This is a new version of the renowned Regional Young Soloists Competition, which will bring together on stage its two brand new winners and the Chilean director who is triumphing in Switzerland, Luis Toro Araya.

In the company of two great promises of music, the Universidad de La Serena Symphony Orchestra is preparing to inaugurate the month of November with a colossal presentation of the 2018 Season. The symphonic evening will come hand in hand with the long-awaited and successful Regional Young Soloists Competition, which will be directed by another talented promise, the national guest director, Luis Toro Araya.

The maestro born in San Vicente (1995) already has a vast musical career; At the age of 7 he began his violin studies with teachers Eladio Romo and Julio Zapata, and then perfected himself at the Faculty of Arts of the University of Chile and, later, at the Modern School of Music. Between 2014 and 2017 he was part of the National Symphony Orchestra of Chile. He also performed as a soloist on different stages in Chile and Argentina. Currently, Luis Hernán Toro is adding projects conducting orchestras such as the Kurpfälzisches Kammerorchester Mannheim, ZHdK Orchester, Alumni Orchester Zürich, Pazardjik Symphony Orchestra, Nürnberger Symphoniker, and the Südwestdeutsche Philharmonie Konstanz.

After an ambitious 2017/2018 season on the European continent, the Chilean conductor returns to his country to debut for the first time in the city of La Serena, where he will conduct the VIII Season Concert of the professional orchestra. “I am very eager to start rehearsals. In May I had the opportunity to conduct the Classical Orchestra of the University of Santiago de Chile (Usach), which was my debut in Chile, so I greatly value having the possibility of conducting again in my country,” he expressed.

During this musical event, the maestro who is currently studying at the University of the Arts in Zürich, Switzerland, will also share the stage with the brand new winners of the V Regional Young Soloists Competition. In his opinion, this is “a wonderful initiative to meet new young musical talents. Without a doubt, it will also be a great experience for the winners, since being able to participate as a soloist represents a great challenge, both technically and musically. Personally, I am very happy to be able to share experiences with younger musicians, just as many colleagues have done with me and supported me during my career,” he commented.

Music, youth and talent

For this new version, the call made by the Universidad de La Serena Symphony Orchestra resulted in two brilliant winners from the regional capital: Joaquín Gómez Cerda (guitar), 1st place in the school category, and José Díaz Araya (xylophone), 1st place in the university category, who seek to dazzle the audience of the Municipal Theater of La Serena with their attractive repertoire.

For Joaquín Gómez Cerda, a 2nd year student at the Jorge Peña Hen Experimental School of Music and who will present the 'Concert in D Major for guitar and orchestra' by the Venetian composer Antonio Vivaldi, he explained that it is “a quite changing work, it consists of three movements that are easily distinguished from each other and each one evokes a different emotion when listening to it.” Likewise, the guitarist said that “this is the first time that I have participated in the Young Soloists Contest and the truth is that I am very excited to have an experience like this. I put a lot of effort into this application and the fact that this has borne fruit makes me quite happy and is a great source of pride for me (…). As for the concert, there will be extensive preparation, but always with the joy of enjoying something as beautiful as music,” he explained.

For his part, percussionist José Díaz Araya confesses that his objective as a soloist is to teach the facets of the xylophone: “it is a very versatile instrument, because you can play from popular music, through folklore, to learned music. Furthermore, I want the percussion to stand out, demonstrating that the xylophone can also stand out from an orchestra and become a solo instrument and not just an accompanist. “That is my main motivation,” said the young contestant. Regarding the piece that he chose to present in the contest, Díaz Araya related that “the 'Xylophone Concerto' by the Japanese composer Toshiro Mayuzumi was the first orchestral work for solo xylophone that made the instrument known with popular works. The public is going to find a very incidental type of music with a very oriental style.”

Finally, the young conductor referred to the programming of this VIII Season Concert, commenting that the two works with soloists make a very interesting contrast: “on the one hand, the famous guitar concerto, a piece that very well mixes the motifs of the dances of the time with much more lyrical and calm passages; and on the other hand, the xylophone concerto, a work full of rhythm and energy, with great technical demands for the soloist. To complete the program we will have two works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: The Overture to the Opera 'Don Giovanni' and the Symphony No. 36 'Linz', pieces full of the most diverse affections,” explained guest conductor Luis Toro Araya.

Those who wish to be part of this unmissable concert with the winners of the Regional Young Soloists Competition, next Friday, November 9, at 20:00 p.m., at the Municipal Theater of La Serena, 170 invitations for free withdrawal have been available. : general public and older adults can go to the Ministry of Cultures, Arts and Heritage Coquimbo Region (Colón #848), La Serena Public Library (Colón #495, corner Balmaceda), Gabriela Mistral Regional Library (Juan José Latorre # 782) and/or Municipal Theater of La Serena (Benavente #580). While school students and students from the University of La Serena may pick up their invitation at the Extension Office of the ULS Music Department (Larraín Alcalde s/n, between Los Jardines and Seminario). Those who are unable to withdraw their invitation will be able to purchase tickets at the municipal ticket office on the same day of the event, with prices ranging from $3.000 for the general public and $2.000 for seniors, while school students and students from the University of La Serena, presenting your credential.

It should be noted that this presentation has the support and financing of the Ministry of Cultures, Arts and Heritage, through Glosa de Presupuesto Nacional since 2016; the collaboration of the University of La Serena and the Illustrious Municipality of La Serena, through its Department of Culture and the Municipal Theater.

Source: Press Symphony Orchestra University of La Serena