INSTITUTIONAL GREETINGS
Sociedad Musical "La Amistad" de Villafranqueza HISTORY OF THE BAND The origins of the Sociedad Musical "la Amistad" go back to 1856, the year in which the records say a wind band was formed in Villafranqueza. Over the years the band has had many directors, including Francisco Marhuenda, Antonio Morote, José Martínez, Francisco Salaverri, Maestro José Torregrosa García, Jesús Mula Martínez, Juan Pedro Martínez, José Joaquín Ferrándiz and Rafael Segura Galán. Since March 2004, the band's principal conductor has been Eduardo Peris Signes, the of Alicante Municipal Band's trombone teacher. Particularly worthy of note are the band's performances in the 4th Altea La Vella Festival Music Contest in 2006 where they won the highest award and in the 2007 Filà Cruzados-Alcoy Wind Band Contest "Capitán Cristiano" where they also won first prize. In 2007 they won second prize in the 1st Rafelguaraf Festival Music Contest. In 2009 they won first prize in Division Two of the 38th Provincial Wind Band Contest and in October 2009 they won first prize and honorable mention in Division Two of the 31st Valencia Regional Wind Band Contest. In 2001 they won second prize in the 5th Torrevieja International Wind Band Contest. Teaching music continues to be one of the association's fundamental objectives. Many of its students have gone on to become professional musicians who work all over Spain. Currently the band has eighty-five members who all possess a rigorous musical training and promising future given to them by the music school and many of them have furthered their education in conservatories and with numerous professional musicians who still maintain links with the association where they began their careers. BIOGRAPHY OF THE CONDUCTOR Eduardo Peris SignesEduardo Peris Signes was born in Alcira, Valencia, where he began studying music at a very early age in the music school of the Sociedad Musica of Alcira.In 1982 he graduated with his saxhorn and trombone teaching qualifications, and in 1985 he was awarded his advanced trombone teaching diploma and received the Extraordinary Advanced Degree Prize. In the 1981-82 season he was contracted to work as a musician in the Orchestra of Valencia and became a member, through public examination, of the Alicante Municipal Band. It was here, in 1984, that he took up the trombone player position, a post he still holds today. He has taught in the Conservatories of Elche, Almoradí and Benisa. He has played with numerous chamber groups, including: Grupo de Metales Barroca de Alcira, the "Ciudad de Alicante" Trombone Quartet, the "Ciudad de Alicante" Brass Sextet, "Grupo Lucentum", and the "Aitana" Trombone Quartet. He has made recordings with this last group and was a founding member of all the aforementioned ensembles. He has attended numerous short trombone courses with highly prestigious teachers such as Branimir Slocar, Michel Becquet, Enrique Crespo and Armin Rosin, and has taught courses in the Universities of Alicante, Villena and Almoradí. In the field of wind band conducting he studied with José Rafael Pascual Vilaplana for five years, he completed several short courses with Francisco Cabrelles and Jan Cober, and he conducted the wind band "La Aurora" of Albatera and the "Mestro Gilabert" of Aspe. He is currently the principal conductor of the wind band of the Sociedad Musical "La Amistad" of Villafranqueza. |
