Agrupació Musical d’Agullent
The date of the first testimony on the existence of a music band in Agullent is from the
year 1815, but it is in 1883 when a Band was really founded.
Under the baton of Josep M. Bru, in 1990, it performed at the Certamen de Bandas de la
Diputación de València.
In 1994 it participated in the Certamen Internacional de Bandas de Música “Ciutat de
València”, where it won 3rd prize under the baton of Mr. Antonio Ribera.
From 1996 to 2001, Rafael Albert conducted it. In 1997 it attended the Certamen de
Bandas de la Diputación de València for the 2nd time.
From 2003 to 2008 Carlos Revert was the conductor of the Band, obtaining in 2004, 2005
and 2006 the 1st prize for performance at the Entrà de Bandes de Moros i Cristians de
Ontinyent and on January 29, 2005, the 2nd prize at the Certamen de Música Festera de
Altea la Vella.
From 2008 to the present, the musician from Agullent, Jose Antonio Casanova Insa, takes
charge of the band. During this time the band obtained 2nd prize in the XXIV Certamen
Nacional de Música de Moros y Cristianos de Elda in 2009, in December 2010 they obtained
3rd prize in the Certamen Nacional de Bandas Ciudad de Murcia. In addition, it
participates in the Certamen Provincial de la Diputación de València in 2012, obtaining
a 2nd prize and in 2015 in the Certamen de Bandas de Música de Cine Ciudad de Cullera,
also obtaining 2nd Prize, as well as 1st prize for performance that year at the Entrada
de Bandes de Ontinyent. But it is 2019 where the band wins the First Prize in the III
Certamen de Interpretación de Música Festera de Alcoy, in addition to winning again the
award for the best performance of the Entrada de Bandes de Ontinyent of 2019 and 2022.
José Antonio Casanova Insa
He was born in Agullent in 1979. He began his studies at the Escuela de Música “Amanci
Amorós Sirvent” in Agullent. He then continued his studies at the Ontinyent Conservatory
and finished the Higher Degree at the Conservatorio “Joaquin Rodrigo” de València with
the highest grades. In addition, he is a Technical Engineer in Computer Systems from the
Universitat Politècnica de València.
He has taken clarinet improvement workshops and studied with J. Luís Estellés, Carlos
Gil, Eric Hoeprich, Miguel Espejo, Enrique Pérez, Fabrizzio Meloni, Antony Pay, Philippe
Cuper, Toni Ribera, Vicent Alós, Rafael Albert, among others, and specially with Jose
Vicente Herrera (Soloist of the Orquesta de València).
He has been a clarinet teacher at various conservatories and music schools. He is
currently a clarinet professor, by public examination, at the Conservatorio Profesional
de Ontinyent.
He has performed with the Orquesta de València under the baton of maestros Yaron Traub,
Pinchas Steinberg and Miguel Angel Gómez Martinez. He is part of the Cuarteto de
Clarinetes “A Tempo” with which he has performed concerts throughout Spain, highlighting
the Concurso de Música de Cámara “Monserrat Alavedra” in Tarrasa where they were
finalists. He has recorded two CDs with this ensemble, one entitled “Homenatge a Jean
Françaix” and the other entitled “Vocabularis”, with works for clarinet quartet by
Valencian composers.
He has studied analysis and harmony with Jose Mª Bru and Tomàs Gilabert. He studies band
conducting with Jose Rafael Pascual Vilaplana and Frank de Vuyst.