Certamen Internacional de Bandas de Musica

SECTION OF HONOUR - Saturday 11 July

Plaza de Toros 20.30 h
Compulsory piece: “La Exposición de 1909” by Salvador Chuliá Hernández (Commissioned Piece)

Centro Instructivo Musical “La Armónica” de Buñol (VALENCIA)
Conductor: Frank de Vuyst
Pasodoble: “A mi Madre” by Roque Baños
Free choice piece: “Marco Polo, La Ruta de la Seda” (1.- Génova, 1298, 2.- La Caravana de Mercaderes, 3.- El Viejo de la Montaña, 4.- Taklamakan, 5.- Llegada a Cambaluc) by Luis Serrano Alarcón

Banda “Primitiva” de Paiporta (VALENCIA)
Conductor: Ferrer Ferran
Pasodoble: “L’Os i en Bala” by Jef Penders
Free choice piece: “El Gaudir del Geni” 3ª Sinfonía (2.- La Sagrada Familia) by Ferrer Ferran

Societat Instructiva Unió Musical de Montserrat (VALENCIA)
Conductor: José Onofre Díez Monzó
Pasodoble: “Ramón Segarra” by Esteban Esteve Jorge
Free choice piece:“Handàq” (1.- El Castellet. 2.- Els Alcalans. 3.- La Cova de les Meravelles. 4.- Torre Alèdua) by Juan Gonzalo Gómez Deval

Guest Band: Banda Municipal de Valencia
Conductor: Pablo Sánchez Torrella
Programe:
“El Tambor de Granaderos” (Pasodoble y Obertura) by Ruperto Chapí
“Moros y Cristianos” (Fantasía) by José Serrano
“Himne de la Comunitat Valenciana” by José Serrano
Tenor: Ignacio Giner

La Banda Municipal de Valencia, wants to honour the Composer Ruperto Chapí in his centenary of death. And the Composer José Serrano in the premiere of the centenary of the Hymn of Valencia.

Centro Instructivo Musical “La Armónica” De Buñol. (Valencia)

HISTORY OF THE BAND

With a history reaching back over a hundred years, the Buñol symphony band “La Armónica” [“The Harmonica”], is considered to be one of the best bands in the world.

In 1888 a band called “Música Primitiva” [“Original Music”] was created with Manuel Rehués Pérez as its founder and first director.

In 1962 the group was given its current name. The band has always been known as “El Litro” because after their rehearsals its original musicians used to drink a toast with a halfliter measure of wine. This symbol of capacity became a source of pride and the standard of “La Armónica”. The group has been directed by: José Fernando Ruiz, Manuel Rehués, José María Morató, Emilio Panach, Emilio Díaz, Francisco Berenguer, Manuel Carrascosa, José Llopis, José María Cervera, Mariano Puig, José Simón, José Ferriz, Jesús Campos, José Peñarrocha, Victorino Bel, Antonio Peinado, Amando Blanquer, Daniel Martínez, Francisco Tamarit, Francisco Roberto Forés, Luis Sanjaime, Fernando Bonete, Ramón Ramírez, Pascual Balaguer and the current conductor is Frank De Vuyst. The following musicians have performed with the band: Leopoldo Magenti, José Albero Francés, José María Cervera Collado, Bernardo Adam Ferrero, Bernabé Sanchís Sanz, Albert Argudo i Lloret, Miguel Sánchez Ruzafa, Francisco Grau Vegara, Pedro Pírfano Zambrano, Juan Carlos Civera Domínguez, José Vicente Asensi Seva, Salvador Chuliá Hérnández, Celio Crespo Esparza, Vicente Fco. Chuliá Ramiro, Glenn Price, Kenneth Tse and Robert W. Smith. The band has participated in competitions in: Requena, Liria, Elche, Castellón, Magallón, Torrevieja, Altea, Valencia and Kerkrade (Holland).

