“This concert means a great deal to the University of Valencia, and I hope it has contributed in some way to the recovery of those affected.” With these words, Hilari Garcia Gázquez, conductor of the UV Philharmonic Orchestra, visibly moved, expressed his gratitude to the audience from the stage of the Iturbi Hall at the Palau de la Música in Valencia. His remarks followed the conclusion of the concert performed by the university ensemble and the Cor Jove of the Orfeó Català on Sunday, 18 May, featuring Mozart-Süssmayr’s Requiem, which brought over a thousand audience members to their feet.
The performance of Mozart’s Requiem, K. 626, in Valencia carried deep meaning for several reasons—not least because it served as a tribute concert to the victims of the DANA (torrential rainstorm) of 29 October 2024, which devastated towns in the south of the province. The proceeds from ticket sales were dedicated to the University’s Post-DANA Aid and Recovery Programmes.
Driven by a firm belief that “music nourishes the soul,” Hilari Garcia Gázquez, principal conductor of the UV Philharmonic Orchestra, embraced the “challenge” of leading this “highly complex” concert. The event brought together in perfect harmony orchestral elements, choral voices, and four distinguished Valencian soloists: Blanca Ruiz (soprano), Isabel Marí (mezzo-soprano), Gonzalo Manglano (tenor), and Vicente Antequera (baritone).
Mozart’s Requiem, K. 626, presented in the “most celebrated” version completed by one of the composer’s closest collaborators, his student Süssmayr, resonated in a setting that was both symbolically and emotionally charged—offering support and hope to those recently affected by tragedy in the south of Valencia. The year of the performance also marked the 30th anniversary of the University’s Orchestra, composed of 80 emerging young musicians.
To commemorate this milestone, the UV Philharmonic Orchestra has organised a unique programme of events, including a cultural and youth exchange with the Cor Jove of the Orfeó Català. The concert will be performed again at the Palau de la Música Catalana in Barcelona on Saturday, 24 May.
Both ensembles are known for the youth and talent of their members and share a common mission: to enrich the musical and personal development of their participants through the performance of high-quality repertoire, carefully prepared under the guidance of specialised teaching staff.
Included in this programme is Mozart’s mass for the dead, written during the final stages of his life and left unfinished. As Hilari Garcia explained, the Requiem’s music is “truly extraordinary for moments of remembrance and emotion,” with its heightened expressiveness spanning “from the most profound drama to celestial glory.” “We’ll feel its full dramatic and emotional content—music laid bare,” he predicted. And he was right. The atmosphere was one of reverence, attentiveness, and emotion, with the audience holding back the urge to applaud between movements, deeply moved by the performance.
The emotion, held back throughout the concert, finally erupted into prolonged applause from a standing audience, offered as tribute to the symphonic-choral ensemble, the Valencian soloists, and the directors, mentors, and teachers who made the project possible: the UV Orchestra’s principal conductor and his counterpart in the Catalan youth choir, Oriol Castanyer.
What unfolded on Sunday at the Palau was, ultimately, a “fascinating, enigmatic and profound” experience brought to life through a work that explores universal themes—life, death, and redemption. Filled with emotion and intensity, the piece has captivated audiences for centuries and remains a landmark in the classical music canon. Now, in Valencia, brought to the stage by young performers, it has become one of the year’s most meaningful and symbolic concerts, imbued with poignancy and hope.
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