The Concurso Juventudes Musicales, held on June 16, 17, and 18 at the Manuel de Falla Auditorium of the Royal Conservatory of Music of Madrid (RCSMM), witnessed a groundbreaking moment as the Dianto Reed Quintet emerged victorious in the Chamber Modality, becoming the first group with this instrument formation to win the prestigious competition. The quintet’s triumph in a highly competitive final against three other groups solidified their status as trailblazers in the realm of chamber music.
Formed during their master’s studies in Amsterdam, the Dianto Reed Quintet comprises talented musicians from diverse backgrounds. The group consists of María González Bullón on oboe, María Luisa Olmos Ros on clarinet, Erik Steven Rojas Toapanta on bass clarinet, Ovidi Martí Garasa on saxophone, and María Losada Burgo on bassoon. Each member brings their unique musicality and expertise, hailing from Madrid, Murcia, Ecuador, Castellón, and Lugo, respectively. Competing against formidable opponents, including the Aluné Ensemble (clarinet, cello, and piano trio), Mezzo Quartet, and Ósimun Quartet (saxophone quartets), the Dianto Reed Quintet showcased their exceptional talent, earning the first prize incontestably. This historic achievement not only highlights the remarkable musicality of the quintet but also emphasizes the significance of their chosen instrument formation.
In the same contest, the Mezzo Quartet, a saxophone quartet, secured the Second Chamber Music Prize. Comprising Gisela Dekort Mesalles on soprano saxophone, Nabil Sarrate Nejjari on alto saxophone, Sofia Craveiro Vicente on tenor saxophone, and Pol Cabrera Plaza on baritone saxophone, the quartet joined the esteemed company of previous awardees in this modality. Since the 2015 edition of the contest, a saxophone quartet has consistently left a lasting impression on the Spanish music scene, cementing the significance of this particular formation.
Moving to the Singing modality, Violeta Alarcón Quesada from Catalonia captured the Second Prize, while the First Prize remained vacant in adherence to the international standards of the European Union of Music Competitions for Youth (EMCY), which governs the competition’s rules. The Singing final also featured the exceptional talents of sopranos Belén García Burgos, Aida Gimeno García, Maia Juan Martí, Ana Sanz Fernández, and young tenor Jesús Gabriel Angulo Mendoza.
The face-to-face qualifiers, held on June 16th and 17th, saw ten chamber groups and fifteen