Music News
Choral&Sacred Jazz Guitar CLASSICAL
FESTIVAL INTERNACIONAL DE MUSICA Y DANZA DE GRANADA
Granada, end of June, beginning of July,annual.
It is one of the most important cultural meetings inSpain and one of the largesttraditional festivals. Its start was during the symphonic concerts that since 1883 where celebrated at thePalace of Charles V inside the Alhambra, during the Corpus Christi feasts. Itruns under the public corporation through the Ministry of Education and Culture, the Government of Andalucía, the TownHall of Granada. Since 1970the Queen Sofiaisits president. Italways combined the presence of great worldknown musicians asnew promisses andalso comines great musical pieces with contemporary productions. Through itsstages several figures as Andrés Segovia, Herbert von Karajan, Victoria de los Ángeles, Arthur Rubinstein, Margot Fonteyn or Rudolf Nureyev, have performed. But also several promise stars asTeresa Berganza, Antonio the dancer or Joaquin Achúcaro.
The city of Granada is a perfect scenario, with beautiful corners andoutdoor spaces. While the palace ofEmperor Charles hostes the main Symphony orchestras, the Gardens of Generalife and Alhambra is ready forBallet Companies, theArrayanes Courtyard or the Royal Hospiltal is ready for soloists and the Sacromonte Quarter isready for other performancegroups.
SEGOVIA INTERNACIONAL FESTIVAL
Segovia ( anhour and half north orf Madrid) July 16-31st2006
The FISgives its name to manycultural activities that happens in Segovia city related to musicthat are celebrated each year during the summer season.
The International Festival is one of themain festivals in Spain , and its history beganin 1938 where differentartistic and musical performances happened. But officially, the Festival celebrated the past 2000 its25th anniversary of non stop programs.
Since then, the festival was the main pilar where the main musical activities of thiscityhappened. It is home of manydifferent musical styles for all audiences; ancient music, baroque music, symphonic, military music, choral music andconcerts focus onchildren. Besides this, the programsuse to ffer dance, fromclassical ballet to Flamenco.
The International Week of Chamber Music, are seven following days dedicated to the most attractivechamber music of our history.A variety of programs that includes many works ofdifferent composers and styles, from“violagambistas” from heXVI,XVII and XVIII centuriesup to the heterodoxy of the jazzmans, from classical to romantic composers. The comoncerts are followed withworkshops,people to people meetings, and magister lessons.
The Youth Festival is specialized inyouth interpreters, from soloists to orchestras. It is getting more and more renown as a promotional festival of thepromisse futureperformers not only inside Spain butalsoworldwide. Theworks of Spanish composers are incentivated and some of them arepremier performances.
All thesefestivalsthat happen every summer, makes the city of Segovia an international musical recognition, andit is sponsored by the FundacionDon uan de Borbon, the father of the king Juan Carlos who was born in Segovia,and it is focus on promote cultural and musical events in Segovia and its province since 1991.
All thesefestivalsthat happen every summer, makes the city of Segovia an international musical recognition, andit is sponsored by the FundacionDon uan de Borbon, the father of the king Juan Carlos who was born in Segovia,and it is focus on promote cultural and musical events in Segovia and its province since 1991.
INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL OF SANTANDER
July 31 to August 31, 2006, Santander
The Festival was born from the need to offer cultural entertainment to the foreign students attending the UIMP, and in 1948 musical performances were held in the cloisters of the Corbán seminary, in the inner courtyard of the San Rafael Hospital- now the seat of the Parliament of Cantabria- and in the Magdalena Peninsula, where some years before, the “Barraca” of García Lorca had been received with great social fervour in his desire to “ take culture out onto the streets”. In 1952, and very much thanks to the drive of Ataulfo Argenta and Jose Manuel Riancho, who was to be the first director of the Santander Festival, the Porticada Square was created, considered by all, for 40 years, as the “Music Main Square” in Spain. Street market by day, it was transformed by night into a magical and unique stage graced by the greatest artists of the twentieth century, from the world of music, dance and theatre. For 38 years of the Festival’s history it was the backbone of the cultural offer of the region, centred almost exclusively in the month of its activity.
