- The show «Sonar València. Paisaje Eco-sónico de la ciudad» brings together around 2,000 people in the Plaza de L’Ajuntament.
- The symphonic mascletà recorded an attendance of about 1,500 people and 750 more at the Teatro Principal with the performance of the youth bands.
- Activities will continue throughout the week with concerts, conferences and round tables
The International Music Band Contest «City of Valencia» started engines this weekend with a large participation of the Valencian public both the opening ceremony on Saturday and Sunday’s symphony mascletà, held in the Plaza de L’Ajuntament.
In this regard, the Councillor for Culture, José Luis Moreno, expressed his «satisfaction with the good acceptance that has had the start of this cultural event that expects to bring together about 15,000 people, until July 21, in emblematic places of the city and in the Palau de la Música».
Thus, the innovative proposal of the group Neopercusión, «Sonar València. Eco-sonic landscape of the city», performed on Saturday 13 together with 350 musicians from nine bands and under the artistic direction of Juanjo Guillem, opened the festival and had an estimated attendance of around 2,000 people and 600 seats occupied in the Plaza de L’Ajuntament.
For its part, the symphony mascletà held on Sunday, July 14, recorded a great success of public by bringing together about 1,500 people, approximately, «which translates into a great support for that contest that makes the city the world capital of wind music,» said Moreno.
In addition, another 750 attendees gathered at the Teatro Principal to see the performance of 281 musicians youth bands of the societies competing in the Honorary Section of the Contest; 88 percussionists; and 13 musicians from the brass section of the Youth Orchestra of the Valencian Community.
After this start of the International Band Contest, the activities will continue throughout the week with concerts, conferences and round tables prior to the contest which, after five years, returns to the Palau de la Música de València.
Contest
In this 136th edition 42 bands are participating, 21 in competition, 4 invited and 17 in previous performances, with 3,175 musicians and an expected audience of about 15,000 people. Of the 42 bands, 39 are European, 34 from the Comunitat Valenciana and 5 from the rest of Spain, as well as 3 international bands. Regarding the 21 groups competing in the Third, Second, First and Honorary sections, 15 are from the Valencian Community, 2 from Galicia, 1 from the autonomous community of Madrid and 1 from Castilla la Mancha. In addition, a symphonic band from Colombia and a band from Portugal are competing in the Contest.
The 136th CIBM is divided into sections: The first of them, the Third Section, will be held on July 18; the Second Section, on July 19; and on July 20 the First Section will be held.
The Honorary Section will be held on July 21 and will include the Ateneu Musical Schola Cantorum de la Vall d’Uixó (Castellón); the Banda Simfònica Unió Musical de Llíria (València); the Centre Instructivo Musical La Armónica de Buñol (València); the Societat Instructiva Unión Musical de Tavernes de la Valldigna (València); and the Societat Musical La Artística de Buñol (València).
The compulsory works for the competition are: Cerulean Overture by Julio Domingo in the third section, Sucro Oppidum by Javier Martínez Campos in the second section, Ceremonies by Ellen Taaffe Zwilich in the first section and L’arbre Blanc by Pere Vicalet in the Honor section.
As guests while the jury deliberates in the different sections, 4 societies will perform, 3 from Valencia and 1 from the United States: Valencia Brass Ensemble in the third section, El Cerrito High School Wind Symphony in the second, the Joven Banda Sinfónica de la Federación de Sociedades Musicales de la Comunitat Valenciana in the first and the Banda Sinfónica Municipal de València, in the Honorary section.