JOSE RAFAEL PASCUAL VILAPLANA
Member of the Jury of the 33 edition of the Contest.
He is born 30 April 1971 on wall (Alicante) where he began his musical studies with the euphonium and piano at the Unión Musical de Muro, His teachers being Salvador Martínez and Mª Angeles Palacios.. Later he continued his professional studies at the Municipal Conservatory of Alcoi and the Higher Conservatory of Valencia.. Since 1988 studies Band Conducting with the Dutch maestro Jan COBER (“Brabant Conservatory” the Tilburg), first in courses in Spain and then in Holland, country where he took various improvement courses in band direction with Eugene CORPORON (University of North Texas). In 1993 is selected in the specialty of Orchestral Conducting within the “Vienna music seminar” de Vienna, studying with Karl ÖSTERREICHER and Yuji YUHASA. In 1994 attends James CROFT's conducting classes in Chicago at the “47th. Mid West Band and Orchestra Clinic”. In 1995 Obtains the Orchestra Conducting Diploma from “Viennese master classes for music” at the Vienna University of Music, with master Hans GRAF. He has expanded his knowledge of Management in various courses with teachers such as José Collado, Gerardo Perez Search or Milane Norman. In 2004 Take a Master Class in Orchestral Conducting with the prestigious maestro Georges Pehlivanian and the Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra in Ljubljana.
He has attended Musical Pedagogy Courses with teachers Diego Ramón Lluch, Ana Lucía Frega and Maravillas Díaz at the Vall d’Albaida Regional Music School.
He has worked as chief conductor of various bands in Alicante (Castell de Castells and Muro) and from Valencia (U.M. de Yátova), highlighting his activity in the Traditional Music group “The Xafigà” (1988-1996), the Band of the Bocairent Musical Union Association (1994-1998), in the Band of the Artistic-Musical Group “The Work” from Xixona (1995-2002), in the Band of the Musical Society of Muro (2002-2007) and in the Band of the Musical Society “The Nova” de Xàtiva (2007-2009). He has been guest conductor of the Cuban National Band, Professional Bands of the Tilburg and Maastricht Conservatories (Netherlands), Alicante Municipal Bands, Barcelona, Castellón, Madrid, Palma de Mallorca, Pontevedra, Sta. Cross of Tenerife, Santiago de Compostela, and Vitoria, Matanzas Municipal Band (Cuba), “Fanfareorkest” from the South of Holland, Buenos Aires Municipal Band (Argentina), Band of the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters of the University of Buenos Aires, Banda Real de Opdorp (Belgium), Rotterdam Royal Dutch Navy Band, Band of the Superior Conservatory of the Canary Islands, C.S. Band. of the Principality of Asturias, MUSIKENE band, Sta Symphonic Band. Maria da Feira (Portugal), Bairrada Symphonic Band (Portugal), Portuguese Symphony Band of Porto, Albacete Conservatory Band, Tortosa Conservatory Band, Calahorra Conservatory Band, Pontevedra Conservatory Band, Wind Orchestra “Both of them” of Bern (Swiss), Band of the Federation of Musical Societies of the Valencian Federation (season starter 2002), Band of the Murcia Federation of Bands, Matanzas Symphony Orchestra, Bucharest Symphony Orchestra (Romania), Chamber Orchestra “Manuel de Falla” from Cadiz, Choir of the University of Cádiz, Albacete Symphony Orchestra, Castellón Symphony Orchestra, Murcia Symphony Orchestra, Vallés Symphony Orchestra, Symphony Orchestra of the Superior Conservatory of Music of the Principality of Asturias … as well as with various Valencian band groups ( U.M. of August, U.M. y C.M. from Albaida, U.M. Aldaia, S.F.A. by Altea, S.M. from Baths, S.M. The Peace of Beneixama, U.M. from Benidorm, S.M. “The Artistic” from Buñol, U.M. Busot, S.M. of Callosa of In Sarria, U.M. from Carlet, A.M. from Cullera, A.M. y U.M. of Cocentaina, S.M. from El Camp de Mirra, ACME de Elda, U.M. from Estivella, U.M. from Les Alqueries, S.M. from Muchamel, U.A.M. y A.M. Ontinyent, U.A.M. from Novelda, S.M. from Ondara, U.M. from Riba-Roja, S.M. of Sant Mateu, Villena Municipal Band, …). He has been invited to direct in the prelude to the Major Festivals of the cities of Ontinyent, Callosa d'En Sarrià, honeydew, Elda in Petrer.
