Societat Unió Musical Santa Cecília de Guadassuar

HISTORY OF THE BAND

There have been several bands in Guadassuar since the middle of the nineteenth century. In 1939, musicians from these different bands founded the Unió Musical Santa Cecília which, until 1975, was directed by Virgilio Beltrán.

Between 1981 and 1995, with Joaquín Vidal Pedrós as its conductor, the Band won first prize in Division One at the Valencia Wind Band Contest with the highest score of all the participating bands (1983), second prize in Special Section B (1985), first prize and honorable mention in the same Division (1987 and 1990) and second prize in the Honorary Division (1994).

Between 1995 and 2006, under the direction of Francisco Zacarés, the Band won two second prizes in the Altea Contest (1996 and 1999), first prize at the Murcia National Contest (2002), first prize at the Campo de Criptana National Contest (Ciudad Real, 2004) and first prize at the WMC in Kerkrade (2005).

The Band has taken part in numerous festivals and concerts in various places in the Valencia Region, Albacete, Catalonia and Madrid, as well as Avignon (France) and Corciano (Italy).

The Music School was founded in 1980; it currently teaches all instruments to over 250 students. The Association also has an orchestra, youth band, youth orchestra and children's choir.

Since 2006 the Band has been directed by Juan Carlos Civera, with whom they won first prize in Division One of the Valencia International Wind Band Contest "City of Valencia" in 2008, receiving the highest score of all the participating bands. In July 2009 the Band won first prize in the Villa de Alginet Contest with an ensemble mostly made up of young musicians.

In July 2010 and 2012 the Band won second prizes in the Honorary Division of the Valencia International Wind Band Contest.

BIOGRAPHY OF THE CONDUCTOR

Juan Carlos Civera

Juan Carlos Civera was born in Valencia in 1967. He studied at the Valencia Superior Conservatory of Music, winning an Honorary Prize in advanced level Bassoon and Chamber Music.

He was a member of Quintet de Vent López-Chavarri, Permanence Consort, Cambra XX and the Academia Arcadia, La Dispersione and Sinfónica Europea Mediterránea rrchestras. He has also been invited to perform in numerous Spanish orchestras. He has sung as a tenor with the Cor de la Generalitat Valenciana.

He has conducted the Coral Infantil Juan Bautista Comes, the Coro de Voces Mixtas of the Valencia José Iturbi Conservatory, the Grup Polifònic Haendel de Benaguasil, and the Escola Vocal de Xàbia. He has also led the following wind bands: Unió Artística Musical de Vilamarxant, Unió Musical de Benaguasil, Centre Artistic Musical de Bétera, Unió Musical de Mislata, the Armónica de Buñol, Unió Musical de Monserrat and the Unión Musical Utielana.

He has also been guest conductor of the Orquesta del CICUM de Benaguasil, the Orquesta Sinfónica de la Valldigna and the Orquesta de Cámara de la Artística de Buñol; and Principal Conductor of the Banda Musicale de Pont Saint Martín (Italy). In 2012 he directed Handel's Messiah, featuring the Schola Cantorum de Algemesí.

He currently teaches bassoon and chamber music at the Valencia José Iturbi Municipal Conservatory. He is Principal Conductor of the Santa Cecília de Guadassuar and Unión de Pescadores del Cabanyal wind bands, and the Arsonora saxophone ensemble.