The Music Laboratory is a new initiative undertaken by the Basque National Orchestra to support future musicians including orchestra conductors, soloists and composers. Putting this project on its feet was one of Andrés Orozco-Estrada's first concerns when he became the Orchestra's Principal Conductor. As the leading institution and musical backbone of the Basque Country, the Basque National Orchestra has now cemented a much-needed collaboration with promising up-and-coming musicians.

The Basque Youth Orchestra (EGO) will set the stage for the first edition of the Music Laboratory, centred on young solists. Four soloists from the EGO will perform in a concert along with the Basque National Orchestra under the baton of Principal Conductor Andrés Orozco-Estrada. Flute soloist Xabier Calzada Ordeñana, double bass player Ander Perrino Cabello, bassoonist Patricia Lapresta Calvo and violin soloist Sandra Stanculescu Stere will perform works by Ibert, Nino Rota, Heitor Villa-Lobos and Jean Sibelius.

The concert will take place at the Orchestra's Miramón headquarters this Friday, April 30th, at 7 pm. The event is open to Miramón Matinée season ticket holders who have previously picked up their invitation. Invitations will also be available to the general public at the Orchestra ticket office prior to the concert.

Music Laboratory
1st edition: soloist laboratory

Concert
Friday, April 30th, Basque National Orchestra Headquarters, 7 pm. with invitation

Programme
Jacques Ibert (1890-1962): Concerto for Flute and Orchestra [18']*
Xabier Calzada Ordeñana, flute
Nino Rota (1911-1979): Divertimento Concertante for Double Bass and Orchestra [23']*
Ander Perrino Cabello, double bass
Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887-1959): Ciranda Ciranda das sete notas for bassoon and string orchestra, W325 [10']*
Patricia Lapresta Calvo, bassoon
Jean Sibelius (1865-1957): Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D minor, Opus 47 [31']
Sandra Stanculescu Stere, violin

*Premiere performance by the BNO

Basque National Orchestra
Andrés Orozco-Estrada, conductor

El miércoles 14 de abril y el jueves día 15 Bilbao y Vitoria-Gasteiz serán escenario de los conciertos correspondientes al décimo programa de la Temporada de Abono de la Orquesta de Euskadi. En esta ocasión, el director Lawrence Foster regresa como director invitado a la Temporada de Abono para dirigir las Segundas Sinfonías de Schumann y Brahms.

Tras haber dirigido las Terceras y Cuartas Sinfonías de Schumann y Brahms en temporadas anteriores, Lawrence Foster dirigirá en esta ocasión las segundas obras sinfónicas de ambos compositores en un programa titulado "Vidas paralelas". Y es que son varias las coincidencias en el devenir creativo de Schumann y Brahms: ambos compusieron cuatro sinfonías y, además, los dos llegaron a enfrentarse a este género con cierto titubeo y temor; a Schumann le cohibió su escasa familiaridad con la orquesta y a Brahms su cautela ante el inalcanzable ejemplo beethoveniano. Frente a la atmósfera dramática, sombría y apasionada de la Sinfonía nº 1, concluida en 1876, la Segunda Sinfonía de Brahms, escrita durante el verano del año siguiente, muestra, según Juan Manuel Viana, autor de las notas al programa "una inspiración mucho más distendida y feliz". Schumann, por su parte, intentará abrir una nueva vía que permita dejar atrás la imponente sombra Beethoven mediante un procedimiento de relaciones temáticas entre movimientos, ya ensayado en la Sinfonía "Primavera", pero que en la Segunda cobrará especial intensidad.

Lawrence Foster ha comenzado la temporada 2009/10 como Director musical de la Orquesta y Ópera Nacional de Montpellier e iniciado su octava temporada como director artístico y director titular de la Orquesta Gulbenkian. Ha sido director musical de la Orquesta Sinfónica de Barcelona, Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte Carlo, Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, Houston Symphony Orchestra y Orchestre de Chamber de Lausanne. Esta temporada, destacan sus conciertos con la Orquesta de la Gewandhaus y las Filarmónicas de Helsinki y Holanda. También dirigirá los conciertos de Chopin con Barenboim como solista, al frente de la Gulbenkian y la Filarmónica de Montecarlo. Tiene previstos otros compromisos, como dirigir a la NDR Sinfonieorchester Hamburg, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Residentie Orkest (con Aldo Ciccolini), Tivoli Symphony Orchestra (con Evgeny Kissin), además de los últimos conciertos de la temporada 2010/11 de la MDR Sinfonieorchester Leipzig.

Tras estos conciertos, la Orquesta ofrecerá la próxima semana un nuevo programa de Abono, esta vez en las cuatro capitales habituales, bajo la dirección de Andrey Boreyko y con la pianista Ewa Kupiec como solista.

