Artists 2017
Martin Schmeding - Orguer
Born in 1975 in Minden, Westphalia, Martin Schmeding studied in Hanover, Amsterdam and Düsseldorf with the professors Ulrich Bremsteller, Lajos Rovatkay, Dr. Hans van Nieuwkoop, Jacques van Oortmerssen and Jean Boyer. Martin Schmeding was choir director and organist of the Nazareth Church in Hanover, Neander Church in Düsseldorf and at the Kreuzkirche in Dresden. He has been professor in Hannover, Leipzig, Weimar, Dresden and currently he is teaching at the University of Music in Freiburg. He worked as a guest professor at the University of Music Luzern (Switzerland) and Theatre "Felix Mendelssohn" of Leipzig. He is the directorship of the "European Organ Academy". Martin Schmeding has made numerous radio and CD recordings, among them the complete organ music of F. Schmidt, J. Brahms, F. Mendelssohn, as well as the first recordings on a period instrument of the complete music for pedal piano by Robert Schumann and of the organ version of the Goldberg Variations by J. S. Bach. He has given concerts as a soloist, chamber musician and with orchestras all over the world, including at important festivals such as the Bach-Fest in Leipzig, the Bachwochen Thuringen, the Chamber-Music Platform in Brunswick, the Organ Days in Merseburg, the Music Days of Lower Saxony, the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Festival, and the Schleswig-Holstein Festival. Martin Schmeding publishes articles and music editions for important magazines and publishers, e.g. Schott, Carus, Herder and Butz. In 2009, he was awarded the Prize of the German Record Critics, in 2010 he won one of the most important European music prizes, the "Echo Classic Instrumentalist of the Year"-Award for "Joh. Seb. Bach, Goldberg Variations" (Organ Version).
Chee-Yun - Violí
Born in Korea, Chee-Yun studied with Nam Yun Kin and at the Juilliard School of New York with Dorothy DeLay, Hyo Kang, Daniel Phillips and Felix Galimar. She performs regularly with the world's most important orchestras, among which we can mention the Orchestra of Philadelphia, Londres Philharmonic, Pittsburgh Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony, Toronto, Atlanta, the Philharmonic Orchestra of Hon Kong, the Brunswick Orchestra and the MDR Radio Leipzig, the Camerata of San Petersburg, the Philharmonic of Bamberg, Philharmonic of Seul or in Japan with the NHK Symphony, performing with international renown conductors such as Hans Graf, James DePriest, Jesús López-Cobos, Michael Tilson Thomas, Krzysztof Penderecki, Neeme Järvi, Pinchas Zukerman, Manfred Honeck and Giancarlo Guerrero. Among the recordings of Chee-Yun, we can highlight the Concert n. 2 for violin of Penderecki (Naxos), the Mendelssohn's Concert (Denon), the Concert n. 5 of Vieuxtemps, the Sinfonía española of Lalo, the Concert n. 3 of Saint-Saëns with the Londres Philharmonic or the sonatas for violin and piano of Debussy, Saint-Saëns, Fauré, Szymanowski, Brahms, Strauss and Franck. Chee-Yun plays with a violin Stradivarius «Ex-Strauss» (Cremona, 1708), provided by the Samsung Foundation for the Culture of Korea and the Stradivari Society of Chicago.
Orquestra del Conservatori Superior de Música de les Illes Balears
This orchestra was created in 2001 in order to respond to the pedagogical and artistic needs of the center. The orchestra basically acts in the Auditorium of the Conservatory. They have collaborated with orchestra soloists and renowned conductors such as Agustín León Ara, Ramón Coll, Vicente Zarzo, Joana Guillermo, Enrique Santiago, Josep Colom, Luis Remartínez, Cristóbal Soler, Manuel Galduf, Agustín Aguiló, Vicenç Balaguer, Salvador Brotons, Enrique García Asensio, José Luis Estellés, Philipp Bender, Ernest Martínez Izquierdo, Salvador Mas, among others.
Alfredo Oyágüez - Director
Professor at the Conservatori Superior de Música de les Illes Balears, Artistic Director of the Deià International Music Festival and the Palau March Summer Concerts in Palma. Graduated from the University of Yale and California in USA, the School of Fine Arts of the University of Prague, the Academy "Frederic Chopin" of the University of Warsaw and the Royal Conservatory of Music of Madrid. His professional, interpretative and pedagogical career has led him to the five continents.
María José Montiel - Mezzosoprano
Considered one of the greatest current mezzo-sopranos, born in Madrid, she studies at the Royal Conservatory before moving to Vienna to perfect. From her debut, her brilliant career has carried her to perform in the most important stages of the world, such as the Carnegie Hall in New York, La Scala of Milan, Salle Pleyel and Opéra of Paris, Musikverein, Konzerthaus y Staatsoper of Vienna, La Fenice of Venice, New National Theatre of Tokyo, Teatro Real of Madrid or Liceu of Barcelona. She has collaborated with conductors such as Mehta, Chailly, Maazel, Oren, Dutoit, Gómez Martínez, L.Cobos, Foster, Marriner, Tate or Benini, and with orchestras such as the Filharmoniques of Vienna, Helsinki and Tokyo, the Symphonics of Montreal and Cincinnati, National of France or Giuseppe Verdi of Milan, the ONE, Valencia Orchestra or the Symphonic of the RTVE. She is specialist in Lied, Spanish and French song and has offered more than hundred recitals around the world. National Music Prize for the year 2015 awarded by the Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport.
