of directors of the Andalucian Federation of Bands (FEDERBAND), Almería Delegation.

To select the winner, a concert will be offered on Saturday the 11th of May, at which the Mojácar Municipal Music Band will perform the finalists’ works.

When the concert ends the jury’s report will be read out, which will announce the winning compositions that have achieved first and second place, with prizes of 1,000 and 500 euros respectively

First prize will be offered by the “Al-Mosaquer” General Association of Moors and Christians and the second prize awarded by the Mojácar Council.

The winning marches will be given the title chosen by the association and the works will be recorded as: “Mojácar Al-Mosaquer II National Competition for the Composition of Moorish and Christian Marches Prize”.

Both the contest organisation and the jury want to thank all the participants for their effort and interest and congratulate the finalists. They also want to highlight not only the increase in the number of works presented, but also the quality of the works and their professionalism.