The Paraguayan Senate has officially announced the call for applications for the National Music Award 2025. People can apply from Monday, 15 September, to Friday, 3 October 2025, from 8:00 to 13:00. Applications will be accepted at the Secretariat of the Education and Culture Committee of the Honourable Senate. The office is located on the first floor of the Senate building, located in Asunción on Paraguayo Independente, beside the Presidential Palace.
What is the National Music Award?
The National Music Award (NMA), created via Law No. 348/94, is a distinction awarded every two years to Paraguayan musical works that aim to stimulate artistic creation. The award has two categories: classical or select musical works, and vernacular music. In the latter, the Secretariat of the Education and Culture Committee hopes to have more applicants with a focus on the revalorisation of the Paraguayan music genre Guarania.
Each category of the award is endowed with an amount equivalent to 1,500 minimum wages in guaraníes.
The previous edition
In the classical category in 2023, the winners were “Walter Ego” of Horacio Viñales, “Meditación Lacónica” of Pascual Gabriel Graziani, and “Trazos del Sur” of Fátima Abramo. “Suite Minimal” of Alejandro Ledesma Juvinel and “Asajueke” of Mateo Servián Sforza were also winners. In the vernacular category, the winner was “Mi País” from Hugo Ferreira.
The jury was composed of Master Diego Sánchez Haase, Senate Chamber Representative, Deputy Rubén Rubín, Lower House Representative, and Professor Rossana Barreto, from the Ministry of Education and Science. As well Professor Osvaldo González Real, of the Paraguayan Academy of Spanish Language, Professor David Portillo of the Association of Paraguayan Authors (APA), and Oscar Fadlala, of the Musical Association of Paraguay.
National Music Award 2025 requirements
To apply for the National Music Award 2025, artists need to follow a set of rules and regulations.
- The composer(s) must be Paraguayan, or a foreigner who has resided in the country for at least 15 years.
- The works must be by living composer(s).
- The work has premiered at least two years prior to the award date. Following its premiere and dissemination, the work has gained public notoriety and contributed to increasing the country’s cultural heritage.
Interested parties must submit:
- Background information on the work(s), if available.
- 5 copies of the work on CD or flash drive.
- 5 copies of the sheet music for each work in the competition.
The jury will announce its decision in the second half of November 2025, and the President of the National Congress will award the prizes during the second half of December of the same year.
Paraguayan music at an international level
One of the 2021 winners is Néstor López from Néstor Ló y Los Caminantes, a famous Paraguayan folk band. The group has been touring all over South America and is very popular in Argentina and Uruguay as well. Their latest album, Ndaipóri Frontera, “There is No Border,” is available on all platforms. One of the songs, Alma Vieja, “Old Soul,” has been considered for the Latin Grammy. The band has performed this song in collaboration with Daniel Maza, Tekovete, and Rubén Rada.
Paraguayan music has been exported abroad, mainly in Europe, the United States, and Argentina. Aye Alonso of Asunción, won the 2024 Spain X Factor. Alder Alcides, from Maracaná, Paraguay, has also been exporting his talent abroad. As a singer, he was also named vice-champion of a dance show. Additionally, Ana Blosset – who has been featured by The Asunción Times – is a Paraguayan singer living and studying in the United States. Nathalie Aponte is a Paraguayan singer currently performing in La Voz Argentina.
