Orchestras of La Serena, Valparaíso, Maule, Concepción, Valdivia and Temuco fear they will suffer cuts of up to 20% of their budget for 2021.

Culture in Chile is on arid and brittle terrain, after the announcement made by the Government of Sebastián Piñera about the decrease in the budget of said area for 2021. Under this slogan, the different actors related to this area have united to raise their voice against the reduction in the amount assigned by the Ministry of Cultures, Arts and Heritage (MINCAP).

The current context and the difficult situation that the pandemic has brought about has deepened this fight, since the Network of Regional Professional Orchestras, - which since 2016 have been financed by MINCAP's National Budget Glosa - will have their work strongly affected during the future seasons, and the same fate awaits Cultural Organizations and Institutions such as: Theaters, Cultural Centers, Museums, Network of Public Libraries, Creation Centers (CECREA), among others.

That is why the University of La Serena Symphony Orchestra, aligned with the Marga Marga Orchestra (Valparaíso), Maule Classical Orchestra, Concepción Symphony Orchestra, Valdivia Chamber Orchestra and Temuco Philharmonic Orchestra have joined forces to defend their budget and highlight the work they have maintained during this health crisis, without forgetting the long journey it has taken to build musical, artistic and training projects from regions without the contribution of the State.

During his speech before the Culture Commission of the Chamber of Deputies, the Executive and General Producer of OSULS, Cristian Monreal Cortés, emphasized that since 2008, with the creation of the Competitive Program for the Development of Regional Professional Orchestras, he generated “a great progress to strengthen and promote the projects of regional orchestras, which until that date had been struggling to maintain quality cultural activity, but unfortunately with notorious job insecurity. Starting in 2016, after incessant efforts, a budget gloss was created, which allowed us to take a great step in the professionalization of our institutions, bringing with it a strengthening in the workplace and regional cultural impact.”

The OSULS is recognized in the territory and in the country as the Professional Orchestra and Cultural Heritage of the Coquimbo Region, which collects the legacy started in the 50s by the remembered maestro Jorge Peña Hen; It was formed in 1993 as a university teaching group that currently has 33 interpreters trained in regional, national and foreign universities. All selected by public competition.

“Our musicians, technicians and administrators have opted for our projects, entering with high standards of public competition, which directly benefits the community by receiving quality shows and also educational programs of the highest level. Our human teams improve their work every year, reflecting in the great contribution to social cohesion through cultural inclusion for the comprehensive development of our regions. This important annual financial contribution by the Ministry is essential to maintain a stable body, a powerful musical and educational lineup in each area, and which would be impossible to do without this financing," Monreal highlighted before the Culture Commission.

The announcement made by the Government establishes the possibility that the Network of Regional Professional Orchestras will suffer a budget reduction of 10%, 15% or 20% of what was received in 2020. This will have a serious impact that will be reflected in possible separations; since the stable body of the 6 orchestras has more than 227 workers and to this must be added, depending on the program to be presented, the hiring of national and foreign guest musicians, soloists and conductors; in addition to all the services that are necessary to carry out each of the committed activities.

Another of the great fears is based on the artistic, training and territorial extension offer that will be affected by the cut in resources; because these programs generate more than 321 annual activities divided into seasonal concerts, educational concerts, territorial extension, talks, master classes, among others; reaching more than 365 thousand people throughout the country, without considering the Metropolitan Region. As they have pointed out in their public statement: “Although these resources are not optimal, they have allowed us, among other things, to maintain a stable professional cast; produce high-quality artistic seasons; form and develop children's and youth orchestra projects; invite great conductors and soloists; deserve the recognition of our peers and win the transversal applause of different audiences and generations”, extending a call for the authorities to reverse said budget reduction.

Mario Cabrera, Manager of the University of Concepción Cultural Corporation (CORCUDEC) and one of the spokespersons for the 6 orchestras along with Cristian Monreal, told 'La Discusión' that “the budget received by these six groups corresponds to the budget of an institution. culture of Santiago, and that seems unfair to us, that the professionalism of the regional orchestras is once again cut and affected,” he concluded.

While the discussion on the cultural budget for next year lasts, affected entities and organizations will continue to work together to reverse this situation: #Noalarebajaencultura2021, #Sialacultura and #OrquestasRegionalesProfesionales

Written by Camila Pérez, OSULS

The presentation belongs to the V program of "A Season Like No Other" of this 2020.

