Introduction
One of the most important cultural values and recognized in Aragon is the music. Aragonese many good groups are recognized nationally and internationally for its achievements and its quality in different styles.
Some had their moment of glory and eventually disappear, others were dissolved and formed new groups, although others have disappeared, are still in our memory and maintain a very high number of followers, others are still very successful career.
Modern music
Zaragoza possesses a great number of singers and groups inside the current music. There are songwriters, which began around the New Song Aragonesa, as José Antonio Labordeta, Joaquín Carbonell and La Bullonera.
Labordeta´s video singing with Joaquín Carbonell and La Bullonera. (youtube)
Or as the youngests Angel Petisme and Carmen París, this last one with a musical style very personal that has a constant mix of fusion rhythms of jota aragonesa, flamenco, andalusi music, jazz and other musical currents.
Carmen Paris´ video- Savia Nueva. (youtube)
Also are from Zaragoza Heroes of the Silence, from which arose Enrique Bunbury. His musical style varies from rock, folk, tango and nightclub until the country. Recently it has been confirmed that a Zaragoza street will have the name of the group Heroes of the Silence.
Enrique Bunbury´s video (youtube)
Santiago Auserón was for years the leader of the group Radio Futura.
Santiago Auserón´s video (youtube)
Amaral has a great success actually. It´s a duo shares by Eva Amaral and Juan Aguirre which mixes folk with latin rhythms, synthesizers and lyrics with poetical content.
Amaral´s video (youtube)
Tachenko is another zaragozano group which style is pop indie and who is having a lot of success.
Tachenko´s video (youtube)
Undoubtedly the rap and the hip hop are others important styles in he Zaragoza scene. The group which is reaching the top is Violadores del Verso.
Violadores del Verso´s video (youtube)
In the type of the punk style Manolo Cabezabolo stands out. Finally, in the type of the blues one Ana Midon´s voice stands out.
Other groups and soloists from Zaragoza music scene are Niños del Brasil, Las Novias, Más birras, Gabriel Sopeña or Mauricio Aznar.
It is noteworthy that Enrique Bunbury studied at Santa Mª del Pilar School in Zaragoza, also Ana Midón and Sebas Puente, writer of the lyrics in the group Tachenko, studied here. Sebas is son of a teacher of this school and his group is having recently a big success.
Actually there have been some young groups or soloists also from our school, like DIM, artistic name of Pablo Latorre, who was part of the Números Rojos group, but later he started his own solo career, in the hip hop style.
Nizgar, a group with Hector Pérez, Arturo Tajahuerce, Nacho Ruiz and Miguel Elosúa, actually students of our school, are playing on metal or powel metal style, trying to begin their career in the world of the music.
Nizgar´s video (youtube)
Folk music
The musical Aragonese tradition, joined the current music, brings us over more to our customs, and hereby songs and rhythms of many years ago or even centuries, we listen to them today with pleasure and interest.
Between the musical groups related to the folklore in Aragón, there are those play, sing and dance the jota, that have their main activity in the Pilar festive celebration. These groups are named rondallas, which are sets of instruments of pulse and prong, constituted by guitars, or guitars, bandurrias and lutes. In Aragón an interesting traditions of rondallas exists in almost all the villages.
Jotas de picadillo-Rondalla “Los amigos”. Festival de Cebón (youtube)
Other bands appear due to Easter and they are very important in Aragón. These bands are created with instruments of percussion, specially drums and bass drums, which play music for the brotherhood they belong to and take part in the events that take place during Holy Week.
SemanaSanta Zaragoza 2008 (tambores) (youtube)
The bands of music are made up of wood winds and basses and percussion. There were 56 music bands in the province of Zaragoza in 1993, while many music bands have appeared in the most of the boroughs districts.
The modern Aragonian folk music began in 1978 with Chicotén, a group of musicians who investigated the Aragonian popular songbooks and collected instruments.
They were followed by Somerondón, who tried to keep the tradition alive.
Somerondón video-XXX Anniversary
Some years later, the modern Aragonian folk music is fashionable again with four groups: Hato de Foces, La Orquestina del Fabirol, Biella Nuei and Cornamusa. But the greatest revolution in Aragonian folk music (as far as the number of supporters is concerned) has been done recently by Ixo Ray, who mixes up the Aragonian tradition with other styles (from the jota till the Mexican folk song and the Ska).
Ixo Ray video (youtube)
In the most traditional folk music it stands out the Ronda de Boltaña, Titiriteros de Binéfar…
Ronda de Boltaña video (youtube)
Classical music
In Zaragoza there are various orchestras, with different characteristics. Stand out those who are tied to the Conservatoire, that they teach the children to touch classic music, and throughout the years to be able to manage to touch in bands or professional orchestras.
The Orchestra of the Conservatory of Music in Aragón is formed in full by students of the Conservatory.
Falla video: Seguidillas and Farruca. El sombrero de tres picos (youtube)
The Camerata Aragón is a result more of the new draft of the Higher Conservatory of Music in Aragón, it is a chamber orchestra also integrated by students. In both cases the objectives include both in the educational level as in the projection of the Conservatory abroad, contributing to the momentum and cultural development of the community of Aragón.
Video St Paul´s Suite nº 2 G.Holst. CSMA
There is also a symphonic band of CSMA that interprets both transcriptions of music for orchestra as original works written for Symphonic Band.
Video Te bon e Paiporta F.Ferrán CSMA (youtube)
The Auditorio of Zaragoza has also an Orchestra of Chamber, the group Enigma, which develops his labor centred principally on the interpretation and diffusion of the music of last century and also of the contemporary music.In his programs includes also works of the current Spanish music, as well as of the Aragonese one.
Conclusions
The musical associations have a great relevancy and importance, not only in the musical aspect, but also socially. There is very important the link that is created between the members of these associations.
In Aragón there are musical groups with different origins, some are neighbours from the same village that get together, others are old students of a school, others appear to pray for a Virgin or Christ…In Aragón there are many options to get into these groups, that ave in common that they want music to continue being an important element in society.
The importance of music does not depend on the seriousness or the big masses that go to pop concerts but the feelings that they produce us. They may excite, depending on the moment, to hear Amaral in a concert, or have fun with the popular music of the Ronda de Boltaña or to listen to music in the Auditorio.
Music department:
Teacher: Maite Alcalde .
Students 1º ESO: Beatriz Castillo, Laura Cegoñino, Álvaro Franco, Jaime Garfella, María Lobato, Mª Esther Loscertales, , Alejandro Pérez, Ana Ramos, , Marta Sanaú, Ilia Santos.
