The XI Organ Festival will offer 9 unique concerts from January to December

The Parish of Sant Jaume i Santa Anna will host the eleventh edition of Benidorm International Organ Festival 2023 which, from January to December, will offer a monthly concert, except in summer, with which the public will enjoy one of the best organs of the Valencian Community.

The Councilor for Culture, Jaime Jesús Pérez, accompanied by professors from the Alicante Conservatory, Juan Antonio Espinoa and Joxe Benantzi Bilbao; and the parish priest of the church of Sant Jaume i Santa Anna, Juan Antonio Magaña, have presented today at a press conference the festival that will offer the first of its sessions on January 27.

Jaime Jesús Pérez indicated that it is a "highly recognized" festival at the national and international level that, in its last edition, brought together around 2,000 people and that this year "exceeds itself" by offering nine concerts. Attendance at the festival is free and the temple comfortably accommodates 300 people.

In his speech, Juan Antonio Espinosa recalled that the one in Benidorm is an organ built in 2012. An instrument of great proportions and musical possibilities of three manual keyboards of 56 notes each, plus another pedalboard and 1,990 sound tubes that he has defined as “eclectic” because it allows the interpretation “of almost all musical literature”. “It is neither Iberian, nor romantic, nor Renaissance”, he clarified, but its versatility “allows us to play all that music” corresponding to different historical periods.

For his part, Joxe Benantzi Bilbao recalled that Benidorm is a very special festival since organ and harpsichord recitals “there will be one or two in the world”. Concerts that he, he has emphasized, it is only possible to schedule "in large auditoriums or in churches", which gives those from Benidorm even more solvency.

Finally, Juan Antonio González recalled that his parish "is at the service of the people" and that it will always remain "with its doors open" for cultural activities. He has also pointed out that "it has screens" on which, during the concerts, the image of the organist is projected so that attendees can see "how their hands dance" on the keyboards.

All concerts will be at 8:00 p.m. The first of them, on January 27, will be given by Enrico Viccardi; on February 24, Olimpio Medori and Mara Fanelli; on March 31, students from the Professional Conservatory of Music 'Guitarist José Tomás', from Alicante; on April 29, the Vila de Sant Joan Symphony Orchestra, together with Benantzi Bilbao (organ) and Juan Antonio Espinosa (conductor); on May 19, Paco Amaya and Francisco Varoch; on September 29, Cor de Nuit Trio and Gurutze Beitia; on October 27, Enrico Tricario and the Lumina Ensemble; on December 1, Juan de la Rubia; and on December 16, the Benidorm Choir and Josep Vicent Giner that will put an end to the XI Benidorm International Organ Festival.