With great emotion and remembering a new anniversary of the sad murder of the great teacher, pedagogue, musician and cultural manager Jorge Peña Hen, the University of La Serena Symphony Orchestra presented to its community, through its social networks, the V Concert of the Season of spring; as a way to recognize his selfless work and highlight his figure around children and music, the same one that led him to materialize and give life to the first Children's Symphony Orchestra in Latin America.

The concert was called 'Jorge Peña Hen & his work' and as part of its program, it included 'Two pieces for wind quintet' with moderato and allegro, by Leonardo Cuevas (oboe), Milén Godoy (traverse flute) , Erick Delgado (clarinet), Francisco Ramos (bassoon) and Gerson Pierotti (French horn); Later, 'Quartet No. 2' was presented along with Daniela Gayoso and Vanessa Flores (violin), Lorenzo Cabello (viola) and Iván Rivas (cello) who performed the Sonatina and the Rondo; while Paulina Elgueta, Cecilia Olmos (violin), Polyana Brehmer (viola) and Diego Álvarez (cello) performed the Tune and the Song; to finish said repertoire with the 'Tonada' with full orchestra.

The presentation belonging to 'A season like no other' was viewed this Friday, October 16 through the cast's Facebook Live, the date on which the 47 years of the Caravan of Death in La Serena are commemorated, where 15 people were murdered at the hands of the Military Dictatorship, among them, the admired orchestra director. Despite the time that has passed and this dark memory, the musical work he did in life remains latent to this day and its reach is invaluable.

During the live broadcast the reaction of the public was immediate, part of the comments that can be read are: “Beautiful and exciting. I hope that one day artistic education will be available to all boys and girls. A true illustrious son of this city, Great! Always in memory', 'Grande Jorge Peña Hen. Well-deserved tribute', 'Extraordinary concert. Tribute to the memorable teacher Jorge Peña Hen. Thank you very much OSULS', 'Beautiful tribute to the maestro, it sounded very nice. Very exciting', 'What beautiful music and what a great loss. How good it is to see this tribute live, thank you', Excellent presentation, bravo', 'Excellent work in tribute to Don Jorge Peña Hen, that is what he would have wanted to see and hear: so many different generations of musicians who graduated from the School that he created as a project for students who had musical abilities. Great and visionary Mr. Jorge Pea Hen, his project has borne many good fruits to those who have made very good music for years,” were some of the comments that viewers posted.

This program can be carried out in this online format, with concerts from home, thanks to the support of the University of La Serena and the financing of the Ministry of Cultures, Arts and Heritage, through National Budget Glosa, as it belongs from in 2016 to the Network of Regional Professional Orchestras.

To learn more about this presentation and find out about the upcoming concerts that the OSULS will be offering, free of charge, just go to www.sinfonicalaserena.cl and follow them on all their social networks, searching for them on Facebook: Orquesta Sinfónica Universidad de La Serena, Twitter: @sinfonicaLS, Instagram: @sinfonicalaserena and YouTube: Sinfónica La Serena.

Written by Camila Pérez, OSULS.

The presentation this Friday, October 16, will pay a well-deserved tribute to the founding teacher of the first Children's Symphony Orchestra in Latin America.

Just days after 47 years of the tragic and remembered Caravan of Death in La Serena, the same one that left 15 people murdered (1973) among them, that of the musician, composer, pedagogue, cultural manager and precursor of the first Latin American Children's Symphony Orchestra, Jorge Peña Hen; The professional cast prepares a program full of emotion that rescues the musical work of the endearing and admired maestro.

Rescuing his figure, the management and the musical work that he left during his life, and that remains latent to this day, is invaluable. His legacy has crossed borders, and because of this, the Executive Secretary of the Universidad de La Serena Symphony Orchestra Foundation, Rodrigo Díaz Cuevas, commented that “it is very important to highlight and honor the figure of Peña because he, being a student at the Faculty of Arts at the University of Chile, I already felt that music and the University had to be open to society because at that time it was very elitist. When he finished his studies and came to La Serena, he founded the Music Department of the University of Chile and in that way began to institutionalize musical life and culture in this region,” he explained.

