SOCIEDAD MUSICAL "LA PRIMITIVA SETABENSE" DE XÀTIVA (Valencia)

Director:
PASCUAL MARTÍNEZ

Band profile

The band was founded in 1902 and currently has 114 members under the direction of Pascual Martínez Martínez. The band school has over 240 students and youth band boasts 50 players. Many band members have become music teachers at conservatories throughout Spain and the band participates in many national festivals.
The band won first prizes at Carcagente in 1940, Sax in 1974, Alfaz del Pi in 1977, Altea in 1980, the Valencia International Music Bands Contest (first section) in 1986, the Kerkrade World Competition (procession, concert and harmony) in 1989, Requena 1992, Villa de Leganés special section in 1995, and the Valencia International Music Bands Contest special section in 2000.

Director profile

Pascual Martínez was born in 1965 and began studying the clarinet under Juan Vercher at the Joaquín Rodrigo conservatory in Valencia. He was a member of the conservatory orchestra, as well as the youth band of the Valencian band federation. He has also performed as invited soloist with many Valencian bands. In 1986, he was awarded an advanced degree in clarinet.
He studied with Amando Blanquer, R. Talens, Eduardo Cifre, and Manuel Galduf, and obtained advanced qualifications in composition, orchestration, and choir and orchestral directing. At the end of his degree studies he was awarded the extraordinary prize.
He was later invited to work with Aldo Ceccato in Santiago de Compostela (1993). He has been invited to direct bands such as, - the Bandas Sinfónica del Ateneo Musical de Cullera, the Primitiva de Llíria, the Joven Orquesta de Murcia, and the orchestra formed by the Silvestri master classes. He was assistant director with the Valencia youth orchestra and directed the bands of Aldaia and Alcásser.
He has taken part in numerous courses of musical analysis and composition with Amando Blanquer, Carlos Guinovart, Tomás Marco, Antón García Abril, and Carmelo Bernaola. He has also studied the application of computing to music editing. He taught at the conservatories of Carcaixent, Carlet, and Val d'Uxó.
He has written various pieces for bands, chamber groups, and orchestras. He was recently awarded second prize in the 1999 Alicante international competition for his piece entitled 'Secuencias'. He currently directs the Cullera conservatory - where he also teaches orchestra and choir. He also directs the Ateneo Musical de Cullera youth orchestra. He has been directing the La Primitiva Setabense de Xàtiva since 2000.