BANDA MUNICIPAL DE VALENCIA (Valencia)

Director:
PABLO SÁNCHEZ TORRELLA

Band profile

In 1901, the Valencia city councilor and art critic, Vicente Avalos Ruiz, suggested to the well-known composer, Salvador Giner, that a Valencia municipal band should be created under the direction of Santiago Lope. Two years later, Lope led the newly formed band in the Valencia bullring when it offered its first public concert and, among other pieces, gave the first performance of 'L'Entrá de la Murta' by Giner.
Under the baton of Lope, the band won many awards, including three first prizes in the international competition held in Bilbao in 1905.
Over the years, many great directors have led the band including: Vega, Ayllón, Palanca, Ferríz, Garcés and Ribelles. The current director is Pablo Sánchez Torrella.
The band performs around 90 concerts a year; including seasons in the Valencia Palau de la Música, and many performances in Valencia's suburbs, nearby towns, and various European cities. The band also participates in many official ceremonies in the city.
The band has been awarded the Spanish gold medal of merit for contribution to the fine arts.

Director profile

Pablo Sanchez Torrella was born in Paterna, near Valencia, and began his studies with Cervera, Blanquer, Cabeza, Lapiedra, Ferríz and García Asensio. He also studied under Wangenheim and Celibidache, and took part in international courses in Germany and Santo Domingo.
He has directed the band of the Queen's Grenadier Guards (UK), Yale University, the Dutch Music Teachers Orchestra, the municipal bands of Palma de Mallorca and Barcelona, the Valencia symphony orchestra, the Valencia conservatory symphony, and the national orchestra of Santo Domingo.
He has also directed the band, symphony orchestra, and conservatory band of the Unión Musical in Lliria; and given concerts in Holland, Germany, Italy, France, and the USA.
In Valencia, he has directed the bands of Ribarroja, Villanueva de Castellón, and Moncada.
With the Unión Musical in Lliria, he participated in the Valencia International Music Bands Contest and won first prizes with pieces he had himself transcribed, including the Rites of Spring. He was awarded the medal of honor as the best director in the 1975 Wig festival in Vienna. He was awarded the first national Manuel Palau orchestra-directing award in 1979.
He is a member of the Spanish society of authors and the society of Valencian composers.
He taught and directed with the Valencia municipal band from 1959 until 1986, when he moved to the Banda Sinfónica Municipal in Madrid until 1992. He has taught directing at the Real Conservatorio Superior de Música in Madrid and directed zarzuelas at Nuevo Apolo. He has been resident director of the Banda Municipal de Valencia since 1992.