‘Bandes a Les Arts 2016’ commemorates the 130th anniversary of the Valencia Competition
14.09.2016
The Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía commemorates, within 'Bandes a Les Arts 2016', the 130th anniversary of the Valencia Competition, with a series of concerts starring the groups that participated in that first edition of 1886 that marked the beginning of the most important band competition of today.
That year, the poster for the July Fair included as its main novelty a 'Musical Competition' by decision of the then mayor of the capital, Manuel Sapiña Rico, and his councilor for festivals, José Soriano Plassent, which brought together on July 29 in the Municipal Pavilion of La Alameda outstanding bands from the province.
The jury consisted of Deputy Mayor José Manaut, musicians Salvador Giner and José Espí, academic Manuel Adler, Eduardo Jiménez, José Valls and José González.
The first prize of this competition, worth 1,000 pesetas, went to 'La Primitiva' of Carlet, with awards, in this order, going to the teams from Utiel, Alberic, Algemesí, and Sagunto. The jury also presented consolation prizes to Onda, Puçol, Alzira, and the Carlet Youth Association.
Throughout the months of September, October and November 2016, the Auditori de Les Arts commemorates this date with a series of five concerts by the bands that are heirs to the groups that participated in 1886.
The Lira Saguntina Musical Society will headline the first day of the event on Saturday, September 17th, along with the Unió Musical de Muro de Alcoi, winner of the first section of the 2016 'Ciudad de Valencia' International Band Competition, a special guest at this tribute. A double session will follow on Sunday, September 18th, featuring the Unió Musical d'Alberic and the Societat Musical d'Algemesí at 12:00 pm, and the Unión Musical Utielana and the Centre Musical Instructiu Santa Cecília de Puçol at 6:00 pm.
The two groups from Carlet: Unió Musical and Agrupació Musical l'Artística de Carlet, -successors of 'La Primitiva' which won the 1st Band Competition- will share a session on October 16th, at 7:00 p.m.
The commemorative concert series concludes with performances by Unió Musical Santa Cecília d'Onda and Societat Musical d'Alzira at the Auditori de Les Arts on November 13, a date that also coincides with the final session of Bandes a Les Arts 2016.
Bands at Les Arts 2016
The ten sessions that make up the 'Bandes a Les Arts 2016' cycle began on April 17 with a concert commemorating Valencian Music Day, the result of the collaboration of the Generalitat, through CulturArts, with the FSMCV (Federation of Musical Societies of the Valencian Community).
The concert, dedicated to the 75th anniversary of the death of the Maestro of Sueca, José Serrano, featured the participation of the winning bands from the last edition of the Valencian Community Music Band Competition: the Unió Musical de Algímia, the Unión Musical El Arte de Sinarcas, the Societat Unió Protectora Musical de Llombai and the Unión Musical de Godelleta.
On June 25, it was the turn of the Canalense Musical Association, winner of the LXIX National Music Band Competition 'City of Cullera', which under the direction of José Martínez Colomina, offered pasodobles, fragments of zarzuela, in addition to some of the works with which the group won the first prize in the municipality of Ribera Baja.
In addition to the five sessions dedicated to the 130th anniversary of the Valencia Band Competition, 'Bandes a Les Arts' will dedicate a session on October 16th to Maestro Serrano, featuring the two bands from his hometown of Sueca on stage. On October 22nd and 23rd, the Auditori de Les Arts will host the 38th Valencian Community Band Competition.
