The Orchestra is made up of 24 professional saxophonists who come from all over Valencia. The group is unique, both in the Autonomous Region of Valencia and in Spain. Its members are permanent Ministry of Education teaching staff, teachers of the Valencia Municipal Band, and teachers at Municipal Conservatories and Professional Music Centers, among others; they are all working saxophonists. The instruments in the orchestra range from the sopranino to the bass, including the entire range of saxophones invented by Adolphe Sax. ORSAXCOVA was founded in summer 2007, driven by the teacher and saxophonist Javier de La Vega.

The group has performed all over the Autonomous Region of Valencia, although special mention must be given the concert they gave in the "Palau de la Música" when they were invited by Valencia City Council to take part in the International Wind Band Contest "City of Valencia" 2008. In January 2009, at the Club Diario Levante, they presented their first CD, 'ORSAXOVA en dirècte'. In April of the same year they were invited to perform at the "Musikmesse" International Music Fair in Frankfurt (Germany).

Recently, they released their latest CD, 'Tributurralde', featuring the music of the saxophonist and composer, Pedro Iturralde, which he himself arranged for ORSAXCOVA.

The members of ORSAXCOVA are:

• Sopranino Saxophone: José Vicente Catalá Benedito
• Soprano Saxophones: Imma Martínez Carles, Javier De La Vega Garea, David Olmos Raga and Carlos Montagudo Mañas
• Alto Saxophones: Oscar Egea Altabert, Javier Malonda Miñana, José Pascual Martínez Llácer, José Luís Peris Cordellat, Gaspar Frasés Gasent and Cristina Navarro Melero
• Tenor Saxophones: Cele Jiménez Cebolla, Francisco Javier Durá Costa, Màxim Martínez Gil, Manuel Bernat Castillos, Paula Climent Mompó and Cristina Vivas Berganza
• Baritone Saxophones: Darío Benedito Aviñó, Carlos Ballester Montoya, Mª Virtudes Miquel Ronda and José Damián Caballer Muñoz
• Bass Saxophones: Ángel Martínez Pardo and Omar Sala Escrihuela
• Conductor is Rafael Doménech Vives.

BIOGRAPHY OF THE CONDUCTOR

Rafael Domènech Vives

Rafael Domènech Vives was born in L'Alcúdia (Valencia) in 1974. He began his studies in "La Filharmònica Alcudiana" Music Association. He then went to the Carcaixent "Mestre Verd" Professional Conservatory where he gained his teaching qualifications in saxophone with excellent final grades and won the Extraordinary End of Course Prize. He completed higher studies at the Castellón Superior Conservatory, taught by Juan Fernández Ferrándis, receiving an Honorable Mention at the end of course. He has attended several instrumental master classes with teachers such as: Pedro Iturralde, Javier de la Vega, Israel Mira, Antonio Moltó Mira, Daniel Deffayet Jean-Ives Formeau, Marie-Bernadette Charrier, Manuel Miján, Antonio Salas and Ricardo Capellino. As a concert performer, he has given numerous recitals and has premiered diverse works. He is a founding member of the "Anacarsis" Saxophone Ensemble with which he has given many concerts.

As a tutor he has taught different courses and given lectures on his specialty. Since 1994 he has been a teacher at L'Alcúdia Professional Music Center, and since 2008 a substitute teacher employed by the Ministry of Education. He founded the "Vila de l'Alcúdia" Saxophone Seminar.
He began his conducting studies in 1996 with Rafael Sanz Espert (Principal Conductor of the Bilbao Municipal Band).

The same year, he reorganized and took charge of the Youth Band of L'Alcúdia Philharmonic Music Association. He was sub-director of the Symphonic Band of L'Alcúdia Philharmonic Music Association and Principal Conductor of the Ribera del Xúquer Veterans Music Ensemble, with which he gave various concerts all over Valencia, including twice participating as a guest band in the International Wind Band Contest "City of Valencia". He was guest conductor of the "El Verger" Music Ensemble, leading them in a concert in the Palau de Altea. He has been selected twice to lead the Bilbao Municipal Band in the closing concert of the "Maestro Sanz-Ebert" Conducting Course.

He is currently a teacher and the Director of L'Alcúdia Professional Music Center and of the Youth Band of L'Alcúdia Philharmonic Music Association. He also teaches at the Elda Conservatory and is Conductor of ORSACOVA, the Autonomous Region of Valencia Saxophone Orchestra.