PASCUAL OSA

Born in in Siete Aguas (Valencia), Pascual Osa received his degree in percussion teaching from the Madrid Royal Conservatory of Music, before going on to further study in the Berlin Musikhochschule, where he was taught by Oswald Vogler (a soloist with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra). He finished his studies in piano and composition at the Madrid Royal Conservatory with Maestro Antón García Abril, and in orchestra conducting with Maestro Enrique García Asensio. He received the Extraordinary End of Degree Prize.

Since 1990 he has furthered his training in orchestra directing with Maestros Ferdinand Leitner, Aldo Ceccato, Helmut Rilling, Seiji Ozawa and Bernhard Haitink.

Since 1985 he has been a teacher of the Spanish National Orchestra and since 1999 he has been a soloist with the same group.

He has been principal conductor of the following orchestras: San Jerónimo el Real Orchestra, Chamartín Symphony Orchestra, United Nations Symphony Orchestra and he is currently the conductor of the Filharmonía Orchestra and Choir.

Other orchestras he has conducted include: The Spanish National Orchestra, the RTVE Orchestra, the Tenerife Symphony Orchestra, the Asturias Symphony Orchestra, the Region of Madrid Orchestra, the Madrid Symphony Band, the Linares Symphony Band, the Orchestra of Valencia, the London Philharmonic Orchestra (UK), the Peru National Symphony Orchestra, the Ecuador National Symphony Orchestra, the Santiago de Chile Symphony Orchestra, the New World Orchestra (Mexico, D.F.) and the New York Ensemble and Choir (USA).

He has directed several operas and operettas, including Otello, La Traviata, Carmen, Norma, La Vida Breve, La Dolores, La Rosa del Azafrán, La del Manojo de Rosas, Doña Francisquita, Luisa Fernanda, Los Gavilanes, "Madrileña Bonita", "La Fiesta Nacional en la Zarzuela" and "Tres Sopranos en la Zarzuela" (colección Zarzuela 5 estrellas).

He recorded, with Fernando Argenta, the "El Conciertazo" program series for Spanish Television during its 9-year run.

On 7 September 2011 he conducted two concerts given by the New York Ensemble and Choir at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City as part of the events commemorating the 10th anniversary of September 11.

He has received the "Cultura Viva de Musica" prize in Madrid, presented by Maestro Claudio Prieto, in recognition of his music career; and the "Español Ejemplar" prize in the category of Arts and Humanities, presented by the former President of the Region of Madrid, Esperanza Aguirre, for his contribution to the preservation and promotion of Spanish music through the regular concert series he gives in the National Auditorium of Music in Madrid with the Filharmonía Orchestra and Choir.