SOCIEDAD UNIÓN MUSICAL STA. CECILIA DE MONCOFAR (Castellón)

Director:
SALVADOR ROJO GAMÓN

Band profile

The band origins go back to 1911 when Eugenio Martí Catalá and four young players started the first band. Enrique Oras García and Nicasio Marqués Puig succeeded the founder as director in later years, but the founder returned to lead the society again in 1944.
In 1976 the society reformed its statutes and joined the federation of musical societies. A few years later it registered as a cultural society.
Marti was eventually succeeded by his 16-year old grandson, Venancio Rius. Subsequent directors included Fernando Ferrer Martínez and Francisco Javier Piquer García. The current director, Salvador Rojo Gamón, was named in 1997.
In the years 1991 and 1992, the band won first prize in the third section of the Castellon provincial competition. As a result the band took part in the Valencian regional competition and the Cheste competition - where it won second prize. The band took first prize in the third section of the Valencia International Band Contest. In 1994, the band won first prize in the second section of the the provincial competition held in Nules. Three years later, the band won second prize in the third section of the provincial competition held in Benicarlo. The band claimed the same prize in April 2000. This year the band has played in Soria and Toulousse. Its current president is Bautista Aiós Ferrando.

Director profile

Salvador Rojo Gamón began his studies in the Sociedad Unión Musical de Algimia de Alfara, under the direction of Enrique Ros Sanlucas. He then continued at the Conservatorio Superior de Música Joaquín Rodrigo in Valencia.
In the year 1988-89 he won the extraordinary elementary prize and continued his studies to superior level with the clarinet. He went on to study harmony and melody with Rafael Talens and advanced clarinet studies under José Antonio Fenollar. He attended various courses in orchestral management and completed his studies in Valencia.
He has written pieces for symphony bands, orchestra, piano, and voice. He taught wood wind instruments and musical language at the Algimia de Alfara Musical School between 1989 and 1996 -and directed the youth band of the Unión Musical de Algímia de Alfara between 1990 and 1995. In 1994, he was the invited director at the Banda Sociedad Musical in Segorbe.
Between 1996 and 2000 he directed the school, youth band, and band of the Musical Santa Cecilia del Grau in Valencia; as well as teaching clarinet and musical language.
Since 1997, he has been director of the school, choir and band of the Musical Santa Cecilia of Moncofar.
Last May, he gave a masterclass in chamber music at the Teresa Verganza Conservatory in Madrid.