Agrupación Musical "Virgen de la Sierra"
HISTORY OF THE BAND
The first records of a Wind Band in Villarrubia de los Ojos date back to 1908. The Band's early directors were Maestros Gramaje, Santos Carrero, Leandro Migallón, Bernardino Araque and Demetrio García. After the Civil War, the group began to play again in 1943, but it was not until 1950, under the direction of Manuel Navarrete, that they regained a firm footing. Navarrete was Director until 1965 and formed an almost entirely new band.
After a year under the baton of Julián Martínez, the Band dissolved for a few years. In the early 1970s some musicians from the former group reformed the Band under its current name of A.M. "Virgin de la Sierra".
In 1985, Evelio Alonso Fernández became the Band's director and renewed its membership, filling its ranks with young people and creating a solid group. His son, Evelio Alonso Fernández Jr., led the Band from August 1996 to September 1998.
The Band's current Director, Alfredo García Buendía, has been in post since 1998, a year in which the Band underwent some significant changes in its membership, tone, musicality and professionalism. In 2002 they recorded a CD of Processional Marches entitled "Sones de Esperanza". They have also participated in prestigious competitions such as: the 2nd Aranda de Duero International Wind Band Contest (Burgos) in 2011; the International Wind Band Contest "City of Valencia", where they won Second Prize in 2002, First Prize in 2003 and Second Prize in 2005 in the Second Division; and the 2009 Dosbarrios Wind Band Competition where they won Second Prize.
BIOGRAPHY OF THE CONDUCTOR
Alfredo García Buendía
Alfredo García Buendía was born in Puertollano (Ciudad Real). He began studying music with his father at the age of 11 and later continued his education under the instruction of Ángel Parla. He studied at the Superior Conservatories of Music in Madrid and Cordoba with the following teachers: Pedro Lerma, Almudena Cano, Pedro Iturralde, Enrique García Asensio, Carmen Flores, Rafael Quero, Diego and Bartolomé Conde. He received the highest grades and the following qualifications: Piano Teacher; Teacher of Harmony, Counterpoint, Fugue and Composition; Superior Teacher of Sol-fa and Music Theory, Superior Teacher of Saxophone and Superior Teacher of Orchestra Direction.
As a director he has accompanied prestigious soloists such as Iagoba Fanlo, Miguel A. Colmenero, Martín Baeza, David Martínez and Isidro Jorge and has co-directed with Maestros such as Enrique García Asensio and Odón Alonso. He won Second Prize at the Villafranca de los Barros International Wind Band Contest (Badajoz) in 2000; at the International Wind Band Contest "City of Valencia" he won Second Prize (Division Two) in 2002, First Prize (Division Two) in 2003, and Second Prize in 2005; and in the Dosbarrios Wind Band Contest (Toledo) he received Second Prize in 2009.
In 2004 he was invited to Andalucia to direct the Craiova "Oltenia" Philharmonic Orchestra from Romania. In 2006, the Valahia University of Targoviste (Romania) invited him to direct the Appassionato Choir and the Chamber Orchestra of the Ciudad Real Professional Conservatory of Music. In 2007 the Chung Cheong University (South Korea) invited him to direct the Chung Cheong Philharmonic Orchestra.
He collaborated with Fernando Argenta to give educational concerts.
He taught courses in Direction Technique in Villafranca de los Caballeros (Toledo, 1998 and1999) and Mojácar (2006).
He teaches at the Ciudad Real Professional Conservatory of Music, a post he gained through public examination, he is also the Director of the Orchestra and Wind Band of said Conservatory. Moreover, he is Director of the Villarrubia de los Ojos Wind Band and Principle Conductor of the Ciudad Real Symphony Orchestra (CROS).
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