International Music Band Contest of Valencia

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21/10/2025
The groups participating in the Third Section of the International Wind Band Contest «City of Valencia» 20255 will have to perform the score “Assur» by Sara Galiana as a compulsory piece. BIOGRAPHY Specialized in audiovisual music, she has received training from teachers such as Alex Conrado, Arnau Bataller, Carl Johnson, Damon Tedesco, and Brian Ralston, among others. She obtained her Film Scoring certificate in Los Angeles, California, in June 2019. She has worked on the soundtrack of short films such as "Nevermore," directed by Borja Pascual. This short film was awarded at various festivals and selected for the Beverly Hills festival, California; and "Plastic Killer" by Jose Pozo, which had the privilege of being preselected for the 2023 Oscars for Best Short Film. She worked as a copyist at JoAnn Kane Music Service, participating in films such as Star Wars IX, Frozen 2, Trolls 2, Maleficent 2, Doctor Dolittle, Onward, among many others, and in series like The Mandalorian, Family Guy, Empire, The Simpsons, etc. She also contributed to live projects, notably the 92nd Oscar edition in February 2020. She has also worked for one of the most important multinational companies in the games and entertainment sector in Spain and Latin America, composing music for their applications. She was part of the video game jury for the Berlanga Awards 2021, a jury member for the biennial music composition prize of the city of Eivissa 2022, and also a member of the jury for the XII National Film Music Band Competition “Ciudad de Cullera”. She has worked as an assistant composer in two music licensing libraries producing music for television series, documentaries, and video games in New York and Serbia, as well as composing for mobile apps. Besides this, she works as an orchestrator and arranger for Oscar Araujo, one of the most important video game composers in Spain. COMPULSORY PIECE: «Assur» Assur is a Suite in three movements lasting approximately 17 minutes, based on the book of the same name by Francisco Narla. It narrates the Viking incursions into Galician lands through the eyes of a twelve-year-old boy who embarks on a search for his family after being captured by the Normans themselves. The music takes us to Celtic folklore and tells this magnificent story of battles, conquests, and love. The work is divided into three movements: OVERTURE: This movement introduces the village and the character Assur, as well as his relationship with his wolf Furco. It is a cheerful movement, conveying Assur’s innocence, completely unaware of what is to come. THE NORMANS: This second movement opens with the music of the village, Outeiro, moments before it is devastated by the Normans. The theme of the Norsemen is presented, a strong, dark theme that makes us fear the worst. ILDUARA: The first theme that appears in the final movement is that of Assur’s sister, Ilduara. After many years without knowledge of each other, Assur returns to Galicia and they reunite, giving way to Assur’s theme which leads us to the ending of the work with the village theme. Assur has returned home. READ THE MANDATORY PIECES LIST INFORMATION NOTE As per the instruction of composer Sara Galiana, the Tenor Saxophone part has been divided into Tenor Saxophone 1 and 2 to clarify that the score already included both voices in the same part. Modified on: October 30th, 2025.
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