(headline image: Xara. Photo courtesy of Festival Internacional do Mundo Celta de Ortigueira)
Folk group Xara, based in Madrid and influenced by traditional Asturian music, has won the 2025 edition of the Concurso Runas, earning a coveted spot at the 2026 Festival Internacional do Mundo Celta de Ortigueira.
The final, held Thursday, July 10 on the Estrella Galicia stage, featured three finalists: Xara; Rae, Dalama & Carballido; and Darach. Xara closed the evening with a performance that impressed both jury and audience, securing the top prize of €3,000 and a confirmed place in next year’s festival lineup. All three acts received an increased performance fee of €2,000 for this edition.
Public support played a key role in their success. Xara led the online vote in May with 4,630 votes, well ahead of Rae, Dalama & Carballido (3,075) and Darach (195), after the public had access to streaming samples of each band’s work through the festival’s website.
The jury, which included Bruno Lozano (Escola de Gaitas de Ortigueira), Ricardo Mouriño (BÖJ), and festival director Alberto Balboa, evaluated the live performances based on technical proficiency, stage presence, artistic coherence, and alignment with the spirit of the festival. The jury’s decision, announced on Saturday, followed deliberations reflecting the strong quality and diversity of the entries.
Xara features Irene Vioque (violin), Guillermo Zumajo (wooden Irish flute, whistles), Alejandro Delgado (acoustic guitar, Irish bouzouki), and Víctor Álvarez (Asturian bagpipes, wooden Irish flute, whistles, bodhrán).
Now in its 22nd edition, the Concurso Runas continues to serve as a launchpad for emerging Celtic and folk acts. More than 200 groups have taken part since its inception. This year, nearly 14,000 online voters helped choose the three finalists, alongside a four-member expert jury.
More details at www.festivaldeortigueira.com.
Author: World Music Central News Room
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