Once we are in mid July and after a break before start working on next year season, it is time to look back to the past months of May and June as one of the most productive concert seasons we did organize over the past years. 26 concerts happened in two weeks. From choral to jazz, from wind to symphony. Over 10,000 audience welcomed their concerts. Music spread from Lisbon to Barcelona, from Bilbao to Puerto de Santa Maria, from Salamanca to Ubeda, from Valencia to Reus all over the Iberian peninsula.
The WUC performed in Barcelona, Montserrat, Bilbao, Salamanca, Madrid and Alcala de Henares, while the LCCB played in Madrid , Valencia, Puerto de Santa Maria and Ubeda, while the UCBSO played in Ubeda, Granada, Valencia and Reus and while the different ensembles of the Pacific University performed in Setubal, Lisbon, Madrid, Valencia, Castelldefells and Barcelona.
There were some special days for us, as Saturday 27 May, as when the choir were singing in Bilbao under the direction of Mark A. Hafso works of Palestrina , Victoria, Tichelli, David Brunner or Randall Stroop ; at the Festival Internacional de Musica de Ubeda, the UCBSO were playing works of Debussy, Cindy Cox, Amadeus Regucera and Berlioz, and in Cullera, a town near Valencia that has one of the oldest and better Sociedades Musicales, the Luther College Concert Band under Joan de Alburquerque, were playing with the Youth Wind Band works of Rossano Galante, Andre Waignen, Bach , Turrin or Bernstein.
On Tuesday 30, while the choir were singing at the Catedral de Salamanca, the UCBSO were playing at the Palau de la Musica de Valencia and amazing concert in front of 1000 warming audience, where they played three encores.
The day after, was the Atlantic Day, where two of the Pacific ensembles combined two programs of jazz and symphonic music at the main venue in Setubal, the Forum Luisa Todi in front of +500 people. At the same time in Puerto de Santa Maria (Cadiz) the LCCB where playing in front of 700 people who enjoyed each piece and clapped standing up on “flamenco” rhytms.
Thursday June 1st was another big day with four concerts at the time. While the WUC were singing at the Catedral de Alcala near Madrid, the UCBSO were playing south of Barcelona, the LCCB were playing at the Festival de Ubeda and the Pacifc Jazz ensemble were playing on top of the city of Lisbon.
Two days after the Pacific arrived into Madrid where both the wind and the symphony played in the bullring on a small town near Madrid while Real Madrid soccer team where playing the European championship vs Juventus Milano. After Real Madrid victory the Jazz Ensemble played at the main Plaza almost after midnight!!
While most of the bands were flying back home the Pacific continued from Madrid to Valencia and Barcelona where they finished their tour with open air concerts near Barcelona and a final symphonic concert at one of the nicest gothic churches in Barcelona.
Now, it is time to rest and charge the batteries for the coming season, but also to meet early September with over 20 different bands of jazz, blues and rock coming from Texas to take part on the second Pueblos Blancos Music Festival.
Want to thank to all musicians, audiences, local sponsors and partners who helped us on this wonderful adventure of music throughout the years and specially during the 2017 season.
We hope to work together in the near future and wish you all a nice summertime!
