Tribute to Maestro Rafael Alcaraz Shapes a Year of Music in Muro
Muro prepares to mark the centenary of Rafael Alcaraz, a pivotal figure in the town’s musical legacy, with a full year of events organized by the Muro City Council, the Muro Music Association, and the Maestro Alcaraz Lyric-Cultural Association. The opening highlight is a biographical exhibition dedicated to the composer, set to debut during the Fireta de Sant Antoni celebrations this coming Friday, January 19. The exhibit invites residents and visitors to explore the life, body of work, and enduring impact of a local luminary who helped define the region’s cultural character.
At the unveiling, a circle of prominent local figures will be present, including Muro’s Mayor, Vicen Molina, alongside leading voices from the city’s cultural scene. Among them are José Rafael Pascual Vilaplana, a renowned director, composer, and artistic advisor for the Vila de Muro International Composition Prize; Manolo Mondéjar Criado, director of Unió Musical de Muro; Soraya Sanchis Mogino, president of Unió Musical de Muro; and Antonio Olcina, director of the Maestro Alcaraz Lyric-Cultural Association. Their attendance signals the strong collaborative spirit driving this commemorative year.
The mayor announced several practical updates accompanying the tribute. The event branding and corporate image will be refreshed to emphasize the centennial milestone. The VIII Vila de Muro International Composition Prize will carry the subtitle Mestre Rafael Alcaraz for the year, reinforcing the link between the prize and the composer’s legacy. Community generosity has already seen 4,000 euros raised for this year’s prize. Aspiring participants may submit their pieces until October 31, 2024, with the winning work to be performed at a future concert. Full submission rules will be published soon to ensure clear guidelines for entrants. The mayor expressed strong support for these activities, calling them a fitting tribute organized by Unió Musical de Muro and the Maestro Alcaraz Lyric-Cultural Association, celebrating a historic figure who remains a central cultural and musical reference for the town.
Beyond the biographical exhibit, a commemorative concert is planned for April. It will be conducted by Manolo Mondéjar and José Rafael Pascual Vilaplana and captured live for a forthcoming CD release. The program will honor four major works by Alcaraz, each illustrating his breadth as a symphonic writer. Vilaplana highlighted Alcaraz’s deep commitment to culture and to preserving Muro’s musical heritage, noting performances of pieces such as the Hymn to l’Aurora, Danses de Palau, Mare de Déu dels Desemparats, and more. This insight from the prize’s director underscores the lasting relevance of Alcaraz’s repertoire.
The calendar for May features a Festival of Moors and Christians that devotes a portion of its program to Alcaraz’s music. The festival’s leadership confirms that the maestro’s works will be performed, giving revelers and visitors an opportunity to experience some of his most significant compositions within a festive setting. The aim is to place Alcaraz’s music at the heart of local celebration and to demonstrate its vitality for contemporary audiences.
July will spotlight Zarzuela with a Summer Concert honoring the tradition, coinciding with the creation of the Mestre Alcaraz Lyrical Music Association to promote this vocal genre. In September, Associació Lírica Musical Mestre Alcaraz will present a lyrical concert to continue the thread of Alcaraz’s influence. October will feature a lecture by José Rafael Pascual Vilaplana exploring the life and works of Rafael Alcaraz, offering deeper historical context and musical analysis for attendees. The year will culminate in December with the Vila de Muro Rafael Alcaraz Composition Prize award ceremony and a round-table discussion by the competition panel. The April CD recording will be presented at the Santa Cecilia Concert, tying the year’s activities into a lasting audio keepsake.
The City Council emphasizes that this will be a dense, vibrant year dedicated to memory and music. It celebrates the people of Muro who treasure local heritage and the broader circle of music lovers who value Rafael Alcaraz’s enduring contributions. The program aims to keep his legacy alive through performances, education, and community engagement, weaving his works into new generations’ cultural experiences.