The Porticada Square was officially closed on the 30 August 1990 with the participation of the Norwegian Chamber Orchestra andRostropovich . The Festival Hall (Palacio de Festivales ) as its heir has hosted the International Festival since 1991, which thanks to this new theatrical stage has been able to broaden its artistic offer, introducing opera and illustrious ballet companies to its programme.
Since 1979 the Festival’s director has been Jose Luis Ocejo under whose direction the festival has branched out to the most outstanding locations in the region, creating a cultural weave that transforms Cantabria into a summer fiesta under the common denominator of the arts.
The Festival has always produced an artistic programme to appeal to the different sectors of society, in an attempt to satisfy the needs of the most demanding supporters and all those wishing to enjoy artistic events of the highest quality. For this reason the Santander International Festival especially seeks to strike a balance between the most traditional styles and the latest ground-breaking and innovatory tendencies, and this characteristic hasgiven shape to the festival’s own identity.Another of the features defining the festival is its desire to open up new paths. Along with its main venue, the Festival Hall, activities spread throughout the region, offering concerts in the historical venues of Cantabria, churches and buildings of architectural and historical importance. All these factors contribute to turning the International Festival into the driving force of the social and cultural life of the region, and whose magnetic appeal draws people from many parts.
It is, along with the Festival of Granada, the oldest to be celebrated in our country, and also the longest: more than thirty scintillating days, packed with music, dance, theatre, recitals, and so on. The fact that it is a Member of the European Association of Festivals based in Ghent, and whose members include the major festivals in the world such as Salzburg, Florence and Verona to name but a few, makes its name respected and followed with interest in cultural circles in Europe and America.
The list of the world-class artists who have performed in each edition throughout the long history of the Festival is endless, and without doubt we can proudly say that the Festival’s wide audience has been able to enjoy the presence of the world’s most important artists from all spheres of the performing arts. As well as the purely artistic, the International Festival Santander takes place in of the most visited regions during the summer monthsCantabria- offering tourists a perfect combination of nature, art, and culture, converting it into a first class holiday destination chosen by visitors demanding the very best of quality.
CASTRO URDIALES MUSIC FESTIVAL
Castro Urdiales, Sntander, Each June
This festivalhappens every year in during the month of June and we had several choirs that participated in the past events asthe New Amsterdam Singers, the Phoenix Boys Choir, etc…
The concerts are duringthe weekends in the Church of Santa Maria , located on top of the beach and a neo gothicchurch impressive on which is very common to havefull –house audience due to the strong collaboration with theFestival organizer and due to the large tradition of thisbeautifulbeach resort townlocated by the Atlantic coast of Spain andless than an hour away from Bilbao.
INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL OF CAMBRILS ( TARRAGONA)
Cambrils, TarragonaJuly 29 toAugust 28 2006
In 1974 andwithcollaboration of Jose Maria Redondo and Angel recasens, developed a project that wasreally welcomed between the people of Cambrils. The firstfestival formula consisted on getting differentEuropean musicians andproviding them homestays during several weeks on which they offered several concerts that happened on different venues as the VilafortunyCastle, Church of Madona del Cami, andat theSarriaPark. At this time many different artists participated as Antonio Gorostiaga, Michael Gaiser, Gerhard Schulz, Uta Palzer, Jorge Fresno, etc...
Also several conductors as Antonio Janigro, Johannes Auersperg, Jorg Faerber, Enric Ribó, etc. participated as well.
Later, the organization turned into the most common “formula” but with well known musicias and great interpreters, among them we can highlight the presence of Monstserrat Cabaallé, José Mª Pinzolas, Anna Ricci, Josep Carreras, Robert Shumann Quartet, Trio de Lucerna, Orquesta Nacional de Francia, New Vlaams Symfonieorkest
In theprovince of Tarragona 8 south Barcelona, this Festival is considered one of the most known ones.
INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL OF TORROELLA DE MONTGRI ( COSTA BRAVA)
Costa Brava, GironaJuly 15 to August 19
The festival is celebrated inTorroella de Montgri, not far away from Girona inthe heart of Costa Brava, and just a couple of kilometres from the beach of L´Estartit, under its medieval castle, Torroella has an important musical tradition.An important scenariowhere miticalmusicians asAragall, Barbara Hendricks, Joaquín Achúcarro or Viena Filarmonic Chamber orchestra had performedon its castle.
