5th AEOS-Fundación BBVA Conference

THE POWER OF ORCHESTRAS

Since 2010, the Spanish Association of Symphony Orchestras (AEOS) and the BBVA Foundation have been holding a joint biennial conference, open to the public, in order to discuss current issues of interest for symphony orchestras and their environment, with the help of experts from internationally renowned institutions and projects.
This fifth biennial conference focuses on critical social and political issues, understanding orchestras as active protagonists reflecting their context and as catalysts for change.
We will discuss the role of classical music in light of the major global migration crisis, the search for tolerance and respect for differences, gender equality, and diversity. We will analyze ways to break down the barriers that can be created between orchestras and their communities, we will ask well-known patrons of the arts what they do and why, and we will inquire about the future of young musicians in Spain.
In the current context, what is the power of orchestras?

SINOPSIS

PROGRAM TUESDAY 27TH NOVEMBER

11:15-11:30 Conference opening session and presentation
Rafael Pardo, Director of the BBVA Foundation
Ana Mateo, President of the Spanish Association of Symphony Orchestras
Antonio Garde, Deputy Director of Music and Dance of the INAEM

11:30-12:30 The Power of Orchestras: Leadership, Innovation, Diversity and Inclusion
The health of an orchestra is not determined by the strength of its financials. The depth of an orchestra is not determined by the repertoire it plays. And its power does not come from how beautifully it is presented. Rather, it is how the orchestra listens to and embraces the challenges of its community.
Speaker: Stanford Thompson (Founder and Executive Director of Play On Philly and Founding Board Chairman of El Sistema USA)

12:30-14:00 Panel I: Music, social justice and immigration
Can classical music be useful in a politically and socially charged environment resulting from the global migration crisis? This panel will look at cases in Afghanistan, France and Sweden where music has paved the way for tolerance of diversity and respectful integration.
Speakers:
• Robin Ryczek, cellist and faculty at the Afghanistan National Institute of Music (ANIM)
• Gilles Pillet, Director of Development and Communications of L’Orchestre de Chambre de Paris. Project: “Chansons migrantes”
• Ron Davis Alvarez, Founder and Director of The Dream Orchestra, Sweden
Moderator: Jordi Cos, President Orquestra Simfònica del Vallès

15:45-18:00 Panel II: Gender equality in classical music
The struggle for gender equality raises questions about women’s role in society and female leadership. Is there equal training? Equal pay? Equal job opportunities? Everything leads us to the big question: What role do women play in the current classical music scene?
Speakers:
• Francisco Javier Noya, Research: Women’s participation in Spanish Professional Orchestras
• Virginia Martínez, OSRM Principal Conductor
• Anne Midgette, classical music reviewer in The Washington Post
• Tansy Davies, composer and Associate Professor at the Royal Academy of Music
Moderator: María Riera Gutiérrez, Director, Fundación Musical Ciudad de Oviedo-Oviedo Filarmonía

18:30-20:00 Panel III: Funding sources for art and music
We ask well-known patrons of the arts why they fund artistic projects and what criteria they use to select these projects.
Speakers:
• Christine Rhomberg, Managing Director, Hilti Foundation
• Isabelle Le Galo-Flores, Director for Spain, Daniel and Nina Carasso Foundation
• Hugo Martinez de Seabra, Project Manager at the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation
Moderator: Miquel Àngel Parera Salvà, Executive Director, Orquesta Sinfónica de Tenerife

PROGRAM WEDNESDAY 28TH NOVEMBER

10:00-11:30 Panel IV: New Leaderships: Classical music vs. barriers
Reflection on the major challenge of preserving or promoting a form of culture that, today, faces significant barriers in connecting with society, specifically with younger generations. This panel will observe ways in which these barriers are broken down, from the standpoints of political activism, the image and its power over young people, and the history of an emblematic building.
Speakers:
• Candace Allen, novelist, political activist, cultural critic and Founding Trustee of the Chineke! Orchestra
• Josep Molina, Founder and Creative Director of Molina Visuals
• Nicholas Kenyon, Managing Director of the Barbican Centre
Moderator: Manuel Muñoz, Assistant Manager, Palau de la Música and Manager, Orquestra de València

12:00-14.00 Panel V: Employability of young musicians in Spain
We are seeing a prolific generation of young Spanish musicians with a high level of artistic training. What are their job options? Do they fit in the traditional context? Are they entrepreneurs?
Speakers:
• Miren Iñarga Echevarría, Director, MUSIKENE
• José Luis Turina, Artistic Director, JONDE
• Luis Perandones Lozano, Founder and Manager, Muv.ac GmbH
• André Cebrián Garea, flutist and Founder, Natalia Ensemble
Moderator: Esteban Morales, Manager, Orquesta de Extremadura

15:45-17:30 Panel VI: Effective leadership and collaboration
The orchestra and its human components work together to create music in the pursuit of artistic excellence. In turn, the symphony orchestra is a reflection of society. Can its members get involved and lead collaborative projects with their communities? Are the roles that musicians play predetermined subconsciously?
Speakers:
• Richard Wigley, Managing Director, Ulster Orchestra
• Géza Kovács, Managing Director, Hungarian National Philharmonic
• Aesha Zafar, Learning & Development, Projects & Change, BBC
Moderator: Rafael Soto, Legal Adviser and Chief of Staff, Orquesta de Sevilla
17:30 Close