Their prizes include: first prize in 1980, 1985, 1986, 1988 and 1993, in special division A of the Valencia Contest, and first prize with commendation in the honorary division in 1994 and 1999, in 2006 they won first prize, and in 2008, second prize; first prize with commendation in the symphony division of the International Music Contest Villa de Altea, the Villa de Altea prize and the Alteanense Philharmonic Association trophy in 2005 and 2007;

first prize in the 2006 National Band Contest Villa de Magallón;

and first prize in the 2007 Torrevieja International Band Contest.

They also received the title of Absolute Champion, winning all the awards at the 1981 World Music Contest (WMC) in Kerkrade (Holland).

Their success had such an impact in Spain that a representative of the association was received by His Majesty King Carlos I of Spain, who presented them with a copy of the prizes the band had won.

BIOGRAPHY OF THE CONDUCTOR

Frank deVuyst

Born in Zele, Flanders, he began his musical training in Lokeren Academy, then went on to continue his musical studies at the Superior Conservatories in Gante, Maastricht and Tilburg, gaining qualifications in musical theory, pedagogy, saxophone, and professional music band conducting. He has also studied as an orchestra conductor in Vienna under Richard Edlinger. As a guest conductor he has appeared in Belgium, Holland, the United States, Argentina, Columbia, South Korea and Portugal. In Spain he has headed the Cullera Musical Society Symphonic Band, the Musical Union, Ondara, and the Musical Union in Utielana.

He is currently the principal director of the Buñol Music Teaching Center “La Armónica” and of the Artistic Society in Denia, and he is the artistic director of the symphony band of the Medellín Music Schools Network in Columbia.

He collaborates with the Piles publishing company, and was awarded the Golden Baton at the International Competition Vila d’Altea after winning the competition three times.

With the Cullera Music Society Band he has won the following awards: in 1997, first prize and winner of the XXVI International Competition Vila d’Altea; in 1998, first prize with commendation in the CIBM City of Valencia (honorary division); in 1999, first prize in the International Competition Flicorno d’Oro in Riva del Garda, Italy; in 2001, first prize in the CIBM City of Valencia (honorary division).

With the Ondara Music Association Band he won first prize and was overall winner at the Valencian Region band competition in Cheste (division three) in 2001.

With the Utilelana Music Association Band he has won the following prizes: in 2004, second prize in the XXXVI International Competition Vila d’Altea; in 2006, second prize in the CIBM City of Valencia (honorary division); and in 2006, first prize and winner of the City of Minglanilla Band Competition.

With the Denia Artistic Society he won first prize with commendation in the XXXIV International Competition Vila d’Altea in 2005.

With the Buñol Music Teaching Center Band “La Armónica” in 2007 he won first prize with commendation in the International Competition of Torrevieja and first prize with commendation in the XXXVI International Competition Vila d’Altea, and in 2008 second prize in the CIBM City of Valencia (honorary division).

He has recorded the following CDs: in 2000, The Age of Aquarius (Cullera Musical Society);

in 2001, Wait of the World (Cullera Musical Society);

in 2002, Rafael Talens Monographic (Cullera Musical Society); Bernardo Adam Ferrero Monographic (Cullera Musical Society);

in 2004, El Pas-doble (Denia Artistic Society); in 2006, Concertango (Utiel Music Association), and Fantasía Española (Llíria Music Association)

Banda “Primitiva” De Paiporta. (Valencia)

HISTORY OF THE BAND

The Paiporta Original Band was founded in 1896 under the name of the Mutual Aid Center. It changed its name in 1919 to the Patriotic Music Group Center, and adopted its current name in 1928. Joaquín Martínez, José Castelló Rosales, Eleuterio Campos, Ramón Navarro Galán, Jesús Campos Navarro, Carmelo Baixauli Ros, Vicente Prats Tarazona, Antonio Alapont, Leopoldo Vidal Estrems and Francisco Zacarés Fort were previous directors of the band. Its current director is Ferrer Ferran.

