Enrique Arriaga highlights "this is our proposal in a year in which we will not enjoy the festivities as we have traditionally done".

 

 

On Friday and Saturday this week after 7:30 pm, Symphony Orchestra of Tenerife will offer a concert devoted to Carnival. Tickets are already sold out. Details of this new concert were given today [Wednesday 10th] by Enrique Arriaga, councillor for Culture of Tenerife Island Council; by Víctor Pablo Pérez, honorary conductor of Symphony Orchestra of Tenerife, and Agustín Ramos, composer from Tenerife who arranged two pieces that the orchestra will play. One of the pieces Esto es Carnaval (This is Carnival) is a world première. The programme will be completed by “Carnival of The Animals”, by Camille Saint-Saëns; the script of this piece with be narrated by Antonia San Juan, actress, and played by the pianists Miguel Ángel Dionis and Javier Lanis.

As Enrique Arriaga highlighted “we are living an atypical year during which we will not be able to enjoy our fiesta; this is the first time that the streets will not be filled with colour and joy". He also stressed that "that's the reason why the Symphony Orchestra of Tenerife wanted to offer these concerts". Arriaga pointed out that "I can't stop thinking about all those businesses and restaurants that won't be able to take part in the Carnival this year, but it is essential that we maintain caution."

Víctor Pablo Pérez, honorary conductor of Symphony Orchestra of Tenerife, observed that "Carnival of The Animals" is a piece with several motivations. The actress Antonia San Juan will be on charge of the narration. The maestro anticipated that "it's going to be a lot of fun, interesting, atypical and probably biting, but that's how Carnival is. It is our way of feeling Carnival is alive. Hopefully next year it will take place with the same circumstances that we all know."

Agustín Ramos noted that "when I received the commission for this Carnival-themed work (Esto es Carnaval), I preferred to make a medley of well-known themes by people of Tenerife instead of a completely new creation. Once the audience listens to it, it will remind them of many moments experienced in our Carnival. It will be a carnival show for everyone."

The works Tenerife en Carnaval and Esto es Carnaval - a suite version - have been arranged for orchestra by Agustín Ramos. They review the best known tunes along Carnival's history whilst they group together different popular compositions that aim to synthesise the spirit of Carnival. Particularly noteworthy is the climax reached with rhythmic compositions of Latin orchestras, in which soloist and choir usually interact. On this occasion this will be emulated by different soloists of Symphony Orchestra of Tenerife. Among the most popular themes are: Caballo viejo, Ojalá que llueva café or Sigan bailando, as well as samba and batucada rhythms.

Tenerife Island Council and Symphony Orchestra of Tenerife have decided to acknowledge the career of Agustín Ramos (Candelaria, 1941) composer of the hymn par excellence of Carnival “Santa Cruz en Carnaval”. In this way, the orchestra joins the island's most international festival during this edition marked by current pandemic circumstances. 

During 15 years (1971-1986), Agustín Ramos was linked to Symphony Orchestra of Tenerife as principal trumpet player.  He was previously principal trumpet player in the Municipal Band of Santa Cruz de Tenerife (1959-1984). After beginning his studies on the island with Antonio González Ferrera (solfège), Eneldo Díaz and Ernesto Correa (trumpet) and Santiago Sabina (harmony), he continued his studies in Madrid with José Ortí; his orchestra's conducting teachers were Armando Blanquer and Crescensio Díaz de Felipe. His teaching work stands out for his position as professor of trumpet at the Conservatory of Music of Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

Víctor Pablo Pérez studied at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Madrid and at the Hochschule für Musik in Munich (Germany). He was artistic director and chief conductor of Symphony Orchestra of Asturias between 1980 and 1988 and of Symphony Orchestra of Tenerife between 1986 and 2005. In 1993 he started as conduct the Symphony Orchestra of Galicia, a task he carried out until 2013. That same year he joined the Orchestra and Choir of  the Community of Madrid as artistic director and conductor. Since January 2017 he has been the artistic director of the Youth Orchestra of the Canary Islands. 

Antonia San Juan, actress and filmmaker from the Canary Islands, won the Gold Medal of the Canary Islands. The actress is known for her regular appearances in TV series, theatre tours and film productions. She became known to the general public thanks to Pedro Almodóvar and his film All About My Mother, one of the director's best-known films. At a very young age, San Juan moved to Madrid to begin her theatrical career. She has stood out from very early on as a monologuist in bars and theatre cafés in Madrid. She has also followed her career as professional scriptwriter and producer. 

Miguel Angel Dionis García was born in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. After finishing his intermediate studies with Concepción Hernández Peraza, he continued his musical training with Miquel Farré in the Conservatory of Music of Barcelona. He currently teaches at the Conservatory of Music of Barcelona and at the School of Music of Catalonia. 

Tenerife native, Dionis García, has won several awards in competitions: XI National Piano Competition "Joan Massiá"; XXIV Interpreters' Competition of Catalonia; Competition of "Círculo XII de Enero”; Music Soloist of the Regional Government of Catalonia; XXV Competition for Musicians of Catalonia and the award Sofía Puche. Since 2001 he has been musical director of Mozart's The (little) Magic Flute, a production of the Gran Teatre del Liceu (Barcelona).

The Chilian pianist Javier Lanis studied with Elisa Alsina, Robert Roux and Anatol Ugorski at Chile University, Rice University (United States) and Hochschule für Musik Detmold (Germany). He currently teaches music at the Conservatory of Music of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. 

Thanks to his exquisite sensitivity and overflowing musical energy, he won the Claudio Arrau International Piano Competition (1991). He has also performed with Symphony Orchestra of Tenerife, National Symphony Orchestra of Chile, Symphony Orchestra of Concepción (Chile), Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie (Germany) and Dogma Chamber Orchestra (Germany).