José Manuel Sánchez - Tenor
After interpreting first rolls of opera in Austria, Germany, Belgium, Czech Republic and Spain, this season, the Majorcan
tenor José Manuel Sánchez made his debut with the National Orchestra of Spain with the international conductor Juanjo
Mena. He will be Nemorino in the opera Elisir d'Amore to the National Theatre of Brno this month of October.
He interpreted Il Duca of Rigoletto, Luisa's Rodolfo Miller, Alfredo of The Traviata, Rodolfo of The Boheme, Maria's Riccardo
di Rohan, Belmonte of Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Narraboth of Salomé, Cassio of Otello, Luisa's Javier Fernanda, Eloi
of Canço d'amor i guerra or Rodolfo of The anillo de Hierro.
Mateu Matas Ordinas [Xurí] - Glosser
Mateu Matas Ordinas, better known by the popular name of Mateu Xurí, is one of the most important exponents of the new generation of «Mallorcan glossers» and one of the main voices of improvised song in the Mediterranean. He has participated in several international festivals and meetings showing great ability to improvise verses without musical accompaniment.
Vicenç Balaguer - Violí
Born in Benaguasil (Valencia), he is a violin professor at the Conservatory of Music of Valencia. He is a regular guest concertmaster of the Symphony Orchestra of Navarra, Barcelona Symphony and Catalonia National, and the orchestras of Valencia, Madrid, Tenerife, Galicia, Castilla y Leon, Cadaqués and concertmaster-founder of the Collegium Instrumentale Valencia. He teaches at the National Youth Orchestra of Spain, Catalonia National Youth Orchestra, Youth Orchestra of Valencia, and the Orchestra of Joves Intèrprets dels Països Catalans.
Santanyí Festival Orchestra [OFS]
The Santanyí Festival Orchestra is a new group formed by prestigious musicians from important Spanish orchestras and young instrumentalists who are still studying at musical centers of Spain and abroad. Many of them are part of young orchestras of the importance of the Young National Orchestra of Spain (JONDE), the Young National Orchestra of Catalonia (JONC), the Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester or the Young European Orchestra (EUYO). The conductors of the SFO are the renowned violinists Vicente Balaguer and Smerald Spahiu.
Lola Casariego - Cantant
This exceptional singer, born in Oviedo, Spain, has appeared in such internationally acclaimed venues as the Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro, the Festival Settembre Musica of Torino, the Teatro Verdi in Trieste, the Teatro Real in Madrid, Pittsburgh Opera, the Grand Théâtre du Genève, Marseille, the New Israeli Opera in Tel Aviv, Tours, Reims, Nice, Monte Carlo and the Salle Pleyel in Paris, Smetana Hall, Prague, Lincoln Center in New York with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, in Tel Aviv with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, in the Theater of the Zarzuela of Madrid and in the Great Theater of the Liceo within the concerts of the bicentennial of Verdi. Lola Casariego has recorded for, among others, EMI Classics, Audivis-Valois, Harmonia Mundi and Non Profit Music, performing principal roles in works such as "El barbarillo de Lavapiés" by F.A. Barbieri, the "Goyescas" of E. Granados, "El hijo fingido" by J. Rodrigo, great works of the Baroque era such as "Acis y Galatea, "Los elementos" and "Júpiter y Sémele" by A. de Literes, "Colpa, pentimento e Grazia" by A. Scarlatti, and an album of songs by Spanish composers, "Three portraits with shadow," with the OEX. In addition, she can be seen on a variety of videos released by the Teatro de la Zarzuela in Madrid, including "Agua, azucarillos y aguardiente," "El bateo," and "Los diamantes de la corona" by F.A. Barbieri.
Aurelio Viribay - Piano
The pianist Aurelio Viribay specializes in the accompaniment of singers. He completed his formation in this field with Dalton Baldwin. Between 1995 and 1997 he worked as vocal coach at the 'Vienna University of Music and Performing Arts'and the 'Konservatorium Wien University', and since 1998 he has been professor at the 'Escuela Superior de Canto de Madrid'. He has worked with many singers including Walter Berry, Carlos Álvarez, Aquiles Machado, Alicia Nafé, Ainhoa Arteta, María Bayo, Isabel Rey, Norma Fantini, Nancy Fabiola Herrera, Ángeles Blancas, Ofelia Sala, Mariola Cantarero, Ruth Rosique, Silvia Tro Santafé, Ana María Sánchez, Ana Lucrecia García, Raquel Lojendio and Lola Casariego. He has appeared in most European countries and also in Mexico, Morocco and Japan, performing in venues such as the Musikverein and the Konzerthaus in Vienna, and the 'Accademia Musicale Chigiana'in Siena, Castello Sforzesco in Milano, Teatro Real in Madrid, as well as in most of the important concert halls and music festivals in Spain. He has taken part in many premieres and has made recordings for RNE, Catalunya Music and RTVE.
