The Basque National Orchestra and Kalakan will offer five concerts between 20 October and 5 November

The beginning of the first rehearsals in Miramon was announced at the end of April, and having now completed all the phases of the recording process, the Basque National Orchestra and Kalakan are ready to release and promote their new album, which includes twelve traditional Basque songs. The album will go on sale in October on the Elkar record company label and will be presented live in five concerts throughout the Basque Country: on 20 October at the Baluarte Auditorium in Pamplona (19:30); on 21 October at the Principal Theatre in Vitoria (19:30); on 22 October at the Arriaga Theatre in Bilbao (19:30); on 23 October at Jai Alai in Saint-Jean-de-Luz (20:00); and on 5 November at the Kursaal Auditorium in San Sebastian (19:30).

Tickets for all the concerts are on sale at a price of between 10 and 26 euros on the website euskadikoorkestra.eus, as well as on the websites and at the ticket offices of the different venues.

A project based on traditional Basque music

The central theme of this new project involving collaboration between the Basque National Orchestra and Kalakan is traditional Basque music. The main aim of the project is to merge Kalakan’s efforts to breathe new life into Basque folklore with the classical world.

The composer Jagoba Astiazaran has taken on the task of translating several songs previously published by the trio into orchestral language, including Iruten ari nuzu and Kantuz, both well-known Basque songs. Several of the traditional instruments that the Kalakan group uses habitually play a major role in the album. These include the txalaparta, the txirula and the alboka, all instruments that have been combined with the rest of the instrumental sections of the orchestra.

In addition, several lyrics by bertsolari (traditional Basque singer) Xaldador are included in the recording, in pieces that have been created expressly for this project, as well as a completely different version of Txoria Txori by Mikel Laboa and Joxean Artze.

The songs on the album

1. KLKN (Kalakan). Very first performance.
2. Andria alargune (Traditional/Kalakan)
3. Iruten ari nuzu (Traditional)
4. Rebeleon (Traditional/Kalakan)
5. Loriak udan (Traditional/Lyrics by Bilintx). Very first performance.
6. Bereterretxeren Kantoria (Traditional/Kalakan)
7. Ikusten duzu goizean (Traditional/Lyrics by Jean-Baptiste Elissamburu). Very first performance.
8. Montebideoko berriak (Traditional/Kalakan)
9. Egun bakea zutaz (Traditional/Lyrics by Xalbador). Very first performance.
10. Txoria Txori (Mikel Laboa/Joxean Artze)
11. Belatzarenak (Kalakan)
12. Kantuz/Sagarra jo (Traditional/Kalakan)

At the concerts, in addition to the songs on the album, Kalakan and the Basque National Orchestra will offer several more surprises.

Concerts

• Wednesday 20 October (19:30), Pamplona, Baluarte.
• Thursday 21 October (19:30), Vitoria, Principal.
• Friday 22 October (19:30), Bilbao, Arriaga.
• Saturday 23 October (20:00), Saint-Jean-de-Luz, Jai Alai.
• Friday 5 November (19:30), San Sebastian, Kursaal.

Prices

• Pamplona: €18-25
• Vitoria: €18-25
• Bilbao: €10-25
• Saint-Jean-de-Luz: €10-26
• San Sebastian: €18-25

With regard to the above prices, season ticket holders can benefit from a discount of up to 25% on tickets, with the exception of those for Saint-Jean-de-Luz.

KlasikAT: Kalakan takes the leap into the symphonic world

In this project, which includes both an album and concerts to present it, the trio formed by Jamixel Bereau, Xan Errotabehere and Bixente Etchegaray has taken the leap into the symphonic world in the company of the Basque National Orchestra and under the direction of Juanjo Ocón. The arrangements for the orchestra of the twelve traditional Basque songs included in the recording were carried out by Jagoba Astiazaran.

The project is presented under the umbrella of the KlasikAT initiative. Within this framework, for more than two decades the Basque National Orchestra has made a clear commitment to tackling musical genres beyond the boundaries of the typical orchestra repertoires. The artists who do not belong to the symphonic field with which the orchestra has collaborated include Benito Lertxundi, Golden Apple Quartet, Michel Camilo, Emilio Aragón, Kepa Junkera, Mike Oldfield, Ken Zazpi, Dr. Deseo, Zea Mays, Huntza and Izaro.

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