The old quarter of thistown dates back on the XIII century is a good example, ofne of the few preserved, that follows thestructure of anancient Roman campament.
This urban space hosts at the same time different music cicles and workshops, one of Classical Music and oneabout Jazz on thestreets.
CASTILLO DE PERALADA INTERNACIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL(COSTA BRAVA)
2006:July/August
This festival offres mainly opera ,chamber and symphonic music, andon which had participateddifferent soloists,internacional conductors and companies of internacional prestige as Victoria de los Angeles, Josep Carreras, Lorin Maazel, Lindsay Kemp, la Orquesta Filarmónica de Londres, el ballet del gran Teatro del Bolshoi... It is renown for being focus on giving special attention to great voices,symphony-chorale concerts and operas. Butalso some other productions as ballet, dance, etc…
Perelada is a small town in the Alt Ampordastate, between Figeres and Costa Brava, 140 km distance from Barcelona, and has a beautifulgothic styleand reinassance quarter from XIV to XVI centuries.
The different venues are the Church of Carmen, Cloister and gardens of thepalace with a shellstage. It is privately sponsored and it is organized byitscastle Foundation and had been running since 1887, it is member of the European festival Association since 1992 asnd the QueenSofia is the honour president of its comitee.
CHOPIN MUSIC FESTIVAL IN VALLDEMOSA
MallorcaIsland, summer
The festival sep onwith its tradition since1930 andoffers a special venue at the Cloister of Valldemosa. The main purpose is to include in the programpieces of Chopin byinternational prestige pianists. Besides the performers there are severalartistic exhibitions.
CANARIAS MUSIC FESTIVAL
Tenerife & Las Palmas January-February, each year
Born in 1985, the festival starts each year after Christmas andends at theend of February. For almost two months,aselected program of classical music is performed each year by the main important classical music figures asAlfredo Kraus, Plácido Domingo, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Mstislav Rostropovich, Krystian Zimerman... among others and conductors as Ricccardo Muti, Daniel Barenboim, Sir George Solti, Lorin Maazel, Claudio Abbado... The festival is organized bythe SOCAEM, Sociedad Canaria de las Artes Escénicas y de la Música S.A.public company hatdependson theGcanary island Government. Is the only winter festival that is celebrated in winter and all theprogramcan be seen inthe twomain auditórium: the Alfredo Graus Auditórium in LasPalmas and theTeatro Guimerá in santa Crruz de Tenerife.
GALICIA INTERNATIONAL MUSICFESTIVAL
Summer , each year in Santiago de Compostela
The festival was born in 1999and the purpose is to offer and promote the classical music and to offer an excellent program during the summer months. The city of Santiago de Compostela is the maincity of he festival and the concerts are at some of the best venues of the city as theObradoiro Square, the Catedral of Santiago and some other churches in the city , theGalicia Auditórium and the Teatro principal.I is organizad by theCulturadepartment of theGovernment of Galicia.
QUINCENA MUSICA DE SAN SEBASTIAN
San Sebastian,Basque Country
The first editionon 1939 means the large tradition of this Festival hat happens for almosta month in the city of San Sebastián.
CHORAL FESTIVALS
CANTONIGROS INTERNACIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL
Cantonigros, Barcelona, July
Considered asan importantinternacional meeting for choral music and dance companies. The main purpose is to develop the culture, the cooperation andthe brotherhood between the participants. Besides the exhibitionthe festival is also a competition. The competition is divided infour different categories: mixed choirs, children choirs, girl choirs, popular choral music choirs and dance groups. The town of Cantonigros is a small town located in the Osonacounty, a 100 km north of Barcelona. The first editionhappened on 1993 and since then, more than 28.000 participants performed .
INTERNACIONAL CHORAL MEETING OF TORREVIEJA
Torrevieja, Alicante, AfterEaster Week, each year.
This is a non competitive festival that happens each year during spring time in thecity of Torrevieja. The festival was born on 1987 andis organized by the local choral of Francisco Vallejos. Some of the best choralgroups from spainand from other countries had participated.All choral groups have the chance toperform the program they want and theFestival happen each year right afterEaster Week. The organizers invite the choral groups to participate and there is no costofor lodging and meals. There are other activities runningduring the Festival asa Choral Forum or the Voices on the Street.
