José Luis López “El Marqués" Becomes First Cellist to Win the Filón Prize for Flamenco

The prize, which carries a value of €6,000, is administered by Spain's Cante de las Minas Festival

The Spanish cellist José L. López Fernández, who goes by the name of José "El Marqués," has become the first cellist ever to win the prestigious Filón Prize for Best Flamenco Instrumentalist. The award is administered by the Cante de las Minas Festival, which recently concluded its 63rd edition in La Unión, Spain.

In order to win the prize, José "El Marqués" had to advance through several qualifying rounds, and performed a number of his own flamenco compositions for solo cello.

He has received a number of other distinctions, including nominations for the Max Award. López Fernández was also a finalist in the Academy of Performing Arts of Spain’s 2023 Talía Awards, and he won the Composition Award for the best original music for dance at the International Flamenco and Spanish Dance Choreography International Competition in 2002.

He recently appeared at the first edition of the District Coalition’s Park Party, hosted in Washington, D.C.

"It’s an incredible feeling," López Fernández said of winning the prize. "I’m working on a flamenco cello album, and it’s going to be great for me to get people to know it."

"José 'El Marqués' has demonstrated the potential of the cello to speak flamenco as a solo instrument," the festival wrote on social media. "That has validated the Filón award of the Cante de las Minas in this 63rd edition."