Societat Musical "Lira Castellonera" de Villanueva de Castellón HISTORY OF THE BAND The origins of the Band of the Villanueva de Castellón Sociedad Musical Lira Castellonera (Valencia) go back to the ensemble created by the local Town Council in 1878. By 1887 the Band was already taking part in the Valencia July Fair Band Contest with the name “La Lira”. The band was reestablished in 1909 under the baton of Jaime Fayos Torres. In 1925 the Band took part in Division One of the Valencia Contest and, with a group made up almost entirely of children, won First Prize. From 1926 they were regular participants in the Special Division, where they won First Prize in 1927 and 1945. The Band’s next conductor was Luis Ayllón, a former conductor of the Valencia Municipal Band. Under his leadership, in the space of four years the Band won two First Prizes (1947 and 1949) and two Second Prizes (1948 and 1950) in the Valencia Contest. The Band’s principal conductors have included Francisco Hernández Guirado, Pablo Sánchez Torrella, Francisco Fort Fenollosa, Nicanor Sanz Sifre, Francesc Perales Ferre, Teodoro Aparicio Barberán, Juan Pablo Hellín Chaparro, Carlos Revert Espí and Alexis Calvo López. Eduardo Cifre Gallego is the Band’s honorary conductor. The Band is currently conducted by José Tello who, with tenacious enthusiasm, is leading the group to realize its full potential. Their performances in recent years include three concerts in the Palau de la Música and the Band’s return to the Honorary Division of the International Wind Band Contest “City of Valencia” where they won Third Prize in 2012. Last year the Band performed in the Barcelona Auditorio with the Barcelona Municipal Band, conducted by its director, Salvador Brotons; in Llíria as a guest band at the 5th Iberoamerican Conference of Composers and Conductors; and this year in the 3rd “Les Bandes a les Arts” concert series. BIOGRAPHY OF THE CONDUCTOR José Tello i EspertJosé Tello Espert was born in Buñol and began studying music at the local "La Armónica" Music Education Centre. He continued his studies in the conservatories of Buñol, Valencia and Madrid, where he received his advanced clarinet teacher qualifications.He studied harmony, counterpoint, Schenkerian analysis and music computing. He also studied orchestra conducting at the Superior Music School of Catalonia (ESMUC) with Salvador Brotons. He has attended various courses and master classes with internationally renowned teachers such as Gregory Fritze, Ray Cramer and Tom Verrier. He also attended vocal conducting courses at the Royal Academy of Music in London, taught by Paul Brough. He has taught at several music schools and the Buñol Professional Conservatory of Music. He has also worked as a clarinet teacher in the Medellín Music Schools Network (Columbia). From 1985 to 1991 he was a teacher at the Municipal Music Academy in Cuenca and the clarinet soloist and assistant director of the Cuenca Municipal Band. In 1991 he became a clarinet teacher for the Valencia Municipal Band, gaining the post through public examinations. He has conducted various bands. Particularly worthy of mention are the prizes he won with the Siete Aguas Sociedad Musical La Paz: First Prize in Division Two at the International Wind Band Contest "City of Valencia" 2003; the Gold Medal with Honors at the WMC in Kerkrade 2005; and First Prize and the Prize for Best Director at the Minglanilla “Enrique García Asensio” National Band Contest (Cuenca) in 2007. He has recorded numerous CDs with the Audioart label and has also collaborated with the Belgian label, Hafabra. On several occasions he has performed as guest conductor for the Buñol “La Armónica” CIM. Since 2009 he has been the director of the Symphonic Band of the Villanueva de Castellón Lira Castellonera. In 2012 he took part in the CIBM with this group and won Third Prize in the Honorary Division. |