MURCIA YOUTH ORCHESTRA FESTIVAL
Murcia, March 16 to 23, 2006
Youngmusicians from all over the world meet each year during the month of March in Murcia to share the music and experiences. Besides themusical knowledge the festival looks to provide a humanistic touchand to use the language of music as an international tool for understanding and meeting different cultures. It is organized since he beginning of the 80´s by the University of Murcia and the local government of the Region of Murcia. Each orchestra offers several concerts in the area and one at the main hallof the Festival.
SACRED MUSIC FESTIVALS
GOSPEL IN SPAIN FESTIVAL
December each year, Madrid and other cities
This festival is organized byPerform in Spain andfora week some of the bestgospel and spiritual ensemblesperformeach year in different cities ofSpain duringthefirsttwo weeks of December.
ELS GRANS DEL GOSPEL FESTIVAL
November toDecember - Barcelona
The first Gospel festival in Barcelona was celebrated onthe year 2000 under the influence of the Jazz festival of Barcelona. Thanks to the welcomeof the audience andthe press, the organizeers decided torun it the following years. Some of the best gospelinternational ensembles participated at the Palau de la Musica de Barcelona.
MADRID SACRED MUSIC FESTIVAL
Madrid, February-March each year
The purposeof this Festival is to show pieces oftheater, dance and music of sacredstyle and during theCuaresma period and easter times. For almostfive weeks many concerts andperformances as well as other artistic exhibitionsfrom other faiths are welcome in Madrid. The festivalstarted on the90´s andpresentits own particularity, as it happens at the same timeon many different venues inMadrid andseventeenother locations nearby. Also the festival works directly with other festivals of the same type in Spain and internationally.
CUENCA INTERNACIONAL SACRED MUSIC FESTIVAL WEEK
Semana Internacional de Musica Religiosa de Cuenca 7-16 April 2006
This is the most important sacred music festival in Spain that happens each year in theancient city of Cuenca andthat it is celebrated on the main churches of Cuenca and during Easter, that makes theatmosphere of the city a unique scenario. Chruches as san Miguel, San Pablo, the Catehdral and theaustere Romanesque church of las Arcas, besides themain Auditorio, welcomeall concerts. The first edition of theFestival was on1962.
Cuenca during this week is also th eperfect meeting point fordifferentmusicians, students, music specialists andmusic lovers.
SANTANDER SACRED MUSIC FESTIVAL
Easter, Santander
This cicle ofsacred musicis mainly celebrated at theChurch ofSanta Lucia in Santander and otherchurches in the area. For more than30 years, manyimportant artists of sacred music had performed. Amongothers,in past editions had participated theGloria Cantus from Romania, the Gregorian Chapel Easo and the duetMontserrat Torrente, organ and Josep Julia, oboe.
SEGOVIA SACRED MUSIC WEEK
Easter week, Segovia.
The Festival offers a serie of concerts specialized on sacred music and always during Easter.Thevenues aredifferent churches in Segovia and its surroundings.
ARANJUEZ SACRED AND ANCIENT MUSIC FESTIVAL
April to June 2006
More than 25 years old, thisfestival welc omes each year different musicians from Spain and other nationalities.
CANTONIGROS INTERNATIONAL CHORAL FESTIVAL
July 14 to 17, 2006 Cantonigrós, Barcelona.
The festival is consolidated as an importantinternaytional meeting in music and popular dance. It is adiversity meeting,through the participation of different chorale groups worldwide. The purpose of its festival is to develop the culture, the copperation and the brother hood between the different cultures and people. Besides of being an exhibition is a competition. There is afour category of competitions: Mixed chorales,children chorales, female chorales, popular music chorales and dance groups.
The festival happens in the small town of Cantonigros, 100 km away from Barcelona. Thelocals offer their friendship through homestays, and its first edition was on1983
FESTIVAL DE MUSICAS RELIGIOSAS DEL MUNDO (WORLD SACRED MUSIC FESTIVAL)
Girona,Costa Brava ( Spain), Hour and half North Barcelona 2006 Dates (July 1st to 10th July)
Venues: Open air venues and the Cathedral of Girona
TheFestival that happens on the capital cityof Costa Brava, Gironawhants to connect theHistoricalpatrimony with the nowadays muticultural heritage. The Festival is a meeting of different cultures whete the spectators canlisten to thebest sacredworld musicand at the same time enjoy different artexhibitions( painting, photography,…) summer workshops, movies, gastronomical choices, guided tours,etc…, an authentic cultural inmersion.
