Musikene students of orchestra conducting have taken the podium of the Basque National Orchestra

The Basque National Orchestra and Musikene have, for over a decade, had a collaboration agreement, Jordá Gela (in honour of the orchestra's first chief conductor), which covers many common concerns and goals shared by both institutions. Under this agreement, the master’s degree in Orchestral Studies as taught at the centre includes orchestral practice, having students participate in the standard instrument grouping of the symphony orchestra during its Concert Season. Another initiative included under this agreement are the students’ master classes taught by guest soloists from the Basque National Orchestra, all artists with a long track record of success and recognised international renown.

Since last year, this strategic institutional alliance has also incorporated orchestral conducting practice into the National Basque Orchestra Season subscription concerts. Eros Quesada was the first student to conduct the orchestra in June 2023, for the performance of the overture to Wagner's The Master Singers of Nuremberg. In the same vein, this season the orchestra has invited Joshua Franken, Aritz Labrador and Sara Litón to the podium. They, together with other students in the field have, over the last few months, held numerous training meetings with the chief conductor Robert Treviño have now been chosen out of those students in training to conduct the overture to Beethoven's Fidelio during the final concerts of the 23/24 Season of the National Basque Orchestra.

Below are details of their participation by day and venue:

• Joshua Franken: 3 June, Kursaal Auditorium.
• Aritz Labrador: 4 June, Baluarte Auditorium.
• Sara Litón: 5 June, Euskalduna Concert Hall; 6 June, Principal Theatre; 7 June, Kursaal Auditorium.

Biographies

Joshua Franken (Duisburg, 1999)

The German Joshua Karl Bernhard Franken has felt a deep connection to music since he was a child. He studied classical singing at the Zuyd University of Applied Sciences in Maastricht. This demanding training refined his vocal skills and fostered in him a deep appreciation for the complexities of classical music. He has taken conducting lessons from Federico Santi, with whom he worked on multiple orchestral projects. In 2023, after finishing his vocal studies, he then enrolled in Orchestral Conducting at Musikene under Professor Jon Malaxetxebarria.

Aritz Labrador (Amorebieta-Etxano, 1997)

He studied Orchestral Conducting at Musikene under Arturo Tamayo and Jon Malaxetxebarria. He has also attended numerous courses and masterclasses given at the centre. He has recently premiered several works with the Ensemble Ascolta during the residency the group had at Musikene. He has worked as assistant conductor of the Euskadiko Ikasleen Orkestra (EIO) and assistant musical director of Opus Lírica, with pieces such as Pagliacci and L'elisir d'amore. He currently conducts the children's and youth orchestra of the teaching centre of the Bilbao Choral Society and is artistic director of the Amorebieta-Etxano and Areatza Bands.

Sara Litón Castillo (Leganés, 2003)

She began her musical studies at the Getafe Professional Music Conservatory, where she earned her Professional Music Degree in 2021, specialising in piano. In her third year, she is currently specialising in Orchestral Conducting at Musikene under the guidance of Professor Jon Malaxetxebarria, and previously under that of maestro Arturo Tamayo. She has also received training in the field of choral conducting from Professor Basilio Astulez, in addition to numerous other master classes. She has been conductor of the Cámara Arimaz Orchestra of Tolosa since March 2023 and since March 2024 a member of the Orquesta Joven de Andalucía as one of its conductors in training. She conducted the Ensemble Ascolta in April 2024 for a concert arranged by Musikagileak at the San Telmo Museum.

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