“Ours is a programming that comes from the soul. We are not satisfied with what musical representatives offer, but we look for current and surprising performers and programs.” Cristina Sobrino, president of the Philharmonic Society of Zaragoza, says so, that she has already sent the program of the new season (14 concerts, and members will also be able to attend the 8 Pilar Bayona Cycle of Great Soloists).
This year one of the lines pointed out by the entity in recent seasons is deepened, the combination of conventional classical concerts with those that are not so conventional. For example, will open the season the a cappella music group B Vocal, with a classical program and in a concert without amplification, but there is also an appointment with O’Carolan, a group usually focused on traditional Aragonese music, or with the Thomas Kretzschmar Quartet.
One of the main dishes, in any case, seems to be choral music.
“Chamber music is excellent and inexhaustible, and it is also our reason for being -says Sobrino-, but this year we wanted to do two great bets: the ‘German Brahms Requiem’, which will be offered to us by the Orfeón Pamplonés in a version that has never been heard in Zaragoza and that includes two pianos and percussion; Y Bach’s ‘St John Passion’by Ars Combinatoria».
New formulas also stand out, such as the Gerhard Quartet, accompanied by the pianist Josep María Colom; or Judith Jaúregui, who has already performed for the Philharmonic but is coming to Zaragoza this year in a trio format, along with Soyoung Yoon (violin) and Nadège Rochat (cello).
Aragonese performers have always been one of the keys to the Philharmonic’s programming. This year, in addition to B Vocal, the Thomas Kretzschar Quartet and O’Carolan, the presence of the pianist Marta Vela and the flutist Ricardo Pérez Castilla, who star in another evening; or the cellist Iagoba Fanlo with the pianist María José Barandiarán.
“We have also invited the group Enigma, who will offer us a program about the music of the time of the Weimar Republic. And we want it to be the beginning of a lasting collaboration, because the Enigma Group has to be on our agenda2, adds Sobrino.
Another important novelty, aside from the programming, is going to be the schedule of the concerts. “The Philharmonic is constantly updating and advancing non-stop – underlines its president -. We already brought forward the schedule of the concerts at 7:30 p.m. and this year we are going to go one step further advancing at 18.30 those that are scheduled for the weekend. It is something that has been done for a long time in Europe and it is a good thing that we are adopting it here. We also believe that it does not prevent any of the plans for Saturday and Sunday. They are concerts with an approximate duration of 70 minutes that, when the program allows it, will not have an intermission”. Non-members will be able to attend the concerts with a ticket (25 euros, 10 for students), a formula that has more followers every year. “The Philharmonic is still alive and strong”, underlines Cristina Sobrino.
The calendar
November 4: B Vocal.
November 15: Quartet Gerhard & Josep María Colom.
December 1 – Mark Padmore
January 9: Thomas Kretzschmar Quartet.
January 24: Iagoba Fanlo & María José Barandiarán.
February 12: Judith Jáuregui & Soyoung Yoon & Nadège Rochat.
February 18: Orfeón Pamplonés.
March 19: Ars Combinatoria.
March 29: Marta Vela & Ricardo Pérez Castilla.
April 17: OCAZ Enigma.
April 20: Trio Hantaï.
April 26: O’Carolan.
May 13: Gabriela Montero & Gautier Capuçon.
May 31: Gonçal Comellas Orchestra.
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