Los conciertos
14 de abril: Palacio Euskalduna, Bilbao. 20:00h.
15 de abril: Teatro Principal. Vitoria-Gasteiz. 20:00h.

El programa
Robert Schumann: Sinfonía nº 2 en do mayor, opus 61 [36']
Johannes Brahms: Sinfonía nº2 en re mayor, opus 73 [42']

Lawrence Foster, director

As part of the activities organised for the Music Room, this season the Basque National Orchestra has set in motion a new educational initiative: Concerts for Schools. Before bringing their classes to the concert, the teachers who have signed up for the activity first take part in a workshop held at the Orchestra headquarters. The teachers then work with their students in the classroom using the educational materials specifically designed by the OSE Education Department. The activity then concludes with a concert. This experience has proven to be a highly effective educational tool.

"Haydn ... a lifetime of music" is the first show in the new Concerts for Schools series. The concert is geared for students in upper primary school and lower secondary school, and provides a glimpse into the world of classical music through the long and productive career of Franz Joseph Haydn (1732 -1809).

Actors from the ORTZAI theatre group play the role of Joseph Haydn at different stages of his life. Using this theatrical device as a vehicle, the actors explain various aspects of the composer's life, including the solid friendship he enjoyed with Mozart and how he served as mentor to the young Beethoven, both of whom are also featured in the concert. The repertoire includes works by Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven. The show is based on a script written by Mikel Cañada, coordinator of the Basque National Orchestra Education Department.

The concert features the BNO in its traditional classical setting, conducted by Irun-born Iker Sánchez, as well as pianist Natalia González, cellist Fermín Villanueva and members of the Ortzai theatre lab in Vitoria-Gasteiz.

A total of 1750 students from schools in Gipuzkoa and Bizkaia will take part in the first edition of the Concerts for Schools events, developed in collaboration with the Donostia-San Sebastián Office on Education. The audience will include children from Bilbao, Donostia-San Sebastián, Errenteria, Beasain, Ordizia, Zizurkil, Altzo, Mutriku, Ataun, Andoain, Urretxu, Zumarraga and Aduna.

"Haydn ... a lifetime of music" will also be performed for audiences of all ages as part of the Basque National Orchestra's "Family Concert" series. On Friday, March 26, "Haydn ... a lifetime of music" will be presented at 7:00 pm at the Teatro Principal in Vitoria-Gasteiz, and again on Saturday, March 27, at 6:00 pm at the Orchestra's Miramón headquarters in Donostia-San Sebastián. Tickets to both events are available through the regular outlets.
Children will be invited to attend a pre-concert workshop aims at heightening their concert experience. The workshop will include listening, song and movement-based activities. The workshops are voluntary, free of charge and open to anyone with a ticket to the concert that follows. Space is limited so booking is required for the workshops.

Programme
1- HAYDN, Joseph: Symphony No. 104. D Major, London: I.- Adagio - Allegro
2- HAYDN, Joseph: Symphony No. 101. D Major, The Clock II.- Andante
3- HAYDN, Joseph: Symphony No. 94. G Major, Surprise II.- Andante
4- HAYDN, Joseph: Concerto No. 1 for Cello and Orchestra HOB VIIb, in C Major: III. Finale: Allegro molto
5- MOZART, Wolfgang Amadeus: A Little Night Music, KV 525: I.- Allegro
6- BEETHOVEN, Ludwig Van: Sonata No. 23 for Piano, Op 57. F Minor, Appassionata, (fragment)
7- BEETHOVEN, Ludwig Van: Concert No. 2 for Piano and Orchestra. Op 19, B flat major: II.- Adagio
8- HAYDN, Joseph: Symphony No. 45 in F sharp minor, The Farewell Symphony I.- Allegro assai, IV.- Finale: Presto - Adagio

Cast
• Performers: Basque National Orchestra, classical formation Natalia González (piano), Fermín Villanueva (violoncello)
• Conductor: Iker Sánchez
• Idea and script: Mikel Cañada, Education Department
• Theatre group: Laboratorio de Teatro Ortzai Antzerki Eskola (Teresa Ibáñez, Iker Ortiz de Zarate, Álvaro Salazar de Guréndez, Adrián González Rabanal)

CONCERTS FOR SCHOOLS
March 23, 24 and 25
Auditorium, Basque National Orchestra headquarters, Miramon Pasealekua, 124. Donostia
10:00 and 12:00

FAMILY CONCERT
March 26: Teatro Principal, Vitoria-Gasteiz. 7:00 pm. Pre-concert workshop, 5:45 pm.
March 27: Basque National Orchestra Headquarters. Pre-concert workshop, 4:45 pm.