He is a composer of various works for band and instrumental ensemble., some of his works appearing in Editorial Piles, Albadhoc Editorial, Rivera Editions, Publishing All for the Air, EGC Editions and Omnes Bands Publishing House in Valencia. He regularly participates as a jury in different composition contests for Banda. (Altea, gasping, Benidorm, Callous, Calpe, Cooking, Caught, Denia, Algemessí, Sant Vicent del Raspeig…). He has been appointed International Jury of the Swiss National Band Competition held in the city of Montreux in 2001, of the Pordenone Conducting Competition (Italia, 2006), of the Italian Switzerland Band Competition in Lugano (2009), of the Kerkrade WMC International Conducting Competition (2010), of the Tuscany Conducting Competition (Italia, 2010), of the National Band Contest of Colombia in the city of Paipa, (2010), as well as jury of the Alicante Provincial Band Competitions (2001) and Castellón (2002) and the La Senia Band Contest (2006). He has written commissioned works for groups such as Spanish Brass, Luur Metalls, or 2i2 Quartet,. In 2006 premieres his musical Balansiyyà with lyrics of Carlos Veiga, performing in Valencia, Torrevieja, Madrid and Rabat (Morocco).
Currently principal director of the Albacete Symphony Orchestra, principal guest conductor of the CAMERA MUSICAE Orchestra of Tarragona. . He is artistic director and professor of the Musical Improvement Courses at the Istituto Musicale Guido Alberto Fano in Spilimnbergo. (Italia) from 2007. Since 1995 He is a teacher at the Vall d’Albaida Regional Music School, of 1999 a 2004 at the Academy “Allegro” from Valencia and 2002 a 2007 in E.C.M. of the County. He is a member of the SGAE, founding member of the ACMMIC Composers Association (Association of Music Composers of Moors and Christians), member of WASBE (World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles) and from COSICOVA (Association of Valencian Symphonic Composers).
In 1991 was awarded the “Master's Baton. William Thomas” of the National Band of Cuba in Havana. In 1997 won the First Prize “Golden Baton” of the “8th. International Conductor’s Competition” del WMC de Kerkrade (Netherlands). In April 2000 wins First Prize “Baton of Honour” of the “1st. European Conductors’ Competition” organized by the EBBA (European Brass Band Association) and held at Symphony Hall in the English city of Birmingham, for which it was named as “European Conductor Champion 2000”. In October of the same year he was the only Spaniard selected to direct opera in the “VI Competition for Giovanni Orchestra Director of the European Community” organized by the Franco Capuana Foundation of Rome, the Academia Chigiana of Siena and the Teatro Lirico Sperimentale of Spoleto (Italia), directing “Carmen” by G.Bizet at the Spoleto Opera House. In 2004 receives the Euterpe Award from the Federation of Musical Societies of the Valencian Community in two categories: Band Direction and Music Composition for the Party. In 2010 receives the National Music Award “Ignacio Morales Nieva” of the Castilla Music Festival “The Mancha”.
