XXXIV Musical Encounters of La Serena will take over the city during the month of January

musical meetings

The traditional regional event seeks to conquer residents and tourists with various artistic training activities and concerts. All free entry, without withdrawal of invitations.

As is customary every summer, the La Serena Regional Symphony Orchestra Foundation is preparing to turn the regional capital into a great artistic stage along with a new edition of the XXXIV Musical Encounters of La Serena, an initiative proposed in 1984 by the director of orchestra and musical manager, Fernando Rosas, with the idea of ​​taking advantage of the musical wealth developed in the commune around the legacy of maestro Jorge Peña Hen, crystallized in youth music, university musical life and the rich tourist environment present in La Serena in the summer season.

musical meetings2During their foundations, the Musical Meetings have allowed both local musicians and groups and groups from other regions to convene around the interpretation of music. Its development has extended to musical training through courses, talks and master classes, as well as larger orchestral concerts, with the aim of strengthening the cultural heritage of our region with projections to turn these Musical Meetings into an important Musical Festival. on an international level.

Programming Languages

For this 2019, the artistic proposal involves more than two weeks of varied activities (from January 3 to 19) divided into a training workshop, choral course and evening concerts. In an unprecedented way, this edition contemplates the formation of the Encuentros Youth Symphony Orchestra (OSJE) which will be directed by the professor of Conducting at the Academy of Music of Basel (Switzerland) and guide of Orchestral Conducting at the Youth Orchestras Foundation , Rodolfo Fisher (Chile).

In his opinion, participating in this great event “is an excellent opportunity, as well as for professional musicians and students who will meet an audience with time and desire to discover the rich heritage of La Serena,” indicated the guest teacher.

musical meetings3For its part, the III International Choral Conducting Course will take place in the Music Department of the University of La Serena, from January 7 to 12 during daytime hours. This instance of improvement and learning will be aimed at teachers, musicians, music students and those interested in the development of the specialty of Choral Conducting, with the intention of enriching and enhancing the conductor's main instrument: the gesture, through basic technical elements. such as motorization, breathing, energy, empathy with the singing process and hierarchy of communication through chironymy.

The improvement will be directed by another eminence of international recognition, maestro Fernando Tomé (Argentina), Graduate in Choral and Orchestral Conducting from the Faculty of Fine Arts of the National University of La Plata, who since 2016 has been teaching in La Serena “the technique of choral conducting, called gesture or also known as chironimia, which is the conventional gesture of the director with which he communicates with his choirs or orchestras. The teacher stressed that he felt “very honored to be invited for the third time to teach this workshop, and the most notable thing is that the University of La Serena has sponsored it and is making it its own, involving within the Musical Encounters this week of growth in direction coral,” he said.

For the outstanding Chilean tenor Gonzalo Tomckowiack, academic of the ULS Music Department and coordinator of said course, having again the valuable collaboration of maestro Tomé “is really a luxury due to his great career, contributions from the point of view of The gestures and choral conducting technique are magnificent and give this course a wonderful international level.” On the other hand, Tomckowiack added that "by allowing this course to be part of the La Serena Musical Meetings, it gives it another reality and responds to the need to perfect those interested from different regions who seek to be part of this workshop."

musical meetings4The last and third programmatic line are the free evening concerts (21:00 p.m.), which are scheduled from January 12 to 19. The overture will be in the Aula Magna Ignacio Domeyko of the University of La Serena (Benavente 980) and will be performed by the Encuentro Youth Symphony Orchestra (OSJE), the winner of the V Regional Young Soloists Competition in the university category, José Díaz Araya (xylophone), and the conducting of Rodolfo Fisher: “we are going to hold a concert with the greatest hits of this type of groups. It highlights the Mexican classic 'Huapango' by J. Pablo Moncayo and 'Finlandia' by Jean Sibelius. In addition to 'L'Arlesienne Suite Nº 2' by George Bizet, the 'Suite Ballet Estancia' by Alberto Ginastera and the 'Xylophone Concerto by Toshiro Mayuzumi', commented the baton.

The programming continues on Sunday the 13th with the closing concert of the III International Choral Conducting Course, together with the participating students, the University of La Serena Vocal Ensemble and the director Fernando Tomé. The presentation will be at the Jorge Peña Hen Theater of the Liceo Gregorio Cordovez. On Monday the 14th is the concert of the La Serena University Symphony Orchestra at the Municipal Theater: "in this concert we will have a more traditional program, including Beethoven's 'Seventh Symphony', the overture to 'The Hebrides' by Mendelssohn, and ' Lullaby for Fuegia Basket' by the young Chilean Tomás Brantmayer, who had a resounding success in our presentation last season,” Fischer highlighted.

musical meetings5From Tuesday the 15th to Friday the 18th, chamber music concerts will be held at the Jorge Peña Hen Theater. The first group to present is 'D' Entraña Cantera', made up of academics from the University of La Serena; On Wednesday the 16th it is the turn of the Cantus Florido Vocal Ensemble and Academia Coro Allegro; Later, on Thursday the 17th, the Universidad de La Serena Guitar Quartet will perform; and the presentations will culminate in an intimate format with the Ensamble Villanueva de La Serena. Finally, the closing will take place in the Ignacio Domeyko room with the Choral Symphony Concert, together with the Symphony Orchestra and the University of La Serena Student Choir, led by conductor Rodolfo Fisher.

It should be noted that the XXXIV Musical Encounters of La Serena are a regional event organized by the ULS Music Department and the La Serena Regional Symphony Orchestra Foundation, together with the support and sponsorship of the Ministry of Cultures, Arts and Heritage; the University of La Serena, through the Directorate of Liaison with the Environment and Extension (DIVEULS); the Illustrious Municipality of La Serena, through its Department of Culture, Tourism and Events; the Gabriel González Videla Corporation and the Municipal Theater of La Serena.

To find out more information about the programming, just go to the website: www.sinfonicalaserena.cl; as well as visit the social networks Fanpage: Orquesta Sinfónica Universidad de La Serena, Twitter: @sinfonicaLS and Instagram: sinfonicalaserena

Source: Press Symphony Orchestra University of La Serena