Camino a Aranda Competition

On Wednesday, July 1st, Cartagena will enjoy a feast of music at the Plaza del Ayuntamiento. The concert features an ambitious repertoire characteristic of this Cartagena-based ensemble. Through two distinct segments, the audience will embark on a musical journey ranging from the traditional roots of Spanish music to the spectacular sounds of Hollywood film scores and major international compositions.

The first part will pay a heartfelt tribute to Spanish music. The evening will open with the traditional rhythms of the *pasodoble* through a performance of *100 años de Suspiros* by Santiago Quinto Serna. Next, the band will tackle the contemporary sophistication of Teodoro Aparicio Barberá’s *Portraits of Spain*. To conclude this first section, they will perform the symphonic suite from the famous *zarzuela* *La leyenda del beso* (The Legend of the Kiss) by masters Reveriano Soutullo and Juan Vert, in a carefully crafted band transcription by Douglas McLain.

In the second part, the program shifts toward international and cinematic territory. The opening will be charged with Hollywood energy via John Williams’ vibrant *1941 March*, adapted by the band’s own conductor, Andrés Pérez Bernabé. Afterward, the mysticism and evocative atmosphere of composer Salvador Luján’s *Los anillos de Saturno* (The Rings of Saturn) will take center stage. The concert’s grand finale will feature a cornerstone of the 20th-century wind band repertoire: the imposing first movement of Alfred Reed’s *Armenian Dances*. This highly demanding work will put the band’s power and precision to the ultimate test as they prepare for their upcoming competition.

It promises to be a dynamic and entertaining performance that will dazzle the audience while sending the ensemble off on their journey to Aranda.