Almuñécar celebrated International Dance Day with the Orchestra of the University of Granada, under the direction of Gabriel Delgado and the dancers of the National Dance Company, Irene Ureña and Álvaro Madrigal, with choreography by Aleix Mañé, organised by JUVENTUDES MUSICALES DE ALMUÑÉCAR AND THE CONCEJALÍA DE CULTURA.

GABRIEL DELGADO MORÁN www.gabrieldelgado.es

Graduated from the Conservatories of Cordoba and Granada and has done postgraduate studies at the Louisiana State University (USA) with Dennis Parker (cello) and Michael Butterman (orchestra conducting), where he obtained the Master of Music (1996) and the Doctorate in Musical Arts (2002) both validated by the University of Granada.

As a cellist he has been developing an intense chamber music activity giving recitals in the USA, Spain and Finland. He has been a member of the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra (USA, 1994-1999) and has collaborated with the Spanish Orquesta Ciudad de Granada, Orquesta Filarmónica de Málaga and Orquesta de Córdoba.

In 1999 he obtained a position as a career civil servant in the Cuerpo de Profesores de Música y AAEE and in 2017 that of Catedrático de Música y AAEE at the Real Conservatorio Superior de Música “Victoria Eugenia” in Granada.

As a conductor he has perfected his conducting skills with maestros James Paul, Arturo Tamayo, Jesús López Cobos, Manuel Hernández Silva and Colin Metters, and has been a finalist in the competitions of the Joven Orquesta Nacional de España (2000) and Orquesta Ciudad de Granada (2005).

As a guest conductor he has conducted among others the: Orquesta Filarmónica de Málaga, Mad4strings Orchestra, Orquesta de Extremadura, Orquesta Ciudad de Granada, Orquesta Sinfónica de la Región de Murcia, Cottbus State Theatre Orchestra (Germany) and the Louisiana State University Symphony Orchestra (USA).

For thirteen seasons (2005-2018) he has been chief conductor of the Youth Symphony Orchestra of Granada (JOSG) and from its foundation in 2007 to the present, of the Orchestra of the University of Granada (OUGR) with which he has carried out extensive pedagogical and informative work, as well as having toured China (2013/2014), France (2007 and 2010), Italy (2012) and Morocco (2010).
Dedicated to contemporary composers are the recordings “José Nieto: 75 aniversario” (2017) and “Escenas contemporáneas” (2015). He has conducted large-scale symphonic-choral concerts such as the monographic W.A. Mozart at the Auditorio Nacional de Madrid (2015), or the Carmina Burana by C. Orff with La Fura dels Baus at the FIMD in Úbeda (2016).
We could also highlight the opera productions of L’Elisir d’amore by G. Donizetti (2019) and Retablo de Maese Pedro (2017) by M. de Falla, the production of El Amor Brujo (2015) by M. de Falla together with Granada Tanz Teatro and the basis of the documentary “Regreso a casa” by Canal Sur, as well as those of Pedro y el lobo by S. Prokofiev or El sastrecillo valiente by T. Harsanyi with the award-winning puppet company Etcétera.

Irene Ureña

She was born in Almuñécar (Granada), where her interest in dance began. At the age of eight she entered the Conservatorio Profesional de Danza Reina Sofía in Granada, with Alejandro Donaire as her teacher.
In 2010, she moved to Madrid to continue her studies at the Real Conservatorio Profesional de Danza Mariemma, where she graduated in 2013, specialising in classical dance. In 2012 he took classes at Boston Ballet School with various teachers, including Lia Cirio and Tai Jiménez. During her training she won first prize in the Andalusian Choreography Competition, with a group choreography.

After graduating, she entered the Professional Dance Programme at the Madrid Dance Center directed by Iván Barreto, where she furthered her training in classical and contemporary dance, and began working on the production of El Principito by José Tirado Danza, performing numerous roles.

In 2015 she joined the Compañía Nacional de Danza, under the artistic direction of José Carlos Martínez. Since joining the company, she has performed solo roles in works such as Gods and Dogs by Jirí Kylián, Por vos muero by Nacho Duato, Enemy in the Figure by William Forsythe and Carmen by Johan Inger. It has also participated as corps de ballet in Artifact Suite by William Forsythe, Don Quixote, The Nutcracker and Raymonda divertimento by José Carlos Martínez, among others. It has also performed in the leading role in White Darkness, choreographed by Nacho Duato for the Compañía Nacional de Danza.

Currently, under the artistic direction of Joaquín de Luz at the CND and after the years of pandemic, she has resumed international tours, recently performing in New York, with the work Carmen by Johan Inger.

Álvaro Madrigal

Born in Seville, where he graduated from the Professional Dance Conservatory. He continued his studies in London where he was awarded a scholarship to take his final year at the London Studio Centre, under the direction of Margaret Barbieri.

He began to dance professionally in the Joven Ballet de Málaga and shortly after in the Corella Ballet under the direction of Ángel Corella. In 2011 she joined the Sarasota Ballet, under the direction of Iain Webb, dancing choreographies by George Balanchine, Frederick Ashton, Agnes de Mille and Twyla Tharp, among others.
In September 2012 she joined the Compañía Nacional de Danza under the artistic direction of José Carlos Martínez.

He has danced principal and solo roles for prestigious choreographers such as George Balanchine, William Forsythe, Ohad Naharin, Itzik Galili, José Carlos Martínez, Johan Inger, Nacho Duato and Jiri Kylian, among others. He has been invited to several international galas such as “The Miami International Dance Gala” among others.

PROGRAMME

Joint activity of the Aula de Artes Escénicas and the Orchestra
Vice-rectorate of University Extension UNIVERSITY OF GRANADA
A. Dvorak: Slavonic Dances Op. 46, (selection):
Nº 1 in C major (4′)
No. 2 in E minor (5′)
No. 4 in F major (7′)
No. 6 in D major (5’30”)
Nº 7 in C major (4′)
TIMOR MORTIS (dance performance)
J. Brahms: Symphony No. 3 Op. 90 in F major: III. Poco allegretto (6′)
P.I. Tchaikovsky: Arabian dance from the suite of the ballet Nutcracker Op.71st (3’30”)
C. Saint Saens: Danse macabre Op. 40 (8′)
Violin soloist: Mercedes Barné
Irene Ureña Delgado and Álvaro Madrigal Arenilla, dancers
Aleix Mañé, choreographer
Orchestra of the University of Granada. Conductor: Gabriel Delgado