Asiáin Magaña, Tomás (1922-1989)

In the 1940s, Tomás Asiáin broadened his musical studies in Madrid with Ricardo Dorado. At this time, he met his fellow countryman and maestro Fernando Remacha, to whom he presented his student projects and with whom he forged a lifelong friendship. In 1955, he finished his academic studies, obtaining a qualification in Composition from the Madrid Conservatory. He then received conducting classes from Maestro Dorado, while preparing state entrance exams to become a military band conductor, which he passed on his first attempt the next year.

At this point, highly influenced by Falla’s music via Fernando Remacha, he composed his first important pieces, such as the Suite de las Tres Danzas, finished in Madrid in 1956. This Suite is divided into three movements based on folkloric topics. The composer himself mentioned the idea behind this composition in the score: “Snoozing under the poplar trees, it dreams of dance”.

Recording date

From 5 to 9 September 2022.

Performers

Orquesta Sinfónica de Navarra

The current Navarre Symphony Orchestra was founded by Pablo Sarasate in 1879, making it the oldest working orchestra in Spain. It is currently part of the Baluarte Foundation, an institution funded mainly by the Government of Navarre and, as such, it is the province’s official orchestra. The Navarre Symphony Orchestra (OSN) has been around for almost one hundred and forty years, playing in major auditoriums, opera seasons and festivals, both in Spain and abroad. Highlights include playing at the Champs Elysées Theatre and the Châtelet Theatre in Paris several times, plus a concert tour organised by the Universal Music record label encompassing important European concert halls. The orchestra is the benchmark ensemble for the works of composer and violinist Pablo Sarasate and their recording of this Navarrese composer’s complete works for Naxos, featuring the violinist Tianwa Yang, has been unanimously praised by international critics. With the same recording label, the OSN performed a programme of recordings with the Polish orchestra director Antoni Wit, lead conductor from 2013 up to the 2017-2018 season. The OSN plays for the public during an annual concert season in the cities of Pamplona and Tudela, in the Baluarte Auditorium and the Gaztambide Theatre, respectively, and it performs an important social and educational role throughout the province.

Jesús Echeverría

Director

Born in Olite, he received a scholarship from the Gipuzkoa Provincial Government to study conducting at the Vienna Conservatory with Julius Kalmar. In 1987, he won a place at the Royal Academy of Music in London, where he furthered his training as a conductor with teachers such as Sir Colin Davis, Colin Metters, George Hurst, John Carewe and Horst Neuman. He completed his studies by winning the South Hall Memorial Prize in Conducting. He studied composition with Agustín González Acilu, Francisco Escudero, Tomás Marco, Javier Darias, Cristóbal Halffter and Mauricio Sotelo.

At the age of 23, he set up the Donostia Chamber Orchestra and, during his time in London, he founded The European Sinfonia.

He has conducted and recorded opera, zarzuela and symphonic-choral music in Spain, Poland, Japan, Latvia, Italy and Switzerland and he has conducted groups such as the Basque National Orchestra, the Latvian Philharmonic Orchestra, the Russian National Orchestra or the Navarre Symphony Orchestra where he was the Associate Conductor between 2015 and 2018.

He has received awards such as the INJUVE Composition Prize from the Navarre Institute of Sport and Youth, in 1998 and 1999, the International Pablo Sorozábal Composition Award for his work Cuarteto de Cuerda Nº 2 – Tétares or first prize for musical composition awarded by the Government of Navarre for his work Ennea III. In 2000, he received the 18th Joaquín Turina Award for musical composition, from Seville City Council, for his work Requiem Sine Verbis for a large orchestra, and the 15th Ciutat d’Alcoi Composition Prize for Coplas.

He is currently the analysis professor at Musikene - the Higher School of Music of the Basque Country and resident conductor for the La Rioja Symphony Orchestra.

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