The SM l'Illa honors the professor from Ontinyent José Mª Ferrero, author of the 'Chimo' march

The Societat Musical l'Illa paid homage yesterday to the composer José María Ferrero, with a concert-conference held in the auditorium of the Cultural Center and organized with the collaboration of the Department of Culture and the Association of Moors and Christians. This activity, part of the XXVIII Campanya de Música als Pobles of the Diputación de Alicante, also served as a prelude to the Mig Any de Moros y Cristianos, which will take place this weekend.

The concert-conference was attended by, among others, the mayor, Toni Pérez; the Councilor for Culture, Jaime Jesús Pérez; members of the municipal Corporation; the president of the Association of Moors and Christians, Francis Teuler; the delegate of area V of the UNDEF, Vicent Ivars; and relatives of José María Ferrero.

Before the band of the SM l'Illa interpreted some of the best-known pieces of the professor, his son Daniel Ferrero broke down the composer's personal and professional career in a conference, interspersing sound fragments of various 'pasodobles' and marches in his story Moorish and Christian determinants to know and understand their different creative phases.

A key element in understanding the evolution of festive music, José María Ferrero composed his first pasodoble at just 22 years of age, adding more than 40 pieces throughout his career, mainly 'pasodobles', Moorish marches and Christian marches, but also the first poem symphonic inspired by the Moors and Christians festivities. Among his most outstanding works are the 'pasodobles': 'Reina de Fiestas' or 'Dos Parelles'; 'El Kábila', 'Reige' or 'Marrrahesch' for the Moorish side; or 'Apóstol poeta (Rafael Duyos) among the creations dedicated to the side of the cross.

As Daniel Ferrero recalled, the professor was the promoter of the Ontinyent Conservatory and for more than two decades he was in charge of the local Musical Artistic Union, paying special attention to the school of students. He was also responsible for the first 'single' of festive music, later collaborating in the edition of two albums with UNDEF.

During the conference, he explained to those present the process of creating 'Chimo', its premiere, and how this march has become not only an essential part of any entrance or parade of Moors and Christians but also the anthem of the festivities of Ontinyent, being interpreted in unison by nearly a thousand musicians each year after the Entrada de Bandas of the town.

After the conference, the SM l'Illa under the baton of Felipe Juan Lanuza performed the pasodoble 'Brisas del Clariano'; the Moorish march 'Mozárabes 1960'; 'Bonus Cristianus', the first Christian march by the professor; the 'pasodoble' 'Daniel Juan'; the 'Moroccans of Petrel' march; and his 'Muladian Fantasy'. In the closing work, the Moorish march 'Chimo', the most emotional moment of the afternoon was experienced, when Felipe Juan Lanuza handed over the baton to the composer's son.