Virtuoso Chilean musicians delight with contemporary repertoire at the MUSICAHORA Festival

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The closing concert by the La Serena University Symphony Orchestra paid tribute to Gustavo Becerra-Schmidt and Alejandro Guarello.

Forceful and masterful was the development of the MUSICAHORA Festival in La Serena. A regional event that celebrated its fifteen years of existence and the rescue of contemporary music with a week full of attractive activities, from talks and colloquiums to concerts in chamber and symphonic formats; the latter, acclaimed by the community itself, local and guest musicians, and specialized critics.

The closing was marked by a bold program by the La Serena University Symphony Orchestra and the impeccable mastery of two guest virtuoso Chilean musicians. Helmuth Reichel Silva, praised for his deep musicality and inspiring temperament, and who is positioned as one of the most interesting and versatile young teachers in South America.

musicnow2The musician made his mark evident in the musical evening he offered in the regional capital, after 4 years of absence. “I feel very privileged to have worked with a great orchestra such as the La Serena University Symphony. They have a great musical idea, a great repertoire was presented and it was a pleasure to spend a week with them, doing a special program such as contemporary music, with Chilean composers, and something that is also very important, repertoire that has to be done regularly and “It was a great pleasure to bring it to the public,” he said.

For the concertmaster of the National Symphony Orchestra of Chile, Alberto Dourthé Castrillón, another of the prominent guest artists, his experience in northern lands was very positive; even more so, after meeting again and sharing the stage with several friends, colleagues and former students, such as the conductor of this closing concert: “I am very happy to have played with Helmuth, because he is a fantastic conductor and I was lucky enough to have him would direct. Furthermore, music itself has an intrinsic difficulty and this allowed me to play with great joy. As I always say, for me the important thing is to deliver a lot of affection and a lot of love in each note.”

Dourthé added that “it was a great honor to have played with this wonderful orchestra, credited with an incredible level and that must be highlighted. Likewise, there is a gigantic effort on the part of the orchestra, the festival organizers and the community, of this reality of making contemporary music that, many times, is not so appreciated."

musicnow3Night of tributes

The MUSICAHORA Festival has a long journey of harvests and fruits that have allowed it to achieve fifteen years of success and musical rescue. In this framework, the 2018 version fascinated with sounds of great character, such as 'Happy Bird's Day' (2017) by Chilean Alejandro Guarello, who was recognized for being one of the promoters of this festival in La Serena: “it was quite significant participate in this version, I understand that my works, in these 15 years of festival, had not been done. And the paradoxical thing is, just as the artistic director said on stage, I helped this festival exist, because after founding the one in Santiago, the idea of ​​repeating it here in La Serena was born," said the musician, adding that "presenting this work with an orchestra It is a fantastic initiative, so it is a great honor and a great pleasure to return to La Serena in a circumstance like this.”

Another of the great honorees was Gustavo Becerra-Schmidt (1925-2010), whose 'Chamber Concerto' (1970) and 'Violin Concerto' (1952) were performed. According to the Artistic Director of the MUSICAHORA Festival, Esteban Correa, maestro Becerra “was a fundamental composer in the history of written tradition music in Chile, he was very prolific and very eclectic, who developed important work both here and in the foreigner (…) So for us it is very significant and it was appropriate to pay tribute to his figure.”

For Lincoln Torres Faundes, who was present at the IX Season Concert of the symphonic ensemble, “contemporary music has this thing that is not always understood; However, I have a little training in music and know something. As for the repertoire and this whole intention of making images and sensations known through music, like the birds in the first piece, it was very well done, just as Gustavo Becerra's last work was extraordinary. And the work of the orchestra, as always, is very professional and these instances are greatly appreciated.”

These days, the group belonging to the Network of Regional Professional Orchestras of the Ministry of Cultures, Arts and Heritage is preparing a new musical evening, which this time will have Christmas as the occasion. Those who wish to be part of this unmissable and traditional annual concert with free admission, the community of the conurbation and surrounding areas is invited to attend next Thursday, December 13, at 20:00 p.m., at the Cathedral of La Serena, where The “Christmas of Cultures” concert will take place.

It should be noted that the realization of this 2018 Season, called 'The Symphony of Cultures', has the support and financing of the Ministry of Cultures, Arts and Heritage, through the National Budget Glosa since 2016; in addition to 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