The group’s latest prizes include:

in 1987, second prize in the Valencia Provincial Council Contest, first division; first prize in the City of Valencia Contest, first division;

in 1988, first prize in the Valencia Provincial Council Contest, first division; first prize in the Valencia Region Interprovincial Final, first division; in 1989, third prize in the City of Valencia Contest, special division B;

in 1991, first prize and a commendation in the City of Valencia Contest, special division B;

in 1992, second prize in the City of Valencia Contest, youth division; in 1997, first prize in the City of Valencia Contest, special division;

and in 2004, first prize and a commendation in the City of Valencia Contest, first division. They have been involved in various full-length recordings: a recording for the tenth edition of the Support our Music Campaign [Retrobem la Nostra Música] sponsored by the Provincial Council; a cassette called Antología de la Zarzuela; a selection of Christmas carols performed by their choir;

a CD of works by their director Ferrer Ferran entitled Mar i Bel; and recently they took part in the recording of a CD sponsored by the Algemseí Music Association, including Aljama for dulzaina and band.

he group is the holder of the Civil Merit Award from the Paiporta Town Hall and the Vicente Cortina Prize.

In 1996 they organized various commemorative events for their centenary including: a concert to open the centenary year which included the first performance of Al Centenario, the paso doble composed by Ferrer Ferran; and the publication of a book by José Mirabet Pastor chronicling the band’s one-hundred year history, titled Un Siglo en Clave de Crónica.

In 1998 the band gave a tribute concert for the composer Jef Penders in the Torrent Auditorium. Videos and CDs of the concert were later released.

Today the band has 145 musicians, a choir, 12 teachers who give classes in music theory, the clarinet, saxophone, bassoon, oboe, cello, brass, percussion and piano, 155 students and more than 600 members. Their President is Luis Rodenas Antonio.

BIOGRAPHY OF THE CONDUCTOR

Ferrer Ferran

...and Ferrer Ferran said: “Music is so wonderful that it cannot be described; only experienced”. Ferrer Ferran was born in Valencia and not that long ago. His grand passion: arranging sounds in a score.

His wish: for audiences to understand, appreciate and experience these ordered sounds. His favorite composer is Bernstein: “Leonard is everything, he has soul and a great heart apart from being a great composer, a magnificent pianist and a wonderful conductor, but the most important thing of all is that he was also a “person”. He also believes that, “Music is that which floats in the air, that all living things sense, but only the fortunate are able to experience this wonderful abstract universal language”

Ferrer has a degree in Wind Orchestra Conducting and Composition from the Royal School of Music in London. He is Dean of Composition at the Castellón Superior Conservatory of Music (CSM) and a numerary member of the Valencia Professional Conservatory of Music where he teaches the specialties of composition, accompaniment and orchestra. He is principal conductor of the Paiporta Original Band and of the Spanish “Allegro” Wind Orchestra.

He is also the Artistic Director of the Ciudad Real Provincial Symphony Band and the Director of the “Allegro” Music Center.

Ferran, who is not an advocate of CVs, prefers people to get to know him by listening to his music: “Music is the reflection of the soul... you can get to know a composer intimately by listening to their music”. To this end he has recorded 10 CDs which feature part of his volume of work.

His main priorities are: firstly, his family; then composing, work he completes in response to commissions (which he has received from the five continents), by conducting bands (he receives requests to direct music from all over the world), and by teaching musical creation in his post as Dean of Composition at the Castellón CSM.

For more information about him, please visit his website: www.ferrerferran.es. However, the most important thing to know about him is that Ferrer has taken Valencia to the world, exhibiting its music and expertise.

And, as he always says when he oversees a concert or releases a new work: “I would love you to be able to understand and feel these sounds that I am so fond of. I want them to enter your heart and you to enjoy, as never before, this wonderful art”.

Societat Instructiva Unió Musical De Montserrat (Valencia)

HISTORY OF THE BAND

The group was founded on 26 January 1925 with the merger of the two existing town bands.

The group was municipal until 1932 when the band joined an association created by musicians and supporters. The band’s conductors have included: Emilio Campos Campos, Juan Evangelista Martínez, Miguel Bosch Martínez, Vicente Alonso, Joaquín Vidal, Daniel Martínez Marín, José Civera and Esteban Esteve. It was during 1984-1986 that, under the direction of Esteban Esteve and following some significant changes, the band experienced the greatest period of growth in its entire history. During this period they won first prize in the City of Cullera Band Contest and in the Mediterranean Bands Contest. The current director, José Onofre Díez Monzó, has been in post since 1987.