PUBLICATIONS
– Recordings
1. THE XAFIGÀ. Moors and Christians. The Xafigà and the U.M. Wall, EGT (Valencia, 1993)
2. HORSE OF FIRE. The Xafigà and the A.A.M. Xixona, EGT (Valencia, 1997)
3. MUSIC I PARTY. A.M.M. Xixona, EGT (Valencia, 1997)
4. UNPUBLISHED MUSIC FROM ALACANTÍ. A.A.M. Xixona, Ed. 14 Will. (Alicante, 1999)
5. PARTY ARRANGEMENTS A.M.M. Xixona, EGT (Valencia, 2000)
6. José R. Pascual-Vilaplana. Monograph U.M.. Wall, ALL THE BANDS (Valencia, 2000)
7. EL VINALOPÓ.A BANDA A.M.C. Cooking, DK Studios (Alicante, 2000)
8. A CASTELLS U.M. Castle of Castles, EGT (Valencia, 2000)
9. THE BAND SOUNDS. Plaza Mayor A.A.M. Xixona, RTVE Music, 2001.
10. LONG LIVE THE BAND. Plaza Mayor U.M. of Wall, RTVE Music 2002.
11. MONOGRAPH 3: Rafael Mullor Degree Philharmonia Wind Orchestra, ALL THE BANDS (Valencia, 2004).
12. SAXUM Band of the Artistic-Musical Group “The Work” from Xixona (Audio Art, 2004).
13. DVD The Music of Moors and Christians: Music of a whole century Band “The Artistic” from Buñol, Ed. World Wind Music (Netherlands, 2004)
14. DUTCH MASTER SUITE Winds of Winds, Ed. Amstel Music (Netherlands, 2008)
15. CANTICLES Philharmonic Wind Orchestra, Ed. Amstel Music (Netherlands, 2008)
16. La Sénia DVD Contest 2009 Philharmonic Wind Orchestra 2009
17. DE FANG. Music written and directed by José R. Pascual-Vilaplana Ed. Audio art, 2010
– Other Recordings: Different works by José R appear engraved. Pascual-Vilaplana in records of Bands such as Banda de Alzira, Banda A.M. Vilajoiosa, Banda U.M. August, Banda U.M. Busot, Xàbia band, Banda de Ibi, glue “The Terròs” by Petrer. on labels like EGT, DK, ML Produccions or RTVE Music.
AWARDS
– 1997/2008: Gold Medal of the Villa de Muro (Alicante)
– 1998: Gold Badge of the U.M. Association. from Bocairent (Valencia)
– 2000: Insignia de Oro de la Filà Pirates de Muro (Alicante)
– 2000: Gold Medal of the City of Xixona (Alicante)
– 2002: Honorary Member of the A.M. Group. “The Work” from Xixona.
– 2002: Gold badge of the Contestana Musical Union of Cocentaina.
– 2003: Honorary Member of Estivella Musical Union (Valencia)
– 2004: Gold Badge of the Band “The Artistic” from Buñol
– 2005: AGERMANATS award for cultural career
– 2005: HONOR DINNER Award of the Association “Talking and Eating”
– 2005: PARRA D’OR Award for work for the dissemination of traditional music awarded by La Colla EL TERRÒS de Petrer.
– 2008: QUSENTANYA Award from the Cocentaina Festival Board.
– 2011: Award START TO HAPPY The Bad Pass Group of Cocentaina.
– 2011: Honoric Director of the AUM Band of Bocairent
– Articles and Publications:
1. “The Music Bands: from tradition to contemporary” and Euphonia nº 18. Ed. step (Barcelona, 2000)
2. “The Music Bands: a pending subject” in Proceedings of the 1st ISME Meeting on Education – Spain. Music Education: prospects for a new millennium. Music School “Andrés Isasi” from Getxo (2000)
3. Presentation at the II Festival Music Symposium of La Vall d’Albaida (Tinting, 2001). “The Music for the Festival of Moors and Christians: history and validity of a band genre”.
4. He regularly collaborates with different articles on band music and training in the specialty of wind music for the magazine “Music and People” (Federation of Musical Societies of the Valencian Community) as well as in different local publications, having published more than forty articles of a historiographic or opinion nature.