Unión Artístico Musical de Montroi


Unión Artístico Musical de Montroi

HISTORY OF THE BAND

Records from Montroy and Alcira date the foundation of the first wind band called "Musica de Ayre" back 182 years to 20 March 1832, making it one of the oldest in the Valencia Region.

In 1932 a new band was created with the name "Unión Protectora Musical" and with José Mafé as its conductor. After the interruption of the Civil War, the band was founded on 3 March 1945 with its current name, "Unión Artística Musical", and with Octavio Monserrat Chapa as its conductor.

The most important prizes the band has won include: :

  • CIFESA First Prize for pasodoble (1953)
  • Villajoyosa First Prize for pasodoble (1961)
  • Honorary mention, in Division Two of the Valencia (July Fair) Wind Band Contest (1981)
  • First Prize in Division Three of the International Wind Band Contest "City of Valencia" (1989)
  • First Prize in the Albalat dels Tarongers Contest (1989)
  • First Prize in Division Two of the Valencia Provincial Contest (1992)
  • Second Prize in the finals of the Valencia Provincial Contest (1992)
  • First Prize in Division One of the International Wind Band Contest "City of Valencia" in 1995 and 1998
  • First Prize in the Wind Band Contest "City of Cullera" in 1996 and 1999
  • First Prize in the Campo de Criptana National Wind Band Contest (2002)
  • First Prize and Honorary Mention in Division One of the Valencia Provincial Contest (2003)
  • First Prize in Division One of the Valencia Regional Contest (2003)
  • and First Prize in Division One of the Valencia Provincial Contest (2007).
Today, the Unión Artística Musical has a Symphonic Band, Youth Band, Youth Orchestra, Women's Committee, chamber groups, a cultural magazine called "Arpegio", the "Luis Sanjaime" Official Professional Music Teaching Centre, and a Music School.


BIOGRAPHY OF THE CONDUCTOR

Bernardo Mora Fandos

Bernardo Mora Fandos was born in Torrent (Valencia). He studied flute in the Torrent Professional Conservatory of Music and the Madrid Royal Superior Conservatory of Music with Joaquín Jericó. He furthered his studies with Antonio Arias, Juana Guillem, Ángel Marzal and Ida Ribera.

He has a degree in musicology from the University of La Rioja.

He studied harmony, and band and orchestra conducting with José Mª Cervera, José Cervera Collado, Fco. Cabrelles, Henry Adams, Jan Cober, Jesús López Cobos, Cristóbal Soler, J. R. Pascual Vilaplana and Rafael Sanz-Espert.

He has taught flute, sol-fa, harmony and choir in the Torrent Unión Musical since 1992. In the 1995-1996 academic year he gained a permanent post as a high school music teacher through public examinations. In 1993 he became the head conductor of the Alazquàs Orfeón Polifónico.

In 1994 he was the director of the band and school of the Centro Instructivo Musical Paternense, and in 2001 and 2004 he was the head conductor of the Sant Mateu Sociedad Musical Santa Cecilia (Castellón).

He has been a guest conductor for various bands: the Torrent Unió Musical, l'Ollería, Picanya, Vinaroz, Sta Cecilia de Cullera, Aldaia Unió Musical, Alaquàs Unió Musical and Museros Unió Musical. As an instrumentalist and conductor of orchestras, bands and choirs, he has given numerous concerts in the USA, Paris, Madrid, Seville and all over the Valencia Region.

In 2000 he founded the Ciutat de Torrent Orchestra, of which he is President.

During the 2004-2005 academic year he collaborated with Cristóbal Soler as assistant conductor to the Philharmonic Orchestra of the University of Valencia.

Since the 2005-2006 academic year he has taught music at Montserrat High School (Valencia).

Since 2012 he has been head conductor of the Wind Band of the Montroy UAM.