Until 31 May, entries open for the 6th Concurs Sons for emerging roots music bands

The 16^th Fira Mediterrània of Manresa, the Centre Artesà Tradicionàrius in Gràcia and the publishing house Enderrock Group is opening the fifteenth Sons de la Mediterrània Competition for submissions, addressed to emerging bands or soloists that perform folk music or music with Mediterranean roots, either in Catalan or instrumental music. The call for submissions closes on 31 May 2013. To participate in this call, bands must enter the www.concurssons.cat web, where they can directly enter their music, plus photos and information concerning their proposal. Groups or soloists that already have a record label contract cannot enter the competition.

The jury will be made up of staff members from the website Sons de la Mediterrània, the Centre Artesà Tradicionàrius of Gràcia, Fira Mediterrània of Manresa, Festacarrer of Ondara (Valencia), iCat.cat and La Sonora (TVC). Four groups will be selected out of all the submissions received, which will move into the finalist round.

The Finals at 16^th Fira Mediterrània of Manresa

The finalist round will be held in Manresa coinciding with the sixteenth edition of Fira Mediterrània, from 7 to 19 November. The groups participating in the finalist round will appear in the Fira’s professional guide, programme and website. The final decision will be announced at Fira Mediterrània.

The winning group will receive a 3,000-euro advertising campaign from the magazine Enderrock, the website Sons de la Mediterrània and the radio station iCat.cat, the recording of an album and a record company contract, and a tour in 2014 with four shows that will include the Tradicionàrius Festival, the 17^th Fira Mediterrània of Manresa, the Circuit Folc 2014 and the Dansàneu / Escola de Dansa of Esterri d’Àneu 2014.

The winners of the 2012 Sons contest were Els Laitenas, a colla grallera from Mataró which claims to be the first group of gralles 2.0 of the world's, adapting to grallas pieces as the "Waka Waka" by Shakira, "Wa yeah" of Antònia Font or "Ai se eu te pego" by Michel Teló. The winner of the 2011 edition of Concurs Sons is Riu, a group from Baix Llobregat which combines a repertoire of Catalan tradition with structures of Celtic music. Tazzuff from Barcelona won the 2010 edition with their folk touching on other genres such as jazz, flamenco and rumba with an innovative and experimental air. The Amansalva quartet won the 2009 edition, with musicians from Catalonia, Valencia and the Balearic Islands, and their traditional repertoire from throughout Catalonia. In 2008, Grollers de Sa Factoria from Mallorca won the award with their combination devoid of complexes of traditional and modern instruments and popular songs, together with their owncrazy compositions.

Groups may submit their proposals by signing up on the website www.concurssons.cat.