During his life, the maestro managed to materialize his objective in “a string of musical institutions in La Serena and Coquimbo, such as the Philharmonic Orchestra that later dissolved, the Experimental School of Music; the Regional Conservatory that became the Department of Music of the University of Chile, then the University of La Serena, and from that raw material the University of La Serena Symphony Orchestra was born (…) He also created a School in Ovalle that today is called the School of Art and Music, founded the Copiapó Experimental Music Lyceum that soon, thanks to that group of musicians and that initiative, the Copiapó Orchestra was created and in Antofagasta a school was created and from there an orchestra emerged. , and all of that is working today. The projection that Peña had covered the North of Chile, deep down he dreamed of what is happening now in our country, of all children having an instrument and making music; They are not all yet, but there are many,” Díaz pointed out.

The concert that is part of 'A season like no other' in 2020, is called 'Jorge Peña Hen & his work', and as part of its program it includes 'Two pieces for wind quintet' with moderato and allegro, by Leonardo Cuevas (oboe), Milén Godoy (traverse flute), Erick Delgado (clarinet), Francisco Ramos (bassoon) and Gerson Pierotti (French horn); Then follows 'Quartet No. 2' with Daniela Gayoso and Vanessa Flores (violin), Lorenzo Cabello (viola) and Iván Rivas (cello) who will perform the Sonatina and the Rondo; while Paulina Elgueta, Cecilia Olmos (violin), Polyana Brehmer (viola) and Diego Álvarez (cello) will perform the Tune and the Song; to finish said repertoire together with the full orchestra with the 'Tonada'.

The first OSULS oboe, José Luis Urquieta, will be the conductor of the V Spring Season Concert and in view of this new musical event that will be broadcast on the symphonic ensemble's Facebook LIVE, he extends a warm invitation to the public that faithfully follows the activities of the Professional Orchestra from the Estrella Region to see this new work that “we are preparing with great love on a super special date, commemorating one of our most important figures at the national level and very particularly, at the local level, such as teacher Jorge Peña Hen . On this occasion we will be able to enjoy three pieces that are very important within his legacy, since they were written particularly to be performed by children where he mixes very well his two tasks, mainly that of a pedagogue, but also his great musical mastery with composition. . We leave you all invited to this new concert by the University of La Serena Symphony Orchestra, in this new modality, in which we have adapted to continue carrying out our work with all our passion and affection for our audience,” Urquieta pointed out.

The aforementioned concert will take place next Friday, October 16 at 20:00 p.m. on the symphonic cast's Facebook Live; date that commemorates one more year of the assassination of the teacher, at the hands of the Government of Augusto Pinochet in 1973. This program can be carried out in this online format, with concerts from home, thanks to the support of the University of La Serena and the financing of the Ministry of Cultures, Arts and Heritage, through the National Budget Glosa, by belonging since 2016 to the Network of Regional Professional Orchestras.

To learn more about this presentation and find out about the upcoming concerts that the OSULS will be offering, free of charge, you just have to go to www.sinfonicalaserena.cl and follow them on all their social networks, searching for them on Facebook: Orquesta Sinfónica Universidad de La Serena, Twitter : @sinfonicaLS, Instagram: @sinphonicalaserena and Youtube: Sinfónica La Serena.

Written by Camila Pérez, OSULS

The book will be on sale at www.buscalibre.cl and can be requested directly by email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

In the context of the XXIV Medieval Days, organized by the Institute of History of the Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso (PUCV), the second edition of the book "Antiquity and Middle Ages. Manual of Universal History", by the renowned academic Dr. Héctor Herrera Cajas (1930-1997). This edition was revised, updated and expanded by Dr. Amelia Herrera, academic at the University of La Serena and designed, produced and distributed by Editorial ULS.

The text was originally published in 1983 and includes the lessons of Professor Herrera, who trained several generations of teachers of the discipline and his texts are currently studied for their validity and data density. The reissue was possible thanks to the financing of the Monographs and Academic Texts Competition, held annually by the Research and Development Directorate (DIDULS) of the University.

For the teacher, Dr. Amelia Herrera, “this book will be excellent support material for students of History and Geography, as it is a synthetic and panoramic text that helps to understand in a very didactic way the processes of the historical stages it includes.” The academic adds that "we have added - in each chapter - an updated bibliography - to encourage research by students or readers in general."