The festivalhas an ecumenical vocation and it is open to all cultures. The threemonoteis religions: jews, Christians and moors had left their own footprints in this city, among other cultures as hinduist, budist.
Many different artists fromdifferent countries such as India, Turkey, Tibet, France, Morocco or United States performed inthe past
INTERNATIONAL ANCIENTAND BAROQUE MUSIC FESTIVAL OF PEÑISCOLA
Peñiscola, Castellon (2hrs south Barcelona by the Mediterranean Coastline)
Venue: Castillo de Papa Luna /PopeLunaCastle ( (Middle age castle)
The castle of Papa Luna, over the Mediterranean coast offers an excellent venue for this Festival ofBaroque Music. The concerts are inside the castle andare outdoorones, using the samecourtyard of the castle.
The festival ismainly focus on historical themes, where some of themost important specialist had performed as Gustav Leonhardt, Jordi Savall, Roberto Alessandrini, Fabio Biondi, Musica Antiqua de Colonia, A Sei Voci, King’s Consort, La Petite Bande,etc…
Some of themain sponsors are the Valencian Music Institute, the Valencia Government,Castellon Ditutation andPeñiscola Townhall among other foundations
JAZZ FESTIVALS
SAN SEBASTIÁN JAZZ FESTIVAL-JAZZALDIA
Donostia-SanSebastian (Euskadi),End of July each year.
This isthe mainJazz festivalin Spain. He first edition wason 1966. Focus onmodern and classical jazz.
GETXO JAZZ FESTIVAL
New jazz promises andEuropean jazz
VITORIA JAZZ FESTIVAL
Vitoria Gasteiz, July
The festival celebrated thisyear 2006 its 30thedition and combines the greatjazzplayers with the new youthpromises.
GALAPAJAZZ
Galapagar, Madrid, July
CAZORLA BLUES FESTIVAL
Cazorla, Jaén ( July)
The small town of cazorla, an tour north of Granada transforms each July for two following days in the Blues capital wherenacional and internacional artists perform each year.
Other smallerJazz festivals:
Mostoles Jazz festival ( Madrid) www.mostoles.es
FuenlabradaJazz festival (Madrid) www.ayto-fuenlabrada.es
Boadilla MonteJazz festival (Madrid) www.aytoboadilla.com
Complujazz ( Alcala de henares, Madrid)www.ucm.es
Jazz Voyeur Festival- Ibizawww.eibissa.org
Dixieland International Festival ( Tarragona, April)
Traditionaljazz band paradesin different places of the city, streets, bars, etc…
FLAMENCO
BIENAL FESTIVAL Sevilla, October 2006
TheFlamenco has its roots undoubtly tied to the Andalusian lanas andit is a part of its heritage and cultura. The city of Sevilla opens each two years the doors tothis traditional Bienal Festival.
More than 600 performers participate offering the bestof theflamenco music.
The Flamenco today can notsurvive with the classical Flamencomusic and traditions of the old and good times. For this particular reason, theflamenco dance has a special part, and also the new values and shows dedicated to capture new followers to makeart of Flamenco music as much universal as it is today.
CARACOLÁ LEBRIJANA
The first edition of Caracola Lebrijana happened on 1966. Since thenand until today had beendeveloping this important event ofFlamenco, considered by the critics and artists as one of themost important ones .
A large list ofsome of the best flamenco artisits participated , and some of them passed by, butwe still preserve their voices. Some of them areLebrijano, Curro Malena, Miguel Funi, Manuel de Paula, Pepe Montaraz, Camarón de la Isla, Antonio Mairena, José Menese, Manuel Mairena, Antonio Núñez "Chocolate", José Mercé, El Cabrero, Nano de Jerez, Pedro Bacán, Pedro Peña, Juan del Gastor, Manolo Brenes, Matilde Coral, El Viá, Pepa Montes, Concha Vargas, Carmen Montiel, Antonio El Pipa, etc., etc.
