[#119] November 01, 2021 Wind Orchestra | Grade 5 | 15’-20’ | Suite, transcription
The great Valencian composer and arranger Vicente Mas Quiles passed away last October 25th. WASBE would like to honor his memory with one of his many transcriptions for band, Suite Española by Isaac Albeniz, which is our Composition of the Week.
Mas Quiles was decisive in the development of the Valencian and Spanish band culture, contributing to the repertoire, not only with countless transcriptions that have become classics, such as Geschwindmarsch by Hindemith or Carmina Burana, by Carl Orff, but also with countless original compositions, including Dos Sonrisas, De oro y Plata, Clarinera Mayor, among many others.
Maestro Mas Quiles was recognized at the last WASBE Conference 2019 held in Buñol, Spain, with an award in recognition of his career and immeasurable contribution to the world of bands.
Juan Vicente Mas Quiles was born in 1921 in the small, musical town of Lliria, near Valencia, Spain. He began musical studies at a young age at the music school of the world-famous concert band, Lliria's Banda Primitiva. He joined the elite corps as a musician and was very quickly promoted to solo flautist. Meanwhile, he continued his studies of concert band music, counterpoint, fugue, composition and orchestration for wind orchestras at the Valencia Conservatory.
Mas Quiles subsequently passed examinations to qualify him as a military bandmaster and, since 1946, has been bandmaster of leading Spanish bands. From 1965 onwards he combined his military duties with conducting the Valencia Symphony Orchestra and conducting orchestras of lyrical shows (generally zarzuelas). He has also been guest conductor in orchestras and bands in Argentina, the United States, France, Belgium and the Netherlands.
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