Music with no concessions

If an orchestra is a flagship of culture, a youth orchestra is a sure bet for the future. The Orquesta Joven de Andalucía (Youth Orchestra of Andalusia) celebrated its first 30 years of activity in 2024 and its presence over the years has greatly increased the opportunities for the most qualified Andalusian musicians during their formal education. Sharing rehearsals and concerts with soloists at the highest level and with some of the most internationally acclaimed conductors, as is the case of Mexican maestro Carlos Miguel Prieto, represents a priceless artistic experience for these young people and selected performers in a key moment of their professional process.

The programme designed for the Maestranza establishes a dialogue between Spanish and Latin American music via two indisputable classics of the 20th century, Manuel de Falla and Carlos Chávez, which acts as a bridge between the two shores. The piece Fandangos by Puerto Rican Roberto Sierra is a tribute to Padre Soler (one of the founders of what we understand today as “Hispanic music”), it was composed in 2001 at the request of conductor Leonard Slatkin. Likewise, a perfect example of cultural blending is the work Antrópolis by Mexican composer Gabriela Ortiz, written in 2018 as a commission from the conductor of this evening’s programme, Carlos Miguel Prieto. With these, a universal work is included: Cello Concerto No. 1 by Dimitri Shostakóvich. This fascinating piece of extreme difficulty was dedicated to the composer’s admired Mstislav Rostropovich. Here, the soloist who will perform is Columbian cellist Santiago Cañón-Valencia, an example and model for the students of the Andalucian orchestra for his dazzling international career, which began at an early age. The crowning touch to the programme is another connection between both sides of the Atlantic, exemplified by the unofficial anthem of Mexico, Huapango, by Pablo Moncayo. Compelling.

Programme
Carlos Chávez, Sinfonía India
Dmitri Shostakóvich, Cello Concerto nº 1, op.107
Roberto Sierra, Fandangos
Manuel de Falla, Interlude and dance from La vida breve (Life is Short)
Gabriela Ortiz, Antrópolis
José Pablo Moncayo, Huapango