All of themhelped toreach the name ofthis festival on top of the list of the festivals of Flamenco.
CONCURSO NACIONAL DE ARTE FLAMENCO DE CORDOBA
Cordoba, May
Each three years the Competition is celebrated since 1956 with the purpose to pick up the cante ( singing) with thetradicional pure styles and with the wish that do not fallinoblivion the first editioncelebrated in Granada on 1922hat was organizad by Federico Garcia Lorca and Manuel de Falla.
El Concurso Nacional de Arte Flamenco de Córdoba, de carácter trianual, nace en 1956, con el deseo de rescatar el cante con la pureza tradicional del «viejo Cante Jondo» y con el deseo, al mismo tiempo, de no dejar en el olvido el certamen que se celebró en Granada en 1922 impulsado por Manuel de Falla y Federico García Lorca.
JEREZ FLAMENCO FESTIVAL
Thanks to the quality andextensión, this festival had been converted in one ofthe most important ones internationally known. Dance is the mainperformance, but this festival is also specialized in Spanish dance too, besides the seminars and workshopsabout guitar andsinging ( cante) There are also exhibitions,master lessons, conferences, and an international forum about Flamenco world. The headquarter is theTeatro Villamarta.., besides the Alcazar and theVillavicencioPalace.Wellknown are the “trasnoches” organizedeach night by the different “peñas Flamencas” of the city.
FESTIVAL FLAMENCO CAJA MADRID
Madrid
Different concertsof the main important Flamenco artists of the moment together with seminars and conferences..
CANTE DE LAS MINAS INTERNACIONAL FESTIVAL
La Unión, Murcia, August
One of the most important and emblematic flamenco festivals in Spain. This yearthey runned the 46th edition and has a competition of Cante por mineras style. Since1980 there is also a competitionfor Toque ( Guitar players) and in 1993 there is also aBaile competition.
The Festival is much more than a competition, as the town of La Uniónis converted each year in the center of the flamenco art. The venue is theold Market building. After each concert theaudience can continue enjoying other performances at local bars and continue with the fiesta. This is known as the “madrugadas flamencas”
GUITAR
CORDOBA GUITAR FESTIVALI
Cordoba, July 3-15
Internationally knownguitarfestival due to the quality of all participants as Flamenco guiatrt players and other virtuosos. During the festival there are also workshops and competitions.
BARCELONA GUITAR FESTIVAL
from March to June
A classical festival where jazz, flamenco and classical guitar meets
POP-ROCK
PRIMAVERA SOUND
Barcelona, April
Festival that keepsthe most updated ways of pop andtechno music
FESTIMAD
Madrid, May
A pop rock festival that had been running since several years ago.
AZKENAROCK FESTIVAL
Vitoria, Gasteiz , September
Since this2006edition, the festival is considered one of the bestin Spain, and the best in the Basque Country The festival runsfor three to four following days.
FIB- FESTIVAL INTERNACIONAL BENICASSIM-FIB HEINEKEN
Benicassim, Castelló, August
The FIB converted in the Indie Music Festivalbecause its excellence, and a great alternative to theDM Festival. Now is a point of referenceforalternative musiclovers. Benicassim is pop. Pop-rock, tecno and experimental music and offers to the audience the chance to discover musicthat is out of the commercial circuits. Groups as Blur, Suede, Massive Attack, Chemical Brothers, Ultrasound, Mercury rey,… are some of the ones that you can find inany of the stages. Besides music there are lots ofactivities for one week, as competitions, theatre and movie seminars, fashion exhibitors,… benicassim is located by the Mediterranean, wherevisitors canenjoy camping, music, sun and beach activities at he same time.
Other Festivals:
Creamfileds Cuevas Almanzora, Almeria , August
ELECTRONIC
MONEGROS DESERT FESTIVAL
Fraga (Huesca), 15 de julio 2006
El Monegros Desert Festival es un festival para amantes de la electrónica y asiduos al circuito de clubs, pero lo que le convierte en un evento especial es la perfecta conviviencia que en el se establece entre melómanos y curiosos, amantes del rock y adictos a la dance music, rastas y fashion victims.
SONAR - Festival Internacional de Música Avanzada y Arte Multimedia de Barcelona
Barcelona 15, 16 y 17 de junio 2006