The Philharmonic Orchestra of the University of Valencia, conducted by Beatriz Fernández Aucejo and with the special participation of clarinetist Luis Fernández Castelló, has been the interpreter of the first record that collects the work of the Valencian composers Eduard López-Chavarri, Amando Blanquer and Andrés Valero, edited by the Diputació de València in the framework of a work for the valorization of the Valencian repertoire.
The project is motivated by the need to make Valencian composition for clarinet more visible, a soloist tradition that is not popularized until the 60s of the twentieth century, despite the legacy left in the eighteenth century by one of the most international Valencian musicians, Vicent Martín i Soler, who wrote two concerts for clarinet premiered in Vienna.
The 'Fantasia d'Almàssera' for clarinet and string orchestra, composed in 1962 by López-Chavarri, sees the light after years of ostracism of its author, who expressed here his close bond with the region of Horta Nord, as well as paying tribute to the melodic tradition of other Valencian composers such as Ruperto Chapí or Salvador Giner.
On the other hand, the disc 'Concert Valencià' records 'Dédalo', a work for clarinet and string orchestra by Blanquer, a crystal-clear example of the treatment of timbre, harmony and rhythm by the composer from Alcoi, representative of the diffusion in Spain of the most avant-garde languages of Central Europe.
Finally, Valero's work 'Valencian Concert' for clarinet and symphony orchestra, which gives the title to this work, brings together the Valencian popular heritage in the form of melodies and songs of the people, transferring the ear to the Valencian atmosphere and traditions. In the words of the author, this composition "is a tribute to the very concept of Valencianness", including well-known themes such as 'For the blue lily flower', 'The Bolero of l'Alcúdia' or 'Uncle Canya' to form a concert piece full of virtuosity and feeling.
The Philharmonic Orchestra of the University of Valencia
It was created in 1995 to give response and cohesion to the different offers of instrumental groups formed by students. It has a staff of 80 young musicians, mostly university students, the average age of which is 20 years old. Its aim is to provide them with high quality training in orchestral performance, with specialized teachers for each of the instrumental families. The Orchestra has been conducted by Cristóbal Soler (1995-2010), Hilari Garcia (2011-2018) and, since September 2018 until nowadays, by Beatriz Fernández Aucejo.
With more than 25 years of history, the Orquestra de la Universitat de València (OFUV) has had more than a thousand young musicians, many of whom are now performing in Spanish and European orchestras or teaching in different professional and higher conservatories. Likewise, he has participated in numerous productions of composers such as Carles Santos, Melcior Gomis, Olivier Messiaen, Igor Stravinski, Erik Satie or Francis Poulenc.
The OFUV has performed concerts in various venues in Spain and Europe such as the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia in Valencia, the auditoriums of Barcelona, Saragossa and Lleó, the Philharmonicorum Academy of Ljubljana, the Austria Center Vienna or the Mozarteum of Salzburg. In addition, he has made national and international tours in France, Austria and Slovakia.
His discography includes 'Five centuries of Valencian music' (1999), 'The Farewell of Lucrezia Borgia' (2001), 'Infrequent Giner' (2009) and 'València capital of the Republic: the music of the "Youth Group."' (2017).
The OFUV is part of the European Network of University Orchestras (ENUO). Thanks to its impulse, SINERGIA (Network of Spanish University Orchestras) was created in 2015, of which it is a member. Since 2020 it participates as a partner in the project Eramus+ MEETS (Music in higher Education to Develop Transversal Skills); and all its activities are carried out with the sponsorship of the Musical Activities Area of the General Foundation of the University of Valencia.
