Paraguay will once again place its national instrument at the centre of a musical gathering as the World Harp Festival returns for its 19th edition. The festival will take place from 9 to 11 October 2026 at the Teatro Municipal Ignacio A. Pane in Asunción. The free event will feature three nights of performances by Paraguayan and international musicians.
Paraguayan tradition
The Paraguayan harp occupies a distinctive place in the country’s musical identity. Its sound is closely associated with Paraguayan folk music, while generations of musicians have continued to develop new ways of using the instrument. The World Harp Festival has contributed to this process by bringing Paraguayan harpists into contact with musicians from different countries. Previous editions have included performers from Europe, Asia and the Americas.
The festival’s international dimension was particularly visible during its seventh edition in 2013. Artists from Argentina, Belgium, Colombia, Cuba, France, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the United States, Venezuela and Wales were invited to Paraguay. That same year, more than 400 harpists gathered in Asunción in an attempt to set a Guinness World Record for the largest harp ensemble.
The World Harp Festival 2026 programme
The festival will begin on Friday, 9 October at 20:00, with Cuban-American harpist Alfredo Rolando Ortiz, accompanied by an orchestra conducted by Miguel Ángel Echeverría. Paraguayan performers Matías Rojas and Jorge Díaz, Marcos Lucena and Marcelo Rojas will also take the stage.
On Saturday, 10 October at 20:00, Paraguayan harpist Norma Ortega will perform with the Orquesta Sinfónica del Congreso Nacional. Luana Encina, Italian harpist Raoul Moretti, Christian Portillo and Marcelo Ojeda Quiñónez will also perform.
The final evening will begin on Sunday, 11 October at 18:00, featuring Francisco Giménez, Colombian harpist Wülmer López, Malen López and Los Rodríguez. Japanese harpist Lucía Shiomitsu will perform alongside Naotoshi Takayama and Rolando Cristaldo, before Los Ídolos de Piribebuy close the festival.
Evolving beyond traditional performances
The festival has also evolved beyond traditional concert performances. In recent editions, its programme has included masterclasses, workshops and opportunities for emerging musicians to present their own projects. In 2023, for example, six Paraguayan musicians and groups were selected through an open call to perform at the festival. The programme also included masterclasses on popular Argentine music, new compositions for the Paraguayan harp and the language of the bordonas.
The 2024 edition continued this approach, combining international performances with new Paraguayan proposals and educational activities. The programme included workshops on the fusion of Paraguayan and German musical traditions and on arranging music for harp and ensemble.
Honouring Luis Bordón
The 2026 edition of the World Harp Festival will honour Luis Bordón, one of Paraguay’s most influential harpists and composers, on the centenary of his birth. Born in Guarambaré in 1926, Bordón began playing the Paraguayan harp at the age of 10. He later moved to Brazil, where he helped introduce Paraguayan music to wider audiences. His album Arpa Paraguaya en Hi-Fi became a major success and contributed to the international recognition of Paraguayan harp music. Throughout his career, Bordón performed and recorded internationally, receiving eight gold records.
Previous editions have similarly honoured major musicians. In 2024, the festival paid tribute to harpist Lorenzo Leguizamón on the centenary of his birth. Leguizamón began performing professionally as a teenager and later joined the ensemble of Félix Pérez Cardozo.
Also read: 7th Latin American Folklore Gathering Brings Artists From 13 Countries To Paraguay
