|
| THE ONCA |
|
|
At the end of 1992, the Government of Andorra resolved to create the National Chamber Orchestra of Andorra (ONCA) under the artistic direction of the Andorran violinist Gerard Claret, an internationally renowned soloist and teacher.
The ONCA, presented officially in March 1993, is attached to the ONCA Foundation, which is managed by the Government of Andorra and the Crèdit Andorrà Foundation.
|
In 2006, the ONCA Foundation’s Board of Trustees changed the ensemble’s name, calling it the National Classical Orchestra of Andorra and appointing the Italian maestro Marzio Conti to be the principal conductor of its productions in the classical orchestra format.
This updated organisational structure marked the start of a new professional stage for the ensemble, offering concert organisers an extensive repertoire while giving the ONCA the opportunity to make itself more widely known in large auditoriums and festivals.
|
Moreover, by adopting the classical format, the ONCA will be working with notable conductors and soloists, thus broadening its scope of influence, its artistic capacity and its prominence through the figures of prestigious music professionals.
The ONCA’s concerts combine the chamber and classical formats. |
CHAMBER ENSEMBLE
Gerard Claret, leader/director |
|
|
Gerard Claret has given concerts in Andorra, Spain, France, Belgium, Italy, Gerrmany and Portugal, and he has acquired widespread prestige on the international music scene.
He has participated in diverse festivals: the Narciso Yepes Festival of Ordino – Principality of Andorra, the Pablo Casals Festival of Prades and the Pau Casals Festival of El Vendrell, the Schubertiada of Vilabertran, the Brudieu Festival of La Seu d'Urgell, the Musical Autumn of Soria, the Serenates of Valencia, the Live Music Market of Vic, the Castell de Santa Florentina Festival, the Sant Pere Sallavinera Festival, the Castell de Peralada Festival, the Estoril Festival, the Festival of the Millennnium of Madrid and Barcelona, the Summer Concerts of Santes Creus, the Festival of Torroella de Montgrí, the Cap Roig Gardens Festival, and the Barcelona Jazz Festival
He has also performed in concert cycles of the Palau de la Música Catalana in Barcelona, the Auditorium of Galicia, the National Auditorium of Madrid, the Auditorium of Saragossa, the Felip Pedrell Auditorium of Tortosa, the Theatre-Auditorium of Sant Cugat del Vallès, the Enric Granados Auditorium of Lleida, and the Barcelona Auditorium |
Likewise, Gerard Claret has performed with internationally renowned soloists including Narciso Yepes, Victòria dels Àngels, Lluís Claret, Marçal Cervera, Joan Enric Lluna, Jean Pierre Rampal, Claudi Arimany, Patrick Gallois, Joaquín Achúcarro, Josep Maria Colom, Maurice André, Josep Carreras, György Sebök, Jaume Aragall, Michel Lethiec, Manuel Barrueco, Quartet Casals, Caetano Veloso, Susana Rinaldi, Barbara Hendricks, Gary Hoffman, Carlos Núñez, Mireia Pintó, Marc Canturri and Nina.
He has collaborated with the National Children’s Choir of Andorra, the Chamber Choir of the Palau de la Música Catalana, the Orfeó Català, the Cor Madrigal and the Coral Carmina.
The ONCA, for its part, was conducted by Lord Yehudi Menuhin on his 80th birthday and other guest conductors have been Jordi Casas, Pierre Cao, Fernando Marina, Salvador Brotons and David Brophy, among others.
The ONCA has recorded works by the Catalan composers Eduard Toldrà, Xavier Montsalvatge and Pau Casals, which were collected on a CD that was awarded the Jury Prize of the magazine CD Compact, obtaining excellent critiques from specialist international journals. |
Its discography also includes works by Joaquín Turina, Joaquín Rodrigo, Joan Manén and Ricard Lamote de Grignon, the music of Albert Guinovart for Terra Baixa, Brazilian songs with the jazz singer Carme Canela, and La seduzione with Jaume Aragall.
Special mention may be made of the premieres, respectively, of Gemini (1998) by Jordi Cervelló, of Three Reflextions on a Winter Pastorale (2003) by Xavier Montsalvatge, and of Symphony No. 2, “Andorrana” (2007) by Sergio Rendine, as well as the recording of the latter work, all commissions of the Government of Andorra.
In 2003 the ONCA signed an artistic and pedagogic cooperation agreement with the Theatre-Auditorium and the Victòria dels Àngels Municipal Music School of Sant Cugat del Vallès. In November 2004 it was awarded the St. George Cross by the Catalan Government.
In the 2004-2005 season, in collaboration with the Orfeó Català-Palau de la Música Catalana Foundation, the ONCA gave its first Chamber Concerts Cycle at the Petit Palau.
|
CLASSICAL ENSEMBLE
Gerard Claret, artistic director and leader
Marzio Conti, principal conductor |
|
|
Since the time of its expansion in the year 2006, the ONCA classical ensemble has had Marzio Conti as its principal conductor and it has likewise been conducted by a number of other renowned figures such as Fernando Marina, Salvador Brotons and David Brophy, among others. It has performed with soloists of international prestige such as Lluís Claret, Gary Hoffman, Carlos Núñez, Mireia Pintó and Marc Canturri.
Moreover, it has collaborated with the National Children’s Choir of Andorra, the Chamber Choir of the Palau de la Música Catalana, the Orfeó Català, and the Coral Carmina. The ONCA classical ensemble has performed on diverse stages, such as the Palau de la Música Catalana, the Castell de Peralada Festival, the Pablo Casals Festival of Prades, at the National Auditorium of Ordino, at the Sala Prat del Roure of Escaldes-Engordany, at the Auditorium of Madrid, at the Zaragoza 2008 International Exposition Centre, and at the Theatre-Auditorium de Sant Cugat del Vallès, among others.
|
On the occasion of the creation of the ONCA’s new classical ensemble, the ONCA FOUNDATION commissioned the Italian composer of contemporary classical music, Sergio Rendine, to compose a symphony, called “Andorrana”, with the aim to broaden the group’s own musical repertoire, just as it had previously done with Montsalvatge and Cervelló for its chamber ensemble.
The symphony premiered officially on 12 May 2007 in Andorra, and it was subsequently presented in other cities, such as Madrid on 19 May 2007. It has found a very warm acceptance among audiences, proving a great public success on each occasion. Rendine’s “Andorrana” Symphony has been performed by the Orchestra of Oviedo under the direction of maestro Marzio Conti. In 2008 a CD was recorded for the Naxos label which includes two of Rendine’s works: Symphony No. 1 and Symphony No. 2., “Andorrana”.
|
Also in the year 2008, the ONCA Foundation commissioned Rendine to compose the music which is to accompany the opera El somni de Carlemany (Charlemagne’s Dream), based on a libretto by Albert Villaró. The ONCA Foundation’s aim is to add to its repertoire an original previously unpublished opera composition which may be performed by soloists, choir and orchestra, and it has requested Rendine to harmonize this opera for this purpose.
In December 2008 a fragment of the opera, call La Dama blanca (The White Lady) was presented on the occasion of the award of the Charlemagne 2008 Prizes. In February 2009 the composer delivered the finished work to the Foundation. |
|
|
