BANDA MUNICIPAL DE SAN FERNANDO (Cádiz)

Director:
FRANCISCO HERNÁNDEZ MACIAS

Band profile

The band was founded in 1992 with the help of the municipal cultural foundation. The 30 initial members have grown to around 70 - many of them being already well-known musicians in southern Spain. As one of Andulusia's best bands it has performed concerts in Seville, Malaga, Granada, Algeciras, Aracena, El Puerto, Chiclana, Tarifa, La Rinconada, Alcalá de Guadaira, and Rota. The band has played many original works in its 'Musical Week' performances and regularly performs with various choirs. It won second prize in the band competition organised by the Andulusian regional government last year. The band works closely with numerous local organisations and also gives many teaching concerts to schoolchildren in an effort to raise musical awareness.

Director profile

Francisco Hernández Macias was born in Seville in 1961. His musical studies began at the age of eight under the instruction of his father, Miguel Hernández Garrido. He later studied piano and musical theory at the Superior Musical Conservatory in Seville and graduated with the highest grade. At 13, he began studying clarinet with Rafael Ruiz Amé and his grandfather, Francisco Hernández Macias. He also studied saxophone, flute, harmony, musical forms, history, aesthetics, chamber music, with many teachers including, most notably, José Albero, Luis Izquierdo, José María Benavente and Luis Lerate.
In 1978, he began playing clarinet with the Orquesta Bética Filarmónica and the conservatory chamber orchestra, where he studied under the baton of prestigious directors such as Manuel Galduf, Odón Alonso, García Asensio. He has been a member of many musical bands: including the Maestro Tejera, the Seville Red Cross and the Ciudad de Jerez. He has also formed a part of many chamber groups.
At 18, he won a place as band sergeant in the Spanish Navy and played in the southern marine band based in San Fernando - remaining a member of the band to this day.
He has always dedicated himself to encouraging the development of music in San Fernando and has been extremely active as a teacher. He is both director and teacher at the San Fernando Musical Conservatory, and also teaches many courses in other conservatories.
In 1992, the San Fernando musical foundation named him director of the town band. He has written numerous marches including: Lágrimas, Dolores de Santa María, Virgen del Carmen Coronada y María Santísima de la Piedad.