Mexican Ambassador announces essay tilt

Sometime ago, Mexican Ambassador Enrique Hubbard sent me a formal announcement of the Ninth Hispano-American Essay Contest named in honor of Lya Kostakowsky.

The jury will be headed by the eminent writer Gabriel Garcia Marquez who is highly esteemed in the hispanic world. A few years ago, Teddyboy and Louise Locsin graciously gifted me with a book by Marquez entitled Como Se Cuenta Un Cuento (How to Tell a Story) written in a simple, unembellished style. I found the book absorbing.

Interestingly, in an article Francisco Sionil Jose wrote on fellow National Artist Nick Joaquin he confessed that although he could go on and on reading a novel by Joaquin, he could not go beyond two paragraphs of Gabriel Garcia Marquez without feeling bored. Well, that’s one man’s opinion, and it does not put in question Marquez’s qualifications as a judge. At any rate, hispanistas, I venture to say, will continue to regard Marquez a literary titan or icon.

Here are the contest rules (translation supplied):

The competition is open to individuals or groups. The original, unedited essay in Spanish should be at least fifty pages in length, typed double-space, on the theme "The Latin-American song, including genres, themes, authors and composers, interpreters and regions".

The single prize amounts to P200,000 + in Mexican currency.

The original entries should each be submitted in three copies not later than March 31, 2003, signed with pseudonym(s); the name of the author (or authors), their addresses, telephone and fax numbers to be mailed separately. For entries received after the deadline, the registered date will be taken into consideration. (This should apply particularly to entries mailed from the Philippines because of our snail-paced postal service.)

Other jurors, besides Marquez, will be Oscar Chavez and Mario Kuri Aldana. Their decision, which will be final, will be made public around September of 2003, but the jury can declare no winners.

The prize can be given within three months following the deadline in a place to be indicated by the technical committee. The entries submitted will not be returned. If certain problems arise relating to the literary contest, they will be resolved by the jury.

The technical committee reserves the right to publish the winning entry in a first edition within the year it is submitted.

Entries should be sent to:
Fundacion Cultural
Lya y Luis Cardoza y Aragón, A.C.
Callejon de las Flores núm. 1
Barrio del Niño Jesus, Coyoacan
04230 Mexico, D.F.
Tel. y fax 55-54-40-10
Correo electronico (e-mail): [email protected]

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A number of Filipino composers and academicians could be enticed to join the essay tilt. Names that come to mind are National Artist for Music Jose Maceda, Ramon Santos, Ryan Cayabyab, Choral Conductors Fidel Calalang, Joel Navarro and Jonathan Velasco among others. If necessary, they could have their entries translated by competent parties.