On 21 November at 19:00, the Palacio de Exposiciones y Congresos in Teruel will host a concert featuring the acclaimed Asturian bagpiper José Ángel Hevia alongside the Banda de Música Santa Cecilia. This event is part of the celebrations for the 150th anniversary of Fundación Ibercaja.
The concert commemorates the 25th anniversary of Hevia's album 'Tierra de nadie', which received the Platinum Europe Award for selling over one million copies in a year across Europe. The performance will bring together 140 musicians from Banda Santa Cecilia and approximately five members of Hevia's regular band in a symphonic format on a large stage, with an expected audience capacity of 1,500.
Hevia, a pioneer of electronic bagpipes with three million copies sold worldwide, will perform some of the most emblematic pieces from his career, which are part of the international folk music repertoire. The concert will feature a mix of electronic and acoustic flutes and bagpipes, traditional percussion, and other instruments from his band.
Carlos Méndez, the councillor for Culture, highlighted the uniqueness of this event and expressed gratitude for the support from Fundación Ibercaja. Hevia, connecting via videoconference, shared his excitement for the project and praised the work of Banda Santa Cecilia, which will be fully integrated into the performance. The repertoire will include well-known tracks from Hevia's career, adapted to suit the instruments and the local ensemble.
Conductor Juan Luis Roig will handle the arrangements to blend the bagpipes with the band. Advance tickets will be priced at €6, increasing to €11 from 16 November. The organisation plans to set up the necessary infrastructure at the venue three days prior to the concert.
During the announcement, Carlos Méndez also reported on improvements to the Palacio de Exposiciones y Congresos, which will include a lift, climate control systems, and a new modular stage for large concerts, set to be available in December.
