The University of Navarra Symphony Orchestra fills the MUN theater in its 6th fall concert

The prestige of the degrees, employability or specialization are some of the factors that future university students take into account when choosing the center where they will be trained for their professional life. "In the case of the University of Navarra, some students have decided to study here when they found out that we have a symphony orchestra," says Carlos Bernar, head of Campus Creativo. This is the area of the Museo Universidad de Navarra dedicated to the development of artistic activities with students.

Yesterday, Tuesday, November 26, the 80 members of the Symphony Orchestra put the finishing touch to two intense months of rehearsal and preparation with their sixth autumn concert, which was sold out.

He did so with an ambitious program, to say the least, which included great composers such as Mendelssohn, Grieg, Stravinsky or Rimsky-Korsakov. Two students were in charge of the soloist roles in the recital: Fernando González, from Mexico, who is in his second year of Architecture, sat at the piano to play the first movement of Grieg's Concerto for piano and orchestra in A. op 16. On the other hand, David Bergman (United States, future university student) starred in Mendelssohn's Concerto for violin and orchestra in E m op. 64(first movement).

Conductor Borja Quintas holds the baton in front of the orchestra. "For this 6th Autumn Concert, along with the now traditional selection of soloists from among the orchestra's own members, we have completed the program with two works of special difficulty. With the intention of pushing the students to the limit of their possibilities, in addition to the Spanish Caprice by Rimsky-Korsakov, we present one of the most technically demanding works of the first half of the 20th century: The Firebird, by Stravinsky, in which many musicians will also face soloist roles of maximum responsibility".

The young musicians who make up the orchestra study at 8 faculties and centers of the University of Navarra: Medicine, Nursing, Architecture, Pharmacy and Nutrition, Science, Economics and Business, Communication and Law. "Combining the study of a degree and their membership in the Orchestra helps them to better organize their studies, to develop a discipline -comments Bernar-; and, above all, it makes them better doctors, lawyers, architects... since music improves the spirit of all people". Spain, France, Italy, Germany, the United States, Mexico, Ecuador, Colombia and Peru are some of the musicians' countries of origin.

The Choir, the Symphony Orchestra and the Theater Training Plan are the main pillars of Campus Creativo. Through the Artistic Talent program, students can also obtain credits for the development of their creative facet. In addition to this offer, there are proposals such as a musical workshop -which culminates in a performance in the MUN theater- or the singing contest La voz de tu facultad (The voice of your faculty) -with its corresponding finale on stage-.

PROGRAM

E. Grieg: Concerto for piano and orchestra in A m op. 16

I. Allegro molto moderato

Fernando González, piano

F. Mendelssohn: Concerto for violin and orchestra in E m op. 64

I. Allegro molto appassionato

David Bergman, violin

N. Rimsky-Korsakov: Spanish Caprice op. 34

I. Stravinsky: Suite from "The Firebird" (1919 version)

***

BORJA QUINTAS. Conductor. He has conducted some of the most important ensembles in the world, such as the London Symphony Orchestra or the New Russia Symphony Orchestra and has accompanied soloists of the stature of Plácido Domingo, Javier Camarena, Ainhoa Arteta or María Bayo. Committed to young symphonic ensembles, he is Artistic Director of the Orquesta Sinfónica Universidad de Navarra and the Orquesta Sinfónica, Coro y Escolanía JMJ. He develops his teaching activity at the Conservatorio Superior de Música de Aragón and at the Centro Superior Katarina Gurska. Trained entirely as a conductor at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow, he develops his artistic activity mainly in Russia and Spain, although he has performed in most European capitals and in countries of the Middle East.

DAVID BERGMAN. Violin. He began his violin studies with his sister Christina Bergman at the age of six. At twelve, he was a student of Raffaela Acella for five years. During that time he won the Concurso Jóvenes Músicos de Euskadi, in 2021 and 2023. He has received several master classes with teachers such as Eric McCracken and Kamran Omarli. Now he is a student of Aitzol Iturriagagoitia. For the last three years he has been a member of the Orquesta Sinfónica Universidad de Navarra.

FERNANDO GONZÁLEZ. Piano. Born in Guadalajara, Mexico, he began his piano studies at the age of nine at the Estudio de Música Guillermo Salvador-Rosalinda Preciado. Under the instruction of Xochitl Ruvalcaba he continued his studies until he arrived in Pamplona and joined the Orquesta Sinfónica Universidad de Navarra. She is currently in her second year at the Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura. This concert is her first performance as a soloist and her third participation with this orchestra.