Societat Unió Musical "Santa Cecília" de Guadassuar

HISTORY OF THE BAND

The Band, founded in 1939, is a continuation of the Guadassuar wind band tradition which goes back to the nineteenth century. Until 1975 it was under the direction of Virgilio Beltrán.

Between 1981 and 1995, with Joaquín Vidal Pedrós as its director, the Band enjoyed the greatest successes in its history. In the Valencia International Wind Band Contest they won First Prize in Division One with the maximum points in all sections (1983), Second Prize in Special Division B (1985), First Prize and Honorable Mention in the same Division (1987, 1990) and Second Prize in the Honorary Division (1994).

Between 1995 and 2006, under the direction of Francisco Zacarés, they won two Second Prizes at 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 and the WMC in Kerkrade (2005).

He has taken part in numerous festivals and concerts in various places in the Valencia Region, 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 pupils. The school also has an orchestra (founded in 1988), 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 International Wind Band Contest "City of Valencia" in 2008, receiving the maximum number of points in all categories. In July 2009 the Band won First Prize in the Villa de Alginet Contest with an ensemble mostly made up by young musicians. Recently, in July 2010, the Band received Second Prize in the Honorary Section 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 under the instruction of the Nederland Wind Ensemble. He is a Bassoon and Chamber Music teacher at the Valencia "José Iturbi" Municipal Conservatory and a member of the López-Chavarri Wind Quintet, the Iturbi Ensemble, Cámara XXI, the Academia Arcadia Orchestra and the European Mediterranean Symphony Orchestra. He also collaborates with the Valencian Region Choir.

He has been principal conductor of the Vilamarxant Artistic Music Association Band, the Benaguasil Musical Union Band and the Bétera Artistic Music Center Band; guest conductor of the Mislata Music Association Band, the Buñol "Armónica" Band, the Montserrat Music Association Band and he is the Principal Guest Conductor of the Point Saint Martín Band. He has also directed several choral groups.

He has led the Guadassuar Wind Band since September 2006, with which he won First Prize in Division One (2008) and Second Prize in the Honorary Division (2010) of the International Wind Band Contest "City of Valencia" and First Prize in the Villa de Alginet Contest (2009).