Comunidad de Madrid Orchestra

“Mainstay of the vanguard and model of attention to the Spanish repertoire”.

Since its creation in 1987 the Comunidad de Madrid Orchestra (Orquesta de la Comunidad de Madrid - ORCAM) has distinguished itself by its innovative programming, which has always combined the leading edge of contemporary creation with the traditional repertoire. Critics and public alike have unanimously endorsed the interest and appeal of the ORCAM's official ticket-holder season. Its weekly concerts at the National Music Auditorium have become a reference and meeting point for a varied and dynamic audience, eager to keep abreast of musical trends and the premières that have become such a regular feature of its different concert cycles. As a leading national daily observed, the Comunidad de Madrid Orchestra is "an essential reference point in Spanish musical life".

The growing number of season-ticket holders, and the support and backing of the most demanding, specialised media express the social and artistic prominence of its activities, which have in no way been confined to the official Madrid season. The orchestra’s presence is required by a wide range of music festivals and events. Its oft-repeated performances at venues such as the Valencia Concert Hall (Palau de la Música), Santander Festival Hall, Bilbao Arriaga Theatre, Cordoba Grand Theatre, Granada Manuel de Falla Concert Hall, Galician Auditorium and Corunna Opera House, have always met with the greatest enthusiasm. Furthermore, its name is regularly heard on both Spanish radio and television.

Its participation has likewise been much sought and warmly applauded on a number of international tours. Among these, special mention must be made of performances given at landmark venues, such as New York's Carnegie Hall in October 2000, and the Teatro Bellas Artes in Mexico City. The Orchestra's rendition of Debussy's, The Martyrdom of St. Sebastian, in January 2002, under the baton of Lorin Maazel, was rapturously received.

The broad scope of its work encompasses recording and lyrical activity. In addition to its appointment in January 1998 as the resident orchestra at Madrid's Teatro de la Zarzuela (zarzuela: Spanish operetta), its presence has become indispensable in orchestra pits and on stages at leading competitions across Spain. Festivals such as the Madrid Autumn Festival, Andrés Segovia Festival, Santander International Festival and Alicante Contemporary Music Festival are just some of the musical events in which it has taken part. Insofar as its recording activity is concerned -an activity reflected on a number of national and international labels (EMI and NAXOS)- attention should be drawn to its recordings alongside artists of the calibre of Plácido Domingo.

The Orchestra's already consolidated yet growing prestige has opened the way to the presence on its podium of eminent figures in the world of orchestral conducting. The work of the resident conductor, José Ramón Encinar, is complemented by the regular appearance of guest conductors of renown, such as Harry Christophers, Jean-Jacques Kantorow, Isaac Karabtchevsky, Robert King, Jan-Latham Koening, Peter Maag, Lorin Maazel, Paul McCreesh, Shlomo Mintz, Andrew Parrot, Krzysztof Penderecki and Alberto Zedda. Figuring among the roll-call of Spanish conductors are, among others, Edmon Colomer, Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, García Navarro, Miguel Ángel Gómez Martínez, Cristóbal Halffter, Jesús López Cobos, Ernest Martínez Izquierdo, Víctor Pablo Pérez and Josep Pons. No less extensive is the list of soloists, which includes names as illustrious as Aldo Ciccolini, Plácido Domingo, Shlomo Mintz, Pascal Rogé, Hansjörg Schellenberger and Isabelle van Keulen.

The Orchestra is able to fulfil its mission thanks to the generous sponsorship received from the Madrid Regional Educational & Cultural Authority. Its founder and first resident conductor was maestro Miguel Groba, who held this post until June 2000. Since September 2000, however, artistic and musical responsibility for the Orchestra has been borne by the Madrid conductor José Ramón Encinar.

The Comunidad de Madrid Orchestra is a member of the Spanish Symphony Orchestra Association (Asociación Española de Orquestas Sinfónicas - A.E.O.S.).