RACBA 175

Concert of San Miguel Arcángel Royal Canarian Academy of Fine Arts (RACBA) with world premieres of works of the academy’s composers for Sinfónica de Tenerife.

Between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m., on the same day and in the same venue, a solemn ceremony will be held to honour the recent induction into the academy’s Music Department of José Luis Rivero Plasencia, who currently holds the position of art director of the Auditorio de Tenerife.

After a 30-minute intermission, a concert serving as a finale of the events celebrating RACBA’s 175th anniversary will take place with the premieres of compositions of academy members from 7.30 p.m. to 8.30 p.m., after which a cocktail party will be held.

RACBA 175: A Celebration (Second Part)

During the reign of Isabella II, royal academies were established to pursue, among other goals, instruction, teaching and creation within the fine arts as a means of fostering the nation’s progress. That spirit of promoting education grew with the Regenerationism movement of Alfonso XIII and the creation in 1913 of the Music Department for the renovation of the Provincial Academy of the Canary Islands.

Throughout all these years, and despite the historic and political vicissitudes it has endured, the San Miguel Arcángel Royal Canarian Academy of Fine Arts (RACBA) has maintained its dedication to serving the archipelago, driving artistic and cultural creation, the legacy of which is evident in our streets, public works, buildings, paintings, sculptures, engravings, drawings and musical compositions. But it is also reflected by the articles, publications, reports and investigation into the safeguarding of Canarian historical heritage pursued since 1849 by an illustrious group of academy members with proven skills and optimal qualities within their disciplines.

Music echoes within that collective memory, which now includes these seven new works in world premieres, created as the finale of the events that commenced last year to celebrate RACBA’s 175 years of existence. The works are also a form of paying tribute, as a testament to Canarian musical creation, to critical thinking and the art of the authors who contribute to the islands’ catalogue of musical history in the form of contemporary compositions that speak of our generation, bear witness to preceding generations and constitute a legacy for future generations.

The programme of this musical celebration includes Tsubo-Niwa; Fade Out #17; Umbra; De la vida celestial; Lumina Fracta; Ben, Sa, Simus and Más allá de los mundos III, performed by the Orquesta Sinfónica de Tenerife and conductor Julia Cruz. It is a fresh demonstration of RACBA’s commitment to contemporary society, which moves forward, underpinned by progress and the concept of plural culture as a right, and looks to the future with pride and equity.

Conrado Álvarez Fariña