The workshop was in its fourth version and aimed to reinforce knowledge and implement new musical techniques in the participants.

For five days, the city of La Serena brought together more than thirty students and musicians from different destinations in the country and Latin America, who participated in the IV version of the orchestral conducting course with the American maestro, David Händel. The successful training workshop, free of charge, was organized by the La Serena Regional Symphony Orchestra Foundation together with the La Serena University Symphony Orchestra and sponsored by the United States Embassy in Chile.

The training was open to both professionals and beginners in orchestral conducting, who were divided into active audiences and listeners, enriching themselves with new learning and musical techniques, to finally culminate a full week of classes leading the regional professional orchestra with a work to your choice.

Directly from the city of La Paz, Bolivia, came Israel Torres, who has extensive musical training in piano, flute and orchestral direction. After his visit to the regional capital, the musician said that “I really liked that the course was intended for conductors of different levels and to be able to work on a repertoire together with the University's own Symphony Orchestra (...). Furthermore, it was an open workshop, free of charge, because courses at this level and with this training abroad, with two pianos, conductor, correction and video recording, cost between 1.500 and 2.000 dollars, so I took advantage of the opportunity to come.”

Torres also referred to the experience lived with his peers and the learning acquired by one of the most acclaimed conductors around the world. It should be remembered that Maestro Händel is extremely well known in the highland country, since from an early age and for 15 years, he was resident conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra of said country, standing out for unprecedented growth and significant audience attraction. managing to establish a model of orchestra organization in Latin America.

“Master David Händel is highly recognized worldwide, especially for the work done here in Latin America. In my country he made an impressive change, he managed to attract new audiences, he made many arrangements with the Theater that houses the National Orchestra of Bolivia, and he raised the musical level. He left a great legacy, that is why I came to Chile to study with him, specifically in this course, because I know the level he represents. Händel is an ideal of a director that I would like to reach one day when he reaches professionalism,” said the participant.

For Alfonsina Torrealba, a flutist from Santiago and with a strong conviction to dedicate her life to orchestral conducting, this workshop was key to her professional training: “I am very grateful for the opportunity and that a teacher from another place can correct you. I recently left the conservatory where I studied Music Theory and now I am specializing in orchestral conducting.” And he added that this workshop “contributes a lot to my training because an orchestra conductor here in Chile does not have a career, he does not have an institutionalized place where he can learn permanently, so we, through our work, begin to learn on our own.” ”.

Currently, the young promise conducts in different groups in the Metropolitan Region, so participating in the workshop was essential: “I am grateful for having found out about this course through social networks and with time, that allowed me to ask for permission, since I conduct an orchestra youth and a church music choir in Santiago Centro (…), and now I was able to conduct the professional orchestra of La Serena and it was tremendous, in fact, I asked one of my colleagues to record me because this for me is very valuable and would allow me to apply for a master's degree in Europe, for example.”

Alejandro Nuñez, a trumpet player who graduated in Pedagogy in Musical Education from the University of La Serena, stated that this week of learning was “an instance of personal growth, both musically and academically, there are many aspects that have been worked, that have been corrected and that we dealt with things that we did not realize and that we had learned, and we were able to correct them in this course. It was an instance of growth for all colleagues, one also learns techniques that other participants bring; Therefore, learning with the teacher David Händel has been quite pleasant and light.” Personally, the Serenense musician highlighted having learned about “the impulse of the will that consists of projecting, through gestures, the energy that one wants to share with the orchestra, and the other thing is the preparation, the learning method of the scores and how to act in front of the musicians.”

Finally, the American director expressed that in this IV version “we had more people than ever, more than thirty participants and it is expected to continue growing over the years. There was a very good vibe among everyone, friendship, and we managed the course in a Socratic way, that is, the students themselves criticized their colleagues in a positive and constructive way, and that allowed a very collegial and positive human aspect to exist," adding that in this version "I was delighted with the boys and girls who were part of the workshop, there are several who have come several times and it is gratifying to see their progress, and also to be able to monitor it because habits appear again."

The orchestral conducting course was held in the facilities of the ULS Department of Music, thanks to the management of the La Serena Regional Symphony Orchestra Foundation and the La Serena University Symphony Orchestra, and the important sponsorship of the United States Embassy .

Source: La Serena University Symphony Orchestra