Since then the band has won their most important prizes, including:

in 1989, first prize in the Valencia Provincial Council Contest and first prize in the Valencia Region Band Contest in the first division;

in 1990, first prize with commendation in the CIBM City of Valencia, in the first division;

in 1993 and 1998, first prize with commendation in the special division of the CIBM City of Valencia;

and in 2002 the band participated in the honorary division of the CIBM City of Valencia for the first time and won second prize.

In 2005 they returned to the contest and the honorary division and premiered Rugir del Kimbo by the composer Ferrer Ferran. Currently the group has 140 musicians. Various additional groups have arisen from this core group which continues to perform a full musical program. The group also has a music school that gives elementary classes to approximately one hundred children and from which the children’s orchestra has emerged. The youth band has approximately 50 members aged between 11 and 18

Since 2006 the group owns a professional center authorized to teach to an intermediate level which carries the name Mestre Onofre Díez Monzó in recognition of the work of our Director. Our symphony band has been chosen by the Valencia Provincial Council to record and publish a CD of works by Valencian composers.

They have given various performances, such as the special concert in the Valencia Palau de la Música upon the invitation of Spanish National Radio [RNE] to coincide with the broadcaster’s annual season of concerts and as part of the RNE Plaza Mayor collection. They also performed a special concert at the request of the Las Provincias newspaper’s LP Radio, which featured in a collection of 5 CDs

This music group, created and recognized as a not-for-profit organization, plays a crucial role in the socio-cultural life of Monserrat. It is an amateur group from which famous teachers and musicians have emerged. During its history it has given concerts all over Spain, within our region, and in our town.

BIOGRAPHY OF THE CONDUCTOR

JOSÉ ONOFRE DÍEZ MONZÓ

José Díez was born in Quart de Poblet, where he began his musical studies in the headquarters of the “La Amistad” [“The Friendship”] Music Group with José Sanmartín and Esteban Esteve. He completed his official studies in the Valencia Superior Conservatory of Music, where he was taught by José María Cervera Lloret, Miguel Lafuente and Vicente Asensi, among others.

As principal conductor he has directed the following groups: the Valencia Port Music Association, the Picassent Artistic-Musical Association, the Vallada Music Association, the Benaguacil Education and Cultural Center Association, the Rioja Orchestra and the Youth Orchestra of the Picassent Artistic-Musical Association.

Since 1987 he has been chief conductor of the Montserrat Music Group, with which he has won the following prizes: in 1989, first prize in the Valencia Provincial Council Contest and first prize in the Valencia Region Band Contest in the first division;

in 1990, first prize and a commendation in the CIBM City of Valencia first division;

in 1993 and 1998, first prize and a commendation in the CIBM City of Valencia special division;

and in 2002, second prize in the honorary division of the CIBM City of Valencia.

He is a member of the International Society for Music Education, an organization affiliated to UNESCO and the International Music Council. He is founding director of the Monserrat Music Group Youth Orchestra. Since 1998 he has been a secondary education teacher of music. The Montserrat Educational Association and Music Group has an intermediate-level professional center which carries the title Maestro Onofre Díez Monzó in his honor.

Banda Municipal De Valencia (Valencia)

HISTORY OF THE BAND

In 1901, Valencia City Councilor, journalist, and art critic, Vicente Ávalos Ruiz, proposed to Salvador Giner, considered to be the highest musical authority of the time, the creation of a Municipal Band under the direction of Santiago Lope. Maestro Lope conducted the Municipal Band in their first concert in the city’s bullring on 8 December 1903 where, among other works, they performed L’Entrà de la Murta, written by maestro Giner for this first concert.

