FRANCISCO BORT RAMÓN

Francisco Arturo Bort Ramón was born in Catarroja (Valencia) in 1963. He received his teaching qualifications from the Valencia Superior Conservatory of Music. His main teachers were: José Bort (Harmony), Gregorio Castellano and Antonio Daniel (Saxophone).

In 1987 he gained a position, through public examination, in the Valencia Municipal Band, where he is currently the Solo Saxophonist. He is a member of the "Studel Sax" saxophone ensemble, whose members are all Valencia Municipal Band teachers.

A self-taught composer, he has written over twenty works ranging from chamber music to symphonic pieces. He is a member of the Sociedad General de Autores (SGAE) and COSICOVA (the association of Valencian symphonic composers).

His symphonic works for band include: "Llegendes" and "Ocurrències", which were compulsory pieces in the 2000 and 2003 editions of the International Wind Band Contest "City of Valencia". To commemorate the centenary of the Valencia Municipal Band he wrote a work entitled "Des de 1903" which was premiered by the aforementioned group in a special concert in the gardens of the Palau de la Músic in July 2002, conducted by Pablo Sánchez Torrella. His work "Variaciones Irónicas" won the Madrid "Maestro Villa" prize in 2007.

All his symphonic works have been performed by the Valencia Municipal Band in the Palau de la Música under the baton of the band's principal conductor, Pablo Sánchez Torrella. Moreover, Enrique García Asensio, the principal conductor of the Madrid Symphonic Municipal Band, has included his works "Llegendes" and "Variaciones Irónicas" in the group's concert repertoire on numerous occasions with great success. Other municipal bands, such as those of Bilbao, Barcelona, San Sebastián, Castellón, Alicante, Seville and Malaga, regularly perform his works.

In the chamber music genre he has written works for a wide range of ensembles: soloist with piano, duos, saxophone quartets, classical and brass quintets, among others.

On 27 May 2012, in the Palau de la Música in Valencia, the Valencia Municipal Band, conducted by its new principal conductor, Fernando Bonete Piqueras, premiered his latest symphonic composition for band, a symphonic poem entitled "Joglaresca".