As reported by Cuban TV National News, Leonel Francisco ‘Pancho’ Amat, famous Cuban composer and ´tres´ player got the 2010 National Music Award, the highest award conferred by the Cuban Culture Minister.
Pancho Amat founded the famous Manguare musical group in 1971, and was its director for almost 15 years, working with several groups from then on. At present he leads the Cuban musical group Cabildo del Son, notable for its performances of traditional Cuban music.
The jury made up by doctor and musicologist Maria Teresa Linares; composer and orchestra director Adalberto Álvarez; Chorus director, professor Digna Guerra; and relevant artist and declaimer Luis Carbonell, agreed to confer this distinction to an extraordinary musician and maximum representative of the Cuban ‘tres’ school with wide international recognition.
Last May, Pancho Amat won 4 Cubadisco prizes, among them, the Grand Prize with the album Mis Raices (My Roots), together with Cuban popular singer María Victoria Rodríguez and produced by Bis Music Discographic House.
Adalberto Álvarez, president of the 2010 Music Award Jury highlighted the quality of Pancho’s work during his artistic life. He is not only an excellent composer but also an exceptional interpreter.
Source: Cubarte
Author: World Music Central News Room
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