Maria Fernandez wins Prix du Port

Maria Fernandez is the winner of the second edition Prix du Port, the prestigious prize for musical top talent of the Rotterdam Conservatoire Codarts, University for the Arts. After an exciting final with impressive performances Maria Fernandez received the prize of 10.000 euro from Hans Smits, president-director of the Havenbedrijf Rotterdam and a statuette of the Dutch artist Eric Claus. The audience selected Maria João Mendes as the winner of the YOUR WORLD Port Publieksprijs. She received a check of 2.500 euro.

Maria Fernandez competed against four other Codarts-students in the smashing final hosted by Sanne Wallis de Vries. The jury consisted of Martijn Sanders, Annet Malherbe, Graham Sheffield (Barbican Center Director in London), singer Lilian Vieira and cellist Ernst Reijseger. They judged the five finalists on musicality, craftsmanship, concept and performance.

The winner
Maria Fernandez (student of the Rotterdam World Music Academy) had a very personal performance with her pianist Norman Peplow. Her songs were a tribute to the music of South America and Spanish tradition. The jury praised Maria for her powerful voice, involving the audience during her performance and telling a moving story.

Prix du Port 2009
Prix du Port is an initiative of the Havenbedrijf Rotterdam, Codarts, University for the Arts and the Luxor Theater Rotterdam. The prize of € 10,000 is made possible with support from Havenbedrijf Rotterdam. The goal of the competition is to identify and encourage the development of promising young artists. The Your World Port Publieksprijs is made possible by YOUR WORLD.

Photo's: Jan Hordijk