The vibrant Barcelona Youth Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Carlos Checa commemorates the 50th anniversary of the passing of Pau Casals, an exceptional artist who excelled not only as a cellist but also as a conductor, pedagogue and humanist. Casals’ influence on the arts and society of the last century was immense, and this concert aims to pay tribute to his musical legacy.

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The programme includes a dash of Casals’ own Catalan heritage, the sardana Sant Martí del Canigó followed by Goyescas' 'Intermezzo' by Enrique Granados, a close friend of Casals. To complete the first half of the concert, cellist Laura Peribañez Artero will join as soloist for a rendition of Max Bruch’s Kol Nidrei.

 

Johannes Brahms featured prominently in Casals’ concert programmes, with the cellist having extensively performed and recorded Brahms’ Double Concerto and sonatas. The Barcelona Youth Symphony Orchestra will close the programme with a performance of his First Symphony.

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Pablo Casals Sardana ‘Sant Martí del Canigó’
Enrique Granados Goyescas: 'Intermezzo'
Max Bruch Kol Nidrei
Johannes Brahms Symphony No. 1

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Laura Peribañez Artero cello
Barcelona Youth Symphony Orchestra (JOSB)
Carlos Checa conductor

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Laura Peribañez Artero made her concert debut at L’Auditori de Barcelona at the age of 9 and has since performed extensively across Spain and Europe in festivals such as IMS Prussia Cove, Barcelona Obertura Spring Festival, and has been a guest in venues such as the Palace of Nations in Geneva, Flagey (Brussels) and J K Matthews Great Hall (Pretoria). She has filmed and performed for Decca, Classic FM and in the latest institutional video of the Government of Catalunya. Laura has received awards and scholarships from the Hattori Foundation, British Spanish Society, Drake Calleja Trust, Craxton Memorial Trust, and the Catalan Government. In 2020, Laura won the 3rd prize at the JM Spain String Competition, and in 2021, she was the Antonio Brosa Award holder at the RCM, where she pursued an Artist Diploma degree under Richard Lester.

 

Carlos Checa, the Artistic and Music Director of the Barcelona Youth Symphony Orchestra (JOSB) gained international recognition after conducting the City Chamber Orchestra of Hong Kong in 2005. In 2009, he conducted the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at London's Cadogan Hall. He was invited to the International Festival of Young Europeans in Venezuela in 2014 by Maestro Gustavo Dudamel. Carlos has conducted orchestras worldwide, from Mexico to Poland, and notable Spanish ensembles like the Sinfónica de Radio y Televisión Española. In opera, he's directed productions for Cuenca Ciudad de Música, including Britten's The Little Chimney Sweep and Mozart's The Magic Flute. Since 2016, he has led symphonic tours for Universal Music Group, performing at renowned venues like Palau Sant Jordi and festivals like Viña del Mar in Santiago de Chile.

 

Founded in 2015, the Barcelona Youth Symphony Orchestra (JOSB) emerged in Barcelona as a pioneering educational initiative for young instrumentalists. Its primary goal is to offer supplementary musical training through orchestral practice within a symphonic ensemble. This high-level artistic learning experience provides a stable concert season in the city and operates within an educational and cultural organisation where youth can share knowledge, enthusiasm, dedication, and talent. Comprising around seventy young musicians, JOSB operates under the auspices of the Barcelona Ciutat de Música association, and welcomes young talents of all nationalities with a commitment to promoting social and cultural values, spreading the beauty of music, and nurturing musical interest in society. This season includes solidarity concerts for organizations like AFAB, Banc dels Aliments, Càritas, Mans a les Mans, and AFANOC in its regular concert season at Palau de la Música Catalana in Barcelona.

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This concert is organised in partnership with the Spanish Embassy in the UK, the Delegation of the Catalan Government in the UK & Ireland, NPro, the Cervantes Institute and The Iberian & Latin American Music Society as part of Echoes Festival 2023