The Cuban flute school already has new awards at the international level, now with the excellent results of the International Latin American Flute Competition 2021, in its second virtual edition.

Two young Cubans, Katherine Herrero de Armas won second prize, while José Lázaro Álvarez won third prize, in an event held between 28 November and 4 December. First place was won by Alef Caetano from Brazil. 

Cuba was equally represented in the competition from the repertoire to be performed, as the edition included Alma by the renowned maestro Tania León and the piece Superficie for solo flute by the talented composer Daniel Toledo Guillén. Niurka González was also present as a member of the prestigious jury. 

Other distinguished maestros were part of the jury: Alberto Almarza (Chile/USA), Wilfrido Terrazas (Mexico/USA), Lucas Robatto (Brazil), Ana María Hernández (Puerto Rico), César Peredo (Peru), Omar Acosta (Venezuela/Spain), Patricia Da Dalt (Argentina), Gabriel Ahumada (Colombia/Germany), and Daniel Velasco (Ecuador/USA). 

Created at the initiative of Colombian teachers and flutists, the international competition aimed to showcase Latin American musical heritage for this instrument. 

The competition selected 25 flutists from 9 countries for the first round. Twelve were admitted to the second round, leaving five boys as finalists. Among them was the Cuban Samdor Ramírez Luperón, a first-year student at the University of the Arts of Cuba. 

Katherine Herrero de Armas, a graduate of the prestigious Instituto Superior de Arte, took part in the first round of the competition with Spíritus by the Venezuelan Icli Zitella. For the second round, the competition required a piece for flute and piano, so she selected the piece Sonata by the Puerto Rican composer Awilda Villarini, with Marlon Bordas at the piano. The third round was a compulsory work, commissioned by the competition from the important Brazilian composer Paulo Costa Lima, Nde Re He America, cantos e lutas for solo flute, a beautiful and difficult piece. 

In 2019, Katherine won the joint prize in the Cuban Music Performance category of the UNEAC Competition, together with Claudia Veloso Álvarez, as part of the Aulós Duo.