José Antonio Domené - Arpa
José Antonio Domené is one of the most outstanding harpists of his generation. He graduated at the Royal College of Music in London, under the tuition of Ieuan Jones. Domené has won the UFAM International Competition (France) and the Juventudes Musicales Competition (Spain). He has collaborated with some of the most important orchestras in Spain as well as with international orchestras, being conducted by maestros Davis, Luisotti, Pons, Ros-Marbà, Hallfter, König, Noseda, and Válek. José Antonio plays regularly with the Gran Teatre del Liceu Symphony Orchestra and the Orquesta Sinfónica de las Islas Baleares. He has also published the book "The harp in Ancient Greece", ARLU Editions. Domené is co-founder of the Spanish Harp Association (AEDA). He has played at the most important concert halls in Spain, including the National Auditorium of Music in Madrid. In 2009 he did his debut in Cadogan Hall in London and, in July 2010, performed at Wigmore Hall.
Jürgen Essl - Orgue i compositor
Jürgen Essl is one of the foremost organists and composers in today's European musical scene. He performs regularly in the
most prestigious venues around the globe including venues such as the Notre Dame de Paris, Kölner Dom, Auditorio Nacional de
Madrid, Smetana Hall Prague, Konzerthaus Wien, Philharmonic Hall Moscow, as well as Amsterdam, Lissabon, Milano, Tel Aviv,
Tokyo, Taipeh, Mexico and the USA. He frequently appears on television and radio as both organist and conductor.
As a composer, Mr. Essl's works have been performed by some of the leading choirs and orchestras. Most renowned are his
motets and oratorias, which have been performed by choirs such as the Darmstädter Kantorei, Würzburger Domchor and the
Regensburger Domspatzen.
Maestro Essl studied organ in Germany and France with Ludger Lohmann and Francis Chapelet, later completing his studies in
Vienna with Michael Radulescu. A Professor at the Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst Stuttgart (www.mh-stuttgart.
de) since 2003, Jürgen Essl has also served as Professor for Organ at the Musikhochschule Lübeck and an organist at the Castle
Church of Sigmaringen. He is a co-founder of the International Summer Academy of Music - ISAM in Ochsenhausen, Germany.
.... "I was impressed by [Essl's] strongly distinctive style and compositional language and I treasure his strong
and lucid feeling of structure."...
Arvo Pärt
Orquestra Simfònica de les Illes Balears
The OSIB was founded in 1988 by Fundació Pública de les Balears per a la música, which included Govern Balear, Ajuntament de Palma and Consell de Mallorca. Although the history of symphonic music in the Balearic Islands dates back to the 1940s, the orchestra as we know it was created by Maestro Luís Remartínez, who was Principal Conductor. He was followed by Maestros Philippe Bender, Salvador Brotons, Geoffrey Simon, Edmon Colomer and Josep Vicent. Today's Principal Conductor is Maestro Pablo Mielgo. The OSIB performs a stable symphonic season at the Auditorium de Palma, as well as opera seasons at the Teatre Principal de Palma and the Teatre de Maó. In addition, the orchestra collaborates in many Festivals and events around the Balearic Islands. The OSIB has accompanied main solo acts like Juan Diego Flórez, Kiri Te Kanawa, Teresa Berganza, Joaquín Achúcarro, Piotr Anderszewski, María Bayo, Simón Orfila, Joan Pons, Kate Lindsey, Michel Camilo, Radovan Vlatkovic, Katia and Marielle Labèque. The current International Artist in Residence is Julian Rachlin and the Balearic Artist in Residence is violinist Francisco Fullana. On tour, the OSIB has played in renowned halls such as Radio France in Paris and Musikverein in Vienna.
Pablo Mielgo - Director
Born in Madrid, he studied in the city at the Conservatorio Superior de Música, Escuela de Música Reina Sofía and London's Guildhall School of Music. Since 2014, Mielgo is Chief Conductor of the OSIB (Symphonic Orchestra of the Balearic Islands). Mielgo regularly conducts in Europe, the United States, Latin America and the Middle East countries, where he has established solid artistic relationships with orchestras such as Qatar Philharmonic, Simón Bolívar of Venezuela, or the Orquesta de la Arena in Verona. Besides, he usually conducts prominent artists like Juan Diego Flórez, Labeque Sisters, Pierre-Laurent Aimard, Julian Rachlin or Radovan Vlatkovic, among others. Mielgo is Artistic Codirector of the Academia Filarmónica de Medellín, and Artistic and Musical Director of Fundación Saludarte.