Under maestro Lope’s leadership, the Valencian group achieved countless successes, including three first prizes at the Bilbao International Contest in 1905. In its time the Municipal Band has had several principal conductors, including maestros Vega, Ayllón, Seguí, Palanca, Ferriz, Garcés and Ribelles, always maintaining its superior artistic level.

The group is currently conducted by maestro Pablo Sánchez Torrella.

The Municipal Band gives numerous performances every year. Those worthy of special mention include those in the Palau de la Música concert cycles, the June concerts held in the Palau’s gardens, and those in outlying areas of the city, smaller towns in the Valencia Region and several European cities, in addition to their participation in official City Council events.

On 5 December 2003, at the request of the Minister for Education, Culture and Sport, and following deliberation by the Council of Ministers, the Valencia Municipal Band received the “Corbata de la Orden Civil de Alfonso X El Sabio’ decoration.

It also holds the Medalla de Oro al Mérito en las Bellas Artes [Fine Arts Gold Medal], the highest honor awarded by the Spanish State. Valencia City Council, in an extraordinary plenary session held on 28 June 2002, decided unanimously to “grant the gold medal of our city to the Valencia Municipal Band, an example and inspiration for all bands in the Valencia Region, as well as an illustration of its traditional musical culture and popular opinion, on the occasion of the one-hundredth anniversary of its foundation”

Finally, we must mention the huge success that was the band’s 2005 concert tour of Japan, taking part in the 2005 Japan Band Clinic, and further increasing their already great international prestige.

BIOGRAPHY OF THE CONDUCTOR

PABLO SÁNCHEZ TORRELLA

Pablo Sánchez Torrella was born in Paterna (Valencia), where he began his musical studies, going on to complete them at the Valencia Conservatory of Music, where he achieved the highest marks possible in trumpet, harmony, counterpoint, fugue, piano, composition and orchestra conducting.

He carried out these studied under maestros Cervera, Blanquer, Cabeza, La Piedra, Ferriz and García Asensio. He has also studied with maestros Volker Wangenheim and Sergiu Celibidache. As a scholar he has attended international courses in Germany and Santo Domingo, being selected to conduct the closing concerts.

He has conducted the Grenadier Band of the United Kingdom, the University of Yale Band, the Netherlands Music Teachers’ Orchestra, the Valencia Orchestra, the National Orchestra of Santo Domingo, the Symphony Orchestra of Palma de Mallorca, the Nuevo Apolo Orchestra, the National Orchestra of Mexico, the Valencia Conservatory of Music Orchestra, the Municipal Bands of Valencia, Barcelona, Madrid, La Coruña and Alicante, the Band of the Royal Guard of the Netherlands, and the Band of the Music Societies Expo‘92.

He has been director of the Conservatory, Orchestra y Symphony Band of the Llíria Music Association. He has given concerts in Spain, the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, France, Italy, England, Belgium, Switzerland, Mexico, the USA, the Dominican Republic, Brazil, Italy, and Argentina. He has conducted the bands of Ribarroja, Villanueva de Castellón and the C.A.M. of Moncada

With the Llíria Music Association Band he has participated in the Valencia International Band Contest, achieving eight consecutive first prizes with works he transcribed, such as La Consagración de la primavera or El Mandarín maravilloso. Some of his compositions have been recorded by Valencian bands, many under his direction.

He was awarded the Honor Medal for the best director at the 1975 Wig Festival. In 1979 he won the first Manuel Palau national prize for orchestra conducting..

He participated as conductor in a tour of the Republic of Mexico. He is a member of SGAE and COSICOVA. From 1959 he was a member of the Municipal Band of Valencia as a teacher and conductor, until 1986 when he became the principal conductor of the Madrid Municipal Symphony Band, a position which he held until 1992

He has taught orchestra conducting at the Madrid Royal Conservatory of Music and has conducted its orchestra, with José Tamayo, during the operetta season at the Nuevo Apolo Theater in Madrid.

Valencia F.C. S.A.D. awarded him their gold and bejeweled insignia in recognition of his work as the author of the club’s anthem Amunt València. Since 1992 he has been the principal conductor of the Municipal Band of Valencia.