UNIÓN MUSICAL SANTA CECILIA CASTELLAR-OLIVERAL (Valencia)

Director:
MIGUEL PERIS MARTÍNEZ

Band profile

The band first appeared as 30-strong children's band in 1983. The children were aged between 8 and 12 and had begun their studies in local schools or conservatories. Just a short while later the band was appearing on radio and television, local competitions, and gave a performance at the Palau de la Música in Valencia. The band was invited to participate in the young musicians world festival held in Switzerland and has performed in Austria, Holland, and France.
In 1993, the band music school was renewed and enlarged and this has helped the band to further raise its musical level.
The band is very active locally with an extensive program of teaching, auditioning, and conferences. It participated in its first band contest in 1995 - and despite having the smallest band won second prize in the Real Club Náutico de Valencia competition. In 1996, during the band's first appearance in the Valencia provincial competition, it took second prize in the third section. A year later, it won first prize in the music festival celebrating the anniversary of the incorporation of the port area in Valencia.
In 1998, the band was awarded first prize and an honorable mention in the Valencia International Music Band Contest.

Director profile

Miguel Peris Martínez was born in Paiporta (Valencia) in1965. He began studying the clarinet in 1975 with the Banda Primitiva de Paiporta. He finished his studies with Juan Vercher at the Valencia conservatory and qualified as a clarinet music teacher. He has participated in many advanced courses in clarinet, musical language, quintet, and scherzo.
Since 1985, he has taught wood instruments in the Primitiva de Paiporta band and the band of Sax, and was sub-director of the Banda Primitiva de Paiporta and director of Unión Musical de Luchente.
He has also taught clarinet with the Banda Municipal de Valencia since 1987. Between 1991 and 1993, he directed the Banda Unión Protectora de Llombay, winning first prize in the third section of the provincial band contest and a first prize in the regional band contest. He currently works alongside Francisco Fort Fenollosa, sub-director of the Banda Municipal de Valencia.
He participated in courses of orchestral management under Pablo Sánchez Torrella in 1997, 98 and 99.
He has been teacher and director of the Unión Musical Santa Cecilia in Castellar-Oliveral since 1993. During this time, the band has won a prize in every contest it has entered.