The oldest documents discovered date the Band’s foundation to 1859. It had various ups and downs before enjoying its golden age in the 1950s, when it had 60 members, a large group when we consider that the total population of Godelleta was only 2,000.

At that time it took part in innumerable concerts and festivals, winning a First Prize in the Buñol Paso Doble Contest and having great conductors such as Amando Blanquer, Eleuterio Campos, Vicente Perelló and Roberto Sáez.

At the beginning of the 1970s, Jesús Perelló Fuster took over as Director, ushering in a new boom time for the group.  Later it went on to perform under the batons of José Miguel Rodilla, Ciro Rodríguez and Juan Ramón Barbera.

The early 1990s saw the beginning of the second period in which JESÚS PERELLÓ FUSTER led the Band; a period in which the large group was consolidated, becoming capable of facing increasingly difficult challenges.

The Band currently has more than 100 musicians, aged between 12 and 66 years old, who give an endless series of concerts, both in their home town and outside it.

In collaboration with the Municipal Authorities, the Association has been provided with a new headquarters which includes a renowned school which imparts classes in practically all instruments. It has 24 teachers and more than 200 pupils and offers adult courses and musical initiation classes for very young children.

The Band has taken part in concerts with Valencian soloists of such stature as Ignacio Giner, Mª Ángeles López Artigas, Javier Palacios, Silvia Vázquez, Javier Galán, Amparo Navarro, Pilar Grande and Rubén Simeó, and with choirs such as the Utiel Choir, the Choir of the Sueca Music Association and the Valentina Choir.

They have given concerts in various European countries, including: Paris in 1998; in various cities in Holland in 1999; and in Portugal in 2002. They have also performed in many major Spanish cities, including a tour in the Canary Islands in 2004 and another in Galicia in spring 2006.

They have recorded various CDs and DVDs, including recordings of their participation in contests and other events.

In 1998 the Music School Youth Band was created and in 2004 the Music School Children’s Band was founded. The Association also has a choir, a percussion ensemble and chamber groups.

With regard to its participation in contests, particularly worth of note are:

• In 1996, First Prize in the Second Division, by unanimous decision of the jury, in the "City of Leganes" Contest.
• In 2001, First Prize in the Campo de Criptana National Wind Band Contest.
• In 2002, Second Prize in the Campo de Criptana National Wind Band Contest.
• In 2003, First Prize in Division One and a Mention as Best Band from the Valencia Region at the International Wind Band Contest “City of Valencia”.
• In 2005, First Prize and Honorable Mention in Division One of the Valencia Provincial Contest.
• In 2005, First Prize in Division One of the Valencia Regional Contest, held in Cheste at the end of October.
• In 2007, Second Prize in Division One of the Villa de Altea Contest.
• In 2008, First Prize with the maximum points possible in the First Edition of the Benisanó Wind Band Contest “Castell de Benisanó”.
• In 2009, First Prize and Honorable Mention in Division One of the Valencia Provincial Contest.
• In 2009, First Prize in Division One of the Valencia Regional Contest, held in Cheste at the end of October.

BIOGRAPHY OF THE CONDUCTOR

Jesús Perelló Fuster

Jesús Perelló Fuster was born in Buñol (Valencia). He studied the oboe with Maestros Marí and F. Salanova, gaining his qualifications with the highest possible grades.

He also studied Counterpoint and Fugue, Harmony and Orchestra Direction and, after passing the exam to enter the Rotterdam Conservatory, he studied Wind Band and Orchestra Conducting with Arix Van Beek, Jean Koops, Jean Cober and Heinz Friessen, among others.

He has attended short courses in conducting with Maestro Cervera Collado.

He furthered his studies in Orchestra Conducting at the Madrid Superior Conservatory with Maestro García Asensio.

He directed the Buñol "La Artística" Youth Orchestra in the Valencia Youth Orchestra Festival, the San Antonio "Armónica" Band, the Yatova Music Association Band, the Montroy "Armonía", the Moncada Artistic-Musical Center Band, the Alacuas Music Association Band, the Godelleta Music Association Band, the Buñol "La Artística" Symphonic Band, the Rotterdam Conservatory Orchestra, the Holland National Youth Band, the Berlicum Band (Holland) and the Cullera Music Academy Band.

He has performed as guest director of the Alicante Municipal Band.

He has also been guest director of the Madrid Municipal Band on various occasions.

He directed the San Antonio "Armónica" for 20 years. When he arrived, the group had 22 musicians and when he left they were performing in the Special Section of the International Wind Band Contest "City of Valencia" and had 100 musicians.

In 1990, the Valencia Provincial Council commissioned him to record a CD of Valencian music.

He is currently the Director of the Band and Music School of the Godelleta Music Association. The School has 200 pupils, 23 teachers, a percussion ensemble, chamber ensembles, a youth band, children's band and choir. The School and Band were practically non-existent at the end of the 1980s.

He has recorded 5 CDs, containing a diverse range of music, with the Godelleta Music Association Band. They have also toured France, Holland, Portugal, the Canary Islands, Galicia and various Spanish cities, all of them outside the Region of Valencia.

He is a member of the soloist group, "Mare Nostrum", with which he has toured Paris, New York, Havana, Madrid, Barcelona and Bilbao, among others.

Since 1976, he has been the English horn soloist in the Valencia Municipal Band, gaining his place through public examination.