For his part, Alejandro Abufom, manager of the ULS Publishing House, invites “the non-specialized reader, because this book can be read like a historical novel, due to its pleasant and clear language; “a 230-page book with 18 short but substantial chapters, backed by the vast knowledge of Dr. Herrera Cajas.”

The event will take place virtually, on October 6, at 18:00 p.m. and will be transmitted via ZOOM. Participating in the presentation: Amelia Herrera L., academic from U. de La Serena; Diego Melo C., from U. Adolfo Ibáñez; José Marín R., from the Catholic University of Valparaíso, and Alejandro Abufom H. (director of Ediciones U. de La Serena). More information regarding registration and participation in http://www.ihistoriapucv.cl/index.php/2020/09/28/instituto-de-historia-realizara-las-xxiv-jornadas-medievales/

The book will be on sale, starting on October 6th at www.buscalibre.cl. It can also be requested directly by email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. since the ULS Bookstore remains closed due to the effects of the pandemic.

Written by Jenifer Araya, DIVEULS

The October repertoire will present two contrasting works, both in periods and musical forms, that will travel from the classic to the contemporary, with a Chilean work.

About to start a new month of 2020, the Universidad de La Serena Symphony Orchestra, through its outstanding woodwind ensemble, is preparing a new musical surprise called 'Maderas de Ayer & Hoy', which includes a proposal artistic, sonorous and stylistic of the highest level, passing through the classical structure of the great Mozart, until reaching the contemporary writing of a young and daring Chilean composer, Camilo Roca Salfate.

This program corresponds to the IV Spring Concert of 'A Season Like No Other', to be held on October 3 at 20 p.m. on the OSULS Facebook, and includes an attractive repertoire that will be performed by the musicians Gerson Pierotti (French horn), Alevi Peña and Francisco Ramos (bassoons), José Luis Urquieta and Leonardo Cuevas (oboes), Andrés Pallero and Erick Delgado (clarinets), Gerardo Bluhm and Milén Godoy (traverse flutes), who will make this trip through time. “In both the classical and contemporary periods, woods have played a fundamental role in inspiring great masterpieces written by outstanding composers. Through this concert, the public will be able to appreciate the versatility of each of the instruments that make up the wood family and how together they manage to enhance themselves as an ensemble, exploring, in turn, new timbres and sound colors," described the conductor of this new concert, and first flute of the cast, Gerardo Bluhm Ceballos.

'Maderas de Ayer & Hoy' will present 'Behind the Catastrophe' for quartet by Camilo Roca Salfate and the 'Serenata for winds', K388 in C Minor, for quintet by the Austrian genius Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart; two contrasting works, both in periods and in musical forms, materialized in an interesting grand proposal: “with this we want to show the public a stylistic and sound range that ranges from the classical, with Mozart's own structure with four movements, with tonal harmonies, to the contemporary writing of Camilo Roca; who is an extremely rigorous composer, like Mozart, but in another language, with very good taste and with a vision of the musical form that is very interesting and that we hope the public enjoys and knows all the possibilities that wood can offer. , from classical music to contemporary music, Chilean music,” emphasized the first OSULS bassoon, Alevi Peña Jiménez.

Camilo Roca: Youth and talent

Despite his young age, Camilo Roca Salfate (Santiago de Chile, 1995), is already recognized for his interesting musical catalog, in which he has created pieces for chamber groups, orchestral groups and soloists; being a recipient of important distinctions that have led him to receive second place in the Luis Advis Musical Competition (Chile), for his work Memorias/Ausencias for orchestra; first place in the 39th Young Composers Competition, Frederic Mompou International Prize (Spain), with his piece '4 Tiempos' for cello and piano, and, first place in the II Composition Competition of the New World Baroque Orchestra (Chile) with 'Tránsitos' for baroque orchestra.

Currently, the bold and restless composer and double bass performer, who graduated from the Pontifical University of Chile, is in Europe where he will soon (September 29) receive new recognition. This is the Joan Guinjoan International Prize for Young Composers, awarded by the Higher School of Music of Catalonia (ESMUC) for his work 'Insectarium', an original masterpiece that “describes a musical universe delimited by the sound analysis of the activity of different specimens from the world of insects.” This piece competed with 62 other works, coming from 57 composers from 27 countries.

