As a result of the limitations and restrictions imposed by the fight against Covid-19, the 20th edition of the Encounter of Music and Academy of Santander will not be able to be held this year, but the music will sound live again in the Cantabrian region thanks to the support provided by the Government of Cantabria, the Santander City Council and various private entities to the activities of the Albéniz Foundation.
The Albéniz Foundation, fulfilling its mission to bring music closer to society and to support culture and young artists, has organized a special program under the name “Reunion” for the summer of 2020 in Cantabria, which includes various activities.
On the one hand, a cycle of 20 in-person concerts in Cantabria, which will feature performances by students and former students of the Reina Sofía School of Music and Cantabrian musicians: Ensemble Cervantes (Vera Martínez Mehner, violin; Jonathan Brown, viola; Erica Wise, cello; Alexander Melnikov, piano); Asier Polo (cello); Pierre Delignies (piano); Hayk Sukiasyan (cello) and Pallavi Mahidhara (piano); the Dúo del Valle (Luis and Víctor del Valle, pianos) and Ana María Valderrama (violin); Luis Fernando Pérez (piano); Globo Ensemble (Gala Kossakowski, flute; Inmaculada Veses, oboe; Natacha Correa, clarinet; Andrea Pérez, bassoon; Jessica Rueda, horn); Baroque Group (Irene Benito, baroque violin; Miriam Jorde, baroque oboe; Alejandro Marías, viola da gamba and baroque cello; Jorge López-Escribano, harpsichord); María Saiz (violin) and Ángel Cabrera (piano); and the VibrArt Trio (Miguel Colom, violin; Fernando Arias, cello; Juan Pérez Floristán, piano).
The cycle will take place in different spaces in the capital of Santander (Sala Argenta of the Palacio de Festivales de Cantabria, Church of Santa Lucía, Auditorium of the Botín Center, Cloister of the Cathedral, Jardín de Caballerizas de La Magdalena) and other locations of the Community: Alfoz de Lloredo-Cigüenza (Parish of San Martín), Castro Urdiales (Crystal Courtyard of the I.E.S. Ataúlfo Argenta), Laredo (Church of Santa María), Reocín-Villapresente (House of Culture), Santillana (Cloister of the Diocesan Museum), Santiurde de Toranzo-Soto Iruz (Monastery of Ntra. Sra. del Soto), Torrelavega (Church of Ntra. Sra. de la Asunción) and Vega de Pas (Church of Ntra. Sra. de La Natividad).
In addition, the concerts scheduled for July 2, 4, 11 and 14 will be broadcast live through the YouTube channel of the Reina Sofía School of Music.
Tickets for the concerts at the Palacio de Festivales de Cantabria can be purchased from Wednesday, June 24 at the physical and online box offices. The other concerts are free admission, with limited capacity, except for the one held at the Botín Center (which will be by invitation to be collected at the center itself).
The detailed program can be consulted here.
In order to offer maximum safety, both to the artists and workers and to the public attending the concerts, strict hygiene and cleaning measures will be applied in the halls, as well as a reduction and distribution of capacity that guarantees respect for social distancing. The use of masks will be mandatory for all audiences upon entering and leaving the concert halls and at all times when it is not possible to maintain a safe distance. Likewise, the public must collaborate in complying with all the indications received from the organization.
“Reencuentro” (Reunion) is also digital: Free online master classes and recitals
The “Reunion” cycle also includes two complementary activities that will be developed online and have been organized by maestro Péter Csaba, artistic director of the Santander Encounter. Young musicians selected from the main European conservatories of Amsterdam, Brussels, Berlin, Budapest, Cologne, London, Madrid, Waterloo and Zurich, will receive
The teachers who will teach the young artists during this digital “Reencuentro” (Reunion) will be: Felix Renggli, flute; Dominik Wollenweber, oboe; Francçois Benda, clarinet; Radovan Vlatkovic, horn; Zakhar Bron, violin; Nobuko Imai, viola; Jens Peter Maintz, cello; Claudio Martínez Mehner, piano and John Graham-Hall, singing.
“Reencuentro” (Reunion) has received the support of the main public institutions of Cantabria, as well as a series of general sponsors: Government of Cantabria; Ministry of Universities, Equality, Culture and Sports; Santander City Council; Ministry of Culture and Sports (INAEM); Albéniz Foundation; Reina Sofía School of Music; International Institute of Chamber Music of Madrid; Cantabria Festival Palace; Regional Society of Education, Culture and Sports S.L.; Community of Madrid and Madrid City Council.
As concert sponsors: Café Dromedario; El Diario Montañés; Banco Santander Foundation; Botín Foundation; TIRSO Group; Santos Hotels; Textil Santanderina S.A.; University of Cantabria; Veolia and VIESGO.
And as collaborating entities: Agua de Solares; Volvo Spain; Yamaha Pianos; Bishopric of Santander; D. Juan Ignacio Cruz Gómez and Dª Ana Melgosa.