Alirio Díaz was a Venezuelan classical guitarist, specifically Carora, Lara State. He was born on November 12, 1923, in addition to being a guitarist, he played other instruments such as the saxophone, clarinet, and also participated in the line of tenors of the orfeón of the outstanding "Escuela Superior de Música José Ángel Lamas".
After finishing his studies, he travels to Europe to study artistic post-grade. Being a renowned musician with a very recognized artistic career and always inclined to the popular, in honor of this great musician with an impressive artistic legacy, different guitar competitions are held such as, "The Alirio Diaz National Guitar Competition" is held in the City of Carora. This is divided into several categories so that guitarists of all ages can participate.
All this is carried out by the Alirio Díaz Foundation and with the help of public and private entities. This contest admits two modalities: soloist and ensemble. Also, there is "The Alirio Díaz International Competition" also held in Carora, always one year after the national.
In addition to competing, it is accompanied by master classes and concerts for both participants and the public, and finally "The Alirio Diaz International Guitar Competition for Young Guitarists" is held in Rome, Italy. It is a contest to share the cultural exchange of young guitarists from different parts of the world, it is divided into 5 categories, the participation of ensemble with other chamber instruments is present.
At the Pablo Castellanos Conservatory master Guillermo Flores, founded the Armando Reverón Guitar Ensemble (E.G.A.R) in 2012, in honor of our beloved Armando Reverón. Icon of our state and for being the most recognized plastic artist of all Venezuela and part of the world of our beautiful state vargas precisely the parish of macuto.
We had wanted to participate in this contest for 3 years ago, but due to some adversities that escape from each member up to the director, we had not been able to carry out this plan. Arriving the new year 2017, we considered going to Carora, against all odds.
E.G.A.R stands for Armando Reverón Guitar Ensemble. Stable grouping since 2012 founded by maestro Guillermo Antonio Flores at the Pablo Castellanos Music Conservatory.
This is how the thousand things will happen, the assembly had to go and participate and leave our tracks there in Carora. Many rehearsals, long hours of study, thoughts and opinions of ourselves, we knew it would be difficult, move all there, look for a stay during the 5 days that is the duration of the contest, the resources we needed, but somehow another way everything was gradually achieved.
Until almost two weeks before going, three members said they could not participate, that was a blow that made us doubt about our participation, until we decided that we had wanted to go for so long, we were not going to leave alone because 3 of us would not, only two days after the start of the contest we were still doubting, until in the last rehearsal, one Sunday as at 6 o'clock in the afternoon we said yes, that if we were going to participate and that we would enjoy this experience a lot , that any Venezuelan guitarist should live.
When we gave our confirmation to go to the contest, we had to figure out how to get there, the assembly director Guillermo Flores, his wife Natacha Casadiego (guitarists) and Leynner Ortuño (cuatrista) of the ensemble went on a bus from the Compañía Nacional de Música , they left that Wednesday November 29 at 7am (start date of the contest). Meanwhile, Daniel Montes (my beloved boyfriend and also guitarist) and I left at the same time from the terminal of the Caracas Flag.
On the other hand, Daniel Avellaneda, Rodolfo Rodríguez and Dennire Guilarte departed at noon, they arrived at 7pm at the terminal of Carora to ride in a taxi to the apostolate, which is the place where they were going to stay.
While Daniel and I arrived at noon at the inn where we were going to stay, we waited for the teacher Guillermo and company to arrive.
To realize that in that inn also the teacher Luis Zea, the teacher José Luis Lara, Ricardo Escorcio (composer and winner of the composition contest Antonio Lauro) and other participants of the contest of other categories would stay.
For assembly participation in the professional category had two rounds, one round and one final, that evening night played two ensembles, one of Barquisimeto and us, more or less the repertoire had to last 20 minutes.
After this round we were already excited to go to the second. Upon leaving this round, a photographer (Arturo Moreno) who accompanied us on the days of the contest and offered to make a photo session in the colonial helmet of Carora since he had liked our staging and how we saw each other our liqui liquies.
In the first round the jury was: Jose Luis Lara, Richard Arellano and Luis Quintero who was the general director of the jury and in the second round they were, Richard Arrellano, Gregori Pino and Luis quientero. All recognized guitarists of our country, with recognized professional careers and fruitful.
When giving the results of the winners, which is the last day of the contest have to give a concert all the winners of the professional categories in this case was Ricardo Gomez who won first place in the professional category solo mode and the EGAR as first place In the professional category as an ensemble, in this closing concert Ricardo Gómez played the famous six by right and we the EGAR played a piece by Alfonso Montes called Tepuyes, which is the first video here above.
I hope you enjoyed our experience, it was done with a lot of love for my partner and for the music we make together that this is what makes us come together as people having the same love towards music.
All the photos used in this post were taken by Daniel Montes (
Hive account@daniemonteso) Arturo Moreno and myself. The photos taken by Arturo belong in their entirety to the E.G.A.R.
