in 1988, the ludovico harpist association was founded to safeguard the spanish harp heritage and to celebrate ludovico. in 1993, the association began the harpist ludovico international harp competition (concurso internacional de arpa arpista ludovico) with the objective of encouraging talented young harpists. this competition has become one of the most important in the world with a simultaneous multicultural festival taking place in association with the competition. the competition takes place at the royal site of "real sitio de san lorenzo de el escorial" every three years with calvo-manzano as the main patron.