program
The Diputación de Alicante marks a special issue anniversary for the Provincial Competition of Music Groups, celebrating fifty years of weekend events and performances. On October 29 and 30, the weekend will showcase eight musical formations from the Alicante region, adding another layer to this long-running celebration.
The Vice President for Culture invited residents to attend, noting that tickets are free at the ADDA box office for anyone interested in joining this historic event. The official highlighted the significance of this anniversary and paid tribute to thousands of Alicante musicians who have contributed to the province by participating in this competition for more than five decades.
The program will begin on Saturday at 17:00 with performances by the Pinosense Lyric Union Association, the Cocentaina Music Athenaeum, and the Orxetana Lira Music Ensemble, all sharing the stage in a first round of performances that weekend.
There will be two sessions on Sunday, one in the morning and one in the evening. Beginning at 9:00 a.m., the Work of the Musical Artistic Group Xixona, the Villafranqueza Friendship Music Ensemble, and the Agost Musical Union Philharmonic Society will perform. In the afternoon, starting at 17:00, the L’Harmony Societat Musical Alacant and the Hope San Vicente del Raspeig Music Association will take the stage for the final round of the competition.
Music Groups Provincial Competition is a regional event that reflects the province’s enduring love of brass and wind ensembles. The event is a celebration of community music making and a tribute to the long lineage of Alicante’s musical culture that has shaped generations of performers. The program promises a mix of traditional pasodobles, freely chosen pieces, and works drawn from the Diputación Department of Culture, including more ambitious compositions that explore broader symphonic textures.
After the performances, the jury will announce the winner in each of the four divisions. The awards will be presented at the conclusion of the weekend’s activities. While the adjudication takes place, audiences can enjoy a special concert at Alicante’s SCD Carolinas, featuring a compilation of works by the Alicante composer Jesus Mule. The competition culminates with the performance of the Regional Anthem and the distribution of plaques to the participating groups on Sunday.
The selection and grouping of participating ensembles were determined after the registration period and the draw held at the Provincial Palace. The divisions accommodate ensembles of varying sizes: the first section includes groups of 71 to 90 musicians, the second covers 51 to 70, the third includes 41 to 50, and the fourth gathers 31 to 40 players each. This structure ensures fair competition and gives every group a stage to showcase its unique sound and teamwork.
photograph exhibition
Running parallel to the auditions is a retrospective photography exhibition that chronicles the competition from its inception on December 1, 1968 to the present. The exhibit comprises 60 images drawn from the Diputación’s graphic archive and is accessible free of charge in the auditorium hall throughout the weekend, inviting visitors to walk through decades of regional music history.