For the first time, Theresia will perform in Alhama (Murcia region, Spain) as part of Ecos Festival. That is an honour for us, as Ecos Festival is among Europe’s most dynamic and interesting artistic projects. We have spoken about this musical initiative with its Artistic Director, Jorge Losana: a baroque singer (he mostly performs with the vocal ensemble La Cantoria), he’s from Murcia himself, and he was the soul of the project from its very beginning.
When and how did Ecos Festival start?
“In 2016, with a group of colleagues musicians from the University, we wanted to rehearse Monteverdi and needed a place where to do it. We met in Aledo, rehearsed for ten days, experimenting with a different way of doing things: we involved local people, and invited them to listen to our performances. They were very welcoming, and the outcome was really nice: so, the idea to make a treasure of this experience came naturally. The next year, thanks to the support of Sierra Espuña and six different villages that had decided to support forms of sustainable and natural tourism, we were able to make a series of concerts in some of the most emblematic places of the area.”
You started with early music: did you stick to the original artistic project during these years?
“Yes, we went on hosting chamber music and little ensemble who perform according to the historically informed practice. What we really focused on are young musicians: we tend to organize residencies, like the one Theresia is involved in, with workshops and situations where musicians can share their experience and learn from their peers and other guests.”
Which kind of audience do you have? Do you have a specific target?
“Audience mainly consists of local people, tourists, and English and German people who live on the coast. We have “professional concerts” which are meant to be for a general audience and “familiar concerts” especially designed for families and children.”
Ecos Festival is set in Murcia, and it appears to be closely related to the area: how is this part of Spain?
“Murcia is a small region between Alicante and Granada, always famous for the seaside, the good weather, the food and very different climate and landscape from other parts of Spain. People find especially exotic some semi desert-like landscapes and the singular forest from Sierra Espuña, which has geology caves and lakes. With its Castles and historical place, it is a very fascinating area, with the sea only one hour and a half far away.”
Together with the artistic value of the concerts, sustainability is one of the missions of Ecos Festival: how do you pursue it?
“Firstly, we chose to focus on chamber music because we perform in small venues and when it comes to the audience a limited number of people is definitely more sustainable. Then, apart from the implementation of ecological habits (we have no plastic going around, and we encourage the use of electric cars) we also organize three conferences involving ensembles and other festivals where participants can discuss and share ideas about how to deal with sustainability diversity and demographic challenge. In short, we try to be sustainable as we can, to give conscience to our audience, and we also try to develop new ideas.”
Theresia will be at Ecos Festival with its wind ensemble, prepared by tutor Javier Zafra. Two concerts are scheduled on 26th August at 9 pm and 11 pm at Patio del Museo Arqueológico de Los Baños: Theresia wind ensemble will perform an all-Mozart program (Divertimento in F major K. 213, Divertimento in F major K. 253, and Divertimento in B flat major K. 270). The day after at 10.30 am the ensemble will perform in a family concert.
These concerts end our summer concert season. But autumn is just around the corner, and we have some good news in store, so stay tuned!
