Son will be the cultural compass of the 2026 Cubadisco International Fair, which is revving up as it reveals the nominees for its awards, in a 29th edition that will honor the legacy of the recently deceased president of the event, Jorge Gómez.
Indira Fajardo, president of the Cuban Institute of Music, described Cubadisco as the main showcase for the national music industry.
From May 16 to 24, the Pabellón Cuba of the Hermanos Saíz Association and the Covarrubias Hall of the National Theater of Cuba will host a program featuring 124 competing works, selected from 220 submissions.
"We are very pleased that the Cubadisco Award is kicking off this process, which will conclude on May 16th with the awards ceremony at the National Theater of Cuba," Cary Diez, president of the 2026 Cubadisco Award, told Granma.
The musical diversity ranges from instrumental jazz to urban music, with titles such as the experimental Locuras by Rolando Luna and Annys Batista, the documentary Ecos del Tivolí (a tribute to the legendary Santiago-based group), the album by the Abreu Brothers, Rastros del alba, and the energetic Virus by Formell and Los Van Van.
We all know that Cubadisco is the biggest event in the music industry in Cuba. I’m very happy with this nomination and for the opportunity to have served as a judge in other categories. Many people see the Award as something separate, but it’s really an excuse for talented artists to come together and celebrate, because sometimes they don’t have the right space to do so, said laud player Eduardo Corcho —music producer of the album Fiñe, performed by Abel Geronés— to Granma.
Also competing for one of the country’s most prestigious music awards are the documentary Detrás del Muro by Gretel Cazón and the international collaboration Voce, by Gino Sitson, Alejandro Rodríguez, and poet Nancy Morejón, among other entries.
International collaborations also have a place: pianist Roberto Fonseca is competing with Nuit Parisienne à La Havane, alongside French cellist Vincent Segal, while the alternative scene is backing the refined pop of Labios rojos by urban artist Fabicile.
As a new feature, the competition is debuting the En Redes category, dedicated to productions conceived for the digital ecosystem.
During the event, Special Awards were presented to improvisers Roly Ávalos and Alexis Díaz, journalist Joaquín Borges Triana, and singer-songwriter Augusto Blanca.
Educators Elvira Fuentes and Iliana García received the same honors for their teaching methods in music theory and harmony, alongside the National Museum of Music, for its support of research work reflected in audiovisual productions.
As part of the diverse program, a trade exhibition will be held at the venues, and the traditional Symposium will take place from May 19th to 21th in the Salón de Mayo at Pabellón Cuba, where specialists and industry professionals will analyze son as an expression of identity in a hybrid format, featuring tributes to José "Pepe" Reyes Fortún, the 55th anniversary of the National Museum of Music, and the four decades of Clave magazine.
The program for one of the island’s most prestigious musical events will be available on the Institute’s digital platforms and the event’s own platforms, while the Clave television channel will once again become Canal Cubadisco.
