The Youth Orchestra of the Province of Alicante (OJPA) plans a festive series that echoes the spirit of Christmas. The journey takes the ensemble through four Alicante towns—Alicante, Elche, La Nucía, and Orihuela—from December 23 to December 30. Every concert is free, with two performances scheduled in Alicante and Elche and outdoor venues featured along the route.
Under the direction of Fran Maestre, the program will showcase a guest conductor this time, Manuel Ramos, who steps in while Maestre is on duty. Ramos brings his experience from Italy, where he leads the Palermo Classica Orchestra and the Cantate Omnes Polyphonic Choir, infusing the tour with a unique blend of European influence and local Mediterranean flair, as noted by the orchestra’s team.
The repertoire is described as festive, Christmassy, and impressive. The Alicante orchestra, following Ramos’s cue, will open the tour this Saturday, December 23 at 20:00, at the La Nucía Auditorium. Ticket collection is handled at the box office before performances as coordinated by the event organizers.
Emerging talent Arnau Moncunill, the concertmaster of OJPA, will appear as soloist in the Violin Concerto and orchestra, Op. 35, a work linked to Tchaikovsky. The program includes Schubert’s Symphony No. 8 in B minor, the Unfinished Symphony, providing a rich contrast to the holiday pieces and showcasing the ensemble’s breadth.
The program will be repeated on December 30 at 20:00 in the Santa Justa y Rufina Church in Orihuela, giving audiences a second opportunity to enjoy the festive offerings. Earlier on December 25, the group will present at 19:00 a program featuring dances such as danzón, conga, huapango, and Christmas carols at Plaça de Baix, with Elche joining the Alicante concert circuit. A second performance is also planned in Alicante on December 30 at 12:00 noon, at the busy intersection of Rambla and Explanada, a site undergoing construction that is anticipated to wrap up in time for the event.
Youth and awards
OJPA comprises more than 80 young musicians aged between 8 and 18, often tackling demanding concert programs. The ensemble earned a notable second prize at the Summa Cum Laude Festival in Vienna in July 2023 with the ensemble named Mediterrània, and it is preparing for a return to this European competition under its original name, OJPA. The group has previously claimed first prizes in Vienna in 2015, 2016, and 2018, underscoring its rising profile on the international stage.