To learn more about this presentation and find out about the upcoming concerts that the OSULS will be offering, free of charge, just go to www.sinfonicalaserena.cl and follow them on all their social networks, searching for them on Facebook: Orquesta Sinfónica Universidad de La Serena, Twitter: @sinfonicaLS, Instagram: @sinfonicalaserena and YouTube: Sinfónica La Serena.

Written by Camila Pérez, OSULS

For four months, educational capsules and presentations of the 2020 season can be enjoyed, free of charge, from the Villarrica Cultural Center's YouTube channel.

Starting in September and until the end of the year, a series of educational and musical activities belonging to 'A season like no other' of the Universidad de La Serena Symphony Orchestra can be enjoyed by the inhabitants of the Araucanía Region . This, due to a valuable collaborative alliance that has been born between the professional cast of the Estrella Region and the Municipal Cultural Center of Villarrica in the IX region, as a way to mitigate the confinement that Covid-19 has brought, with music and shows of high quality and at no cost to the community.

This important territorial extension is highly valued by the OSULS, since it allows them to further disseminate and enhance their musical, educational and heritage work in the country; announcing its 2020 programming and the work carried out during this pandemic, through various musical and educational capsules, and the transmission of the Chamber Music Concert Series from home, with four interesting artistic proposals: “For us it is always very important make visible what we are doing and what we are working on as a cast, and this format has allowed us to reach new places; generating new alliances for our orchestra, where the important thing is to be able to reach as many communities as possible and strengthen our ties, both inside and outside our region,” said OSULS Artistic Director, Leonardo Godoy Sepúlveda.

In conversations with Antonieta Albornoz Figueroa, Head of the Municipal Department of Culture and Director of the Villarrica Culture Center, she reported that this mutual collaboration agreement was born, first of all, with the objective of offering “entertainment, information and recreation to our community; allowing them to mitigate confinement and take advantage of free time in times of pandemic", adding that having a professional orchestra, Cultural Heritage of the Coquimbo Region, has been a great opportunity, since "we did not know about it and thanks to this alliance and the As long as we live, we will be able to present it and show it in our community virtually,” he said.

Online music: From La Serena to Villarrica in just one click

With great joy, the symphonic ensemble made its debut in the Araucanía Region this Saturday, September 26, with the III Chamber Music Concert of the 2020 Season called 'A streaming movie'. A fantastic program that compiles and revives the soundtracks of the most acclaimed animated films of recent times, led by the OSULS string and wind ensembles; who performed with great skill pieces such as 'Lion King Medley' (The Lion King), 'You're got a friend in me' (Toy Story), 'Remember me' (Coco), 'Married life' (Up), ' Let it go' (Frozen) and 'Friend like me' (Aladdin).

During these four months, the OSULS will provide said municipal body with audiovisual material based on concerts and educational capsules of the 2020 season and “our Cultural Center will incorporate them into its monthly programming/billboard, making them available to its users, followers and the community of Villarrica in general and its surroundings, through our YouTube channel: Villarrica Centro Cultural, given that there is an important group of people who consume classical music, who normally attend the concerts that we offer in person, and to whom of course , we cannot abandon right now; This is how offering OSULS concerts will be a success and, at the same time, very welcome,” said Albornoz Figueroa.

There are several beneficiaries of this audiovisual material, since the city of Villarrica has the Municipal Children's Youth Orchestra, made up of children and young people from different educational establishments in the commune, "who, in addition to having the possibility of seeing a professional group, "They will have access to the educational capsules, which will undoubtedly be very positive for their training," Albornoz pointed out, and then highlighted that said musical activities incorporated into this valuable collaborative alliance, "will be the first step so that, as soon as possible "After this pandemic, we can count on the OSULS in person in Villarrica and offer a great concert to the community."

To learn more about this new territorial extension alliance and find out about the upcoming concerts that OSULS will be offering, free of charge, you just have to go to www.sinfonicalaserena.cl and follow them on all their social networks, searching for them on Facebook: Orquesta Sinfónica Universidad de La Serena, Twitter: @sinfonicaLS, Instagram: @sinfonicalaserena and YouTube: Sinfónica La Serena.

Written by Camila Pérez, OSULS