2004 Edition

Master Classes

From July 1th to July 27th, 2003 the Encuentro de Música y Academia de Santander, Cantabria 2003, housed more than one-hundred young musicians and fifteen eminent maestros of international standing who gave violin, viola, violoncello, double bass, flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, piano, chamber music and orchestra master classes.

Such master lessons gave the participants an excellent opportunity to directly work with professors selected amongst the best professionals in the world. The diversity of the participants favoured an enriching working atmosphere and offered a magnificent framework for an encounter between the different schools and styles represented by the most qualified musicians who met in Santander. The academic activity was developed at the Conservatorio Profesional de Música Jesús de Monasterio.

As was the case during the 2002 event, the participants have been directly invited by the organization of the festival: The Artistic Director of the Encounter, has carried out auditions in six of the most prestigious European music schools and academies: Sibelius Academy (Helsinki), Royal Academy of Music (London), Hochschule für Musik (Cologne), Orchester-Akademie (Berlin), Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse (Paris) and the Escuela Superior de Música Reina Sofía (Madrid). The advice and help of the professors participating in the Encounter has been a decisive factor in the selection.

The Encounter will be participating fully in the Virtual School of Music project. Therefore, most of the lessons were audio-video recorded.

Instrument, orchestra and Chamber Music

Chamber Music were also essential during the master classes of the Encuentro de Música y Academia de Santander, Cantabria 2003. These courses made possible the creation of an important number of new chamber ensembles amongst the Encounter’s participants, thus favoring truly unique music exhanges. The professors were involved in the setting-up of these groups by contributing their knowledge and experience.

The groups formed during the Encounter tried to achieve the greatest possible variety of instrumental and vocal formations. Six young string quartets of recognized prestige from Spain, France, Italy, United Kingdom, the Czech Republic, and Switzerland have also been invited to participate and to benefit from intense master classes.

The Encuentro de Música y Academia de Santander, Cantabria 2003 intended to achieve a highly professional working atmosphere It also intended to supply the participants not only with a better knowledge of singing and of all instruments but also to practice an extensive and wide-ranging repertory. Its purpose was to offer complete musical and artistic teachings within a highly professional working environment so that participants may be able to express themselves in the solo, chamber music and orchestra concerts with a wealth of inspiration and energy.

Orchestra

Desde el 5 de julio tuvieron lugar los ensayos de la orquesta sinfónica que se formó con motivo del Encuentro. Los solistas de estos conciertos fueron elegidos entre los jóvenes artistas participantes en el festival. La orquesta sinfónica ofreció dos conciertos bajo la dirección de Péter Csaba, uno en la Sala Argenta del Palacio de Festivales y el otro en la Iglesia de Santa María, en Laredo.
Los ensayos de la orquesta sinfónica tuvieron lugar en el Palacio de Festivales de Cantabria. Fueron gratuitos y públicos con la única limitación que impuso el aforo de la sala.