Sociedad Musical "La Popular" de Pedralba

HISTORY OF THE BAND

The Pedralba "La Popular" Music Association was founded in February 1885 thanks to the work of Luis Rodríguez Espinosa, who was both the town's priest and a great musician. The Band gave their first performance on 7 November 1885.

In 1890 they won First Prize in a contest held in Liria. This prize was followed by many more, including: First Prize in 1890, 1943 and 1945 in Liria; Second Prize in 1945 and 1947 in Buñol; First Prize in 1947 in Benaguacil; First Prize in 1957 in La Pobla de Vallbona; Third Prize in 1973 and First Prize in 1974 in Cullera: Second Prize in 1973 and Third Prize in 1974 in Catarroja; and Third Prize in 1974, Second Prize in 1976 and Third Prize in 1997 and 2001 in Valencia.

Between 1948 and 1982 the Association organized Summer Music Festivals which featured prestigious wind bands such as "La Primitiva" and "La Unión" from Liria, and "La Lira" from Cheste.

In September 1984 they celebrated their centenary with 10 Bands from Los Serranos Region and the collaboration of the FSMCV, an organization the Association has belonged to since 1968, being the eighteenth band to register.

The Band's past directors include: Francisco Alejo, Rosendo Quiles, Enrique Jordá, Alberto Martin, Francisco Alegre, Miguel Morella, Camilo Gómez, José Sanantonio, Juan Antonio Martínez, Alfonso Faus and Javier Castellano. The current director is Ángel Gimeno Quiles, who began studying music in the Association's Music School.

Currently the Band is made up of 50 musicians and there are approximately 30 children enrolled in the Music School. Isabel Serigó Andrés has been President of the Association since 2002.

BIOGRAPHY OF THE CONDUCTOR

Ángel Gimeno Quiles

Ángel Gimeno Quiles was born in Pedralba (Valencia) in 1970. He began studying music at the age of 7 with his mother and at the Pedralba "La Popular" Music Association with Maestro Juan A. Martínez Yago. He went on to the Valencia Superior Conservatory of Music where he received his advanced qualifications in Saxophone.

He studied various advanced saxophone courses with Jaime Belda, Maribé Charrier, Manuel Miján and Jean Marie Londeix.

He studied Orchestra and Band Direction with Ferrer Ferran, José Rafael Pascual- Vilaplana and Enrique García Asensio.

He has given various performances as a soloist and in chamber music groups, including: Duo Colloquy at the Zaragoza Palacio de Congresos Auditorium; Club Diario Levante and in the 3rd Cycle of Contemporary Music of the Vitoria "Jesús Guridi" Superior Conservatory of Music; Grupo Instrumental XXI at the Logroño Municipal Auditorium; Grupo Adolphe Sax; the Valencia Region Saxophone Ensemble and the Mediterranean Symphony Orchestra in the Valencia Palau de la Música.

He taught saxophone courses at the 12th Javea International Music School (Alicante), at the Santanyí Music School (Balearic Islands) and the Logroño Professional Conservatory of Music.

He was the saxophone soloist for the Bilbao Symphony Orchestra from 1999 to 2006.

Since 1994 he has been a saxophone teacher at the Professional Conservatories of Music in Soria, Logroño and Requena (Valencia).

He is a member of the Examining Boards for Art and Music Teachers in Navarre, the Basque County and the Balearic Islands.

He is currently the Director of the Pedralba "La Popular" Music Association Band, a member of the Valencia Region Saxophone Ensemble and a saxophone teacher at the Valencia Professional Conservatory of Music.