The Basque National Orchestra has added yet another CD to its repertoire. This latest release, a monographic CD devoted to San Sebastian-born composer Ramón Lazkano, was recorded in September 2009 at the BSO Miramón headquarters in San Sebastián. The Orchestra discography now boasts more than 40 recordings.

This CD features three works taken from the Ramon Lazkano composition catalogue: Hauskor (2006), together with the Amsterdam Cello Octet; Ortzi Isilak (2005), with Swiss clarinet soloist Ernesto Molinari; and Ilunkor, commissioned for Lazkano by the Orchestra in 2000. The recording came under the baton of German conductor Johannes Kalitzke, specialist in contemporary repertoire, in his first conducting appearance with the BNO.
This CD falls under a new line of recordings called "Música de hoy-Gaurko Musika" (Music of Today), and is part of the Orchestra's decision to diversify its discography. Recorded for Kairos, the prestigious record label specialising in contemporary music, Lazkano is the first name in a line of CDs geared to contemporary classical music.

It is also the first time for the Orchestra to join forces with the Austrian record label Kairos. Founded in Vienna in 1999, Kairos focuses exclusively on the promotion of contemporary music. Kairos is an ancient Greek word meaning the right or opportune moment, a unique moment in time. Kairos aims to preserve the "supreme moment" we call music. The goal is to capture music for the listening pleasure of contemporary music lovers, music that opens new spaces and experiences for modern minds and ears.

The record
Ramon Lazkano
Recorded at the Basque National Orchestra headquarters from September 14-18, 2009.

The works
Hauskor for eight cellos and orchestra (2006)
Ortzi Isilak for clarinet and orchestra (2005)
Ilunkor for orchestra (2000)

Johannes Kalitzke, conductor
Ernesto Molinari, clarinet
Cello Octet Amsterdam
Basque National Orchestra
Record label: KAIROS

The Basque National Orchestra and the Orfeón Donostiarra will be joining forces at the Kursaal auditorium to perform a concert on Saturday, February 27th in solidarity with the victims of the earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12th. BNO managing director Iñigo Alberdi, Orfeón Donostiarra chairman José Mª Echarri, and Orchestra instructor Mario Telenti offered a press conference with details of the event.

The two groups have come together on this joint initiative to give a performance of Giuseppe Verdi's Messa da Réquiem. The concert will be conducted by BNO principal conductor Andrés Orozco-Estrada, and featuring soprano Esther Lee, mezzo-soprano Iris Vermillion, tenor Aquiles Machado and bass Adam Horvath. All of the performers have agreed to donate their talents to help the victims of the catastrophe.

Concert tickets have been on sale since February 5th for the price of 45 and 25 euros. Tickets are available for purchase through Servikutxa, Telekutxa (943 00 12 00), www.kutxa.net and at the Kursaal ticket office (on days of Kursaal Foundation sponsored performances).

All of the proceeds from ticket sales will go to the Red Cross, the NGO entrusted with making sure the money is well spent in Haiti. Since the aftermath of the earthquake, over 400 Red Cross and Half Red Crescent workers have been deployed to the area. Volunteers of the Haitian Red Cross are on the front line of operations and have been working around the clock in spite of personal tragedy. So far over 540 tonnes of humanitarian aid from the Red Cross and Red Crescent have made it to Port-au-Prince by air or overland from Santo Domingo, the capital of the neighbouring Dominican Republic. The Red Cross and Red Crescent are seeking 105 million Swiss francs for the immediate relief effort.

The concert
Saturday, February 27 Kursaal Auditoriim, Donostia-San Sebastián. 8:00 pm

Programme
Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901): Messa da Requiem [84']

Andrés Orozco-Estrada, conductor
Esther Lee, soprano
Iris Vermillion, mezzo-soprano
Aquiles Machado, tenor
Adam Horvath, bass
Orfeón Donostiarra (Dir. José Antonio Sainz Alfaro)
Basque National Orchestra

Basque National Orchestra managing director Iñigo Alberdi and San Sebastian mayor Odón Elorza have signed an agreement to add the Orchestra to the official roster of supporters of San Sebastian's bid for the 2016 title of European Capital of Culture. As part of the agreement, the Orchestra will stage a free concert this year for the people of San Sebastian.

The Basque National Orchestra's adhesion to the San Sebastián 2016 candidature is a backed by its ongoing commitment to enriching the cultural life in the Guipuzcoan capital. In addition to having its headquarters in San Sebastian, the BNO also offers four types of concert series: the Subscribers' Season concerts, Matinées at Miramon chamber music series, the Family Concert series and the Concerts for Schools. The Orchestra also works closely with a number of cultural institutions based in San Sebastian, including the classical music festival Quincena Musical, Fundación Kursaal and the Orfeón Donostiarra.

As a result of the agreement signed today, the San Sebastian City Hall and the Basque National Orchestra pledge to work together to raise the candidature's profile and to collaborate on any matters concerning music and culture in promotion of San Sebastián's 2016 bid. As part of the agreement, the Basque National Orchestra has promised to offer a concert this year in support of San Sebastian's candidature for European Capital of Culture in 2016. The concert will be free of charge and open to the entire community. The specific date and venue have yet to be confirmed.

"El mal ajeno", debut film by director Oskar Santos, with musical soundtrack by the Basque National Orchestra, has been selected to screen in the Panorama section of the Berlinale International Film Festival's 60th anniversary from February 11 to 21.

The musical soundtrack for this feature film, produced by Alejandro Amenábar, was composed by Fernando Velázquez and recorded by the Orchestra at its home at Miramón in April 2009 under the direction of the composer himself. Fernando Velázquez also wrote the music for the film "The Orphanage", which won him a nomination for a Goya award.

Starring Belén Rueda and Eduardo Noriega, and with screenplay by Daniel Sánchez Arévalo, "El mal ajeno" will be on general release this spring.

The Basque National Orchestra will perform two concerts as part of the Bilbao Orkestra Sinfonikoa Subscribers' Season. The concerts will be under the direction of Finnish conductor Pietari Inkinen, and feature piano soloist from Getxo, Miguel Ituarte.

The two concerts, held on January 14th and 15th, are part of the orchestra exchange programme featured this year in the BOS Subscribers' Season. Both orchestras have a long track record of concert swopping with other Spanish orchestras - and in the case of the Basque National Orchestra, with orchestras in other countries. Now, after many years the two orchestras have decided to revive their policy on musical interchange.

Under the direction of young Finnish conductor, Pietari Inkinen, who will take up the baton for the orchestra for the first time, the Basque National Orchestra will perform works by Sibelius, Prokofiev and Debussy. The concerts will be held in Bilbao's Palacio Euskalduna. Pietari Inkinen has been Music Director for the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra since 2008, and in 2009 became Principal Guest Conductor of the Japan Philharmonic Orchestra. Iniken has worked as guest conductor for a number of orchestras including Dresden Staatskapelle, Leipzig Gewandhaus, Bayerische Rundfunk, WDR Cologne, Maggio Musicale, La Scala, Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra, Rotterdam Philharmonic, BBC Symphony and CBSO, and has enjoyed successful collaborations with soloists such as Vadim Repin, Hilary Hahn, Pinchas Zukerman, Nikolaj Znaider, Jean Yves Thibaudet, Alexander Toradze and Elisabeth Leonskaya.

This is not the first time Miguel Ituarte has performed as a featured soloist with the Basque National Orchestra. On this occasion the piano soloist will perform Prokofiev's Concert No. 3 for Piano and Orchestra, thus including the piece in the Orchesta's repertoire. Miguel Ituarte has been soloist for the Concertgebouw Chamber Orchestra in Amsterdam, the Royal Philharmonic in London, Luxemburg Radio Symphony Orchestra, Schleswig-Holstein Philharmonic in Hamburg, Gulbenkian Orchestra in Lisbon and the Clásica de Oporto, and for numerous orchestras in Spain and South America. He has also given recitals in Spain, Portugal, France, the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Italy and Poland.

The programme will open with "En Saga" by Jean Sibelius: The second part with begin with "Swan of Tuonela" from Sibelius' "Lemminkäinen Suite", and draw to a close with Debussy's "La Mer".

Concerts
14 January: Palacio Euskalduna, Bilbao. 20.00
15 January: Palacio Euskalduna, Bilbao. 20.00

Programme
J. Sibelius: En Saga
S. Prokofiev: Concerto No. 5 for Piano and Orchestra
J. Sibelius: Lemminkäinen Suite, Opus 22. II Swan of Tuonela
C. Debussy : La Mer

Pietari Inkinen, conductor
Miguel Ituarte, piano

After a year 2009 laden of good music, the Basque National Orchestra will make a break on its Season and it will return in january to its activity, that in the early months will be again very intensive. In addition to the the Season Concerts and Miramón Matinées, Family Concerts and other activities for children and families will take place, as well as Orchestra's participation in Bilbao Orkestra Sinfonikoa's season and in the 50th Aniversary of Caja Laboral.

Meanwhile, Basque National Orchestra wishes you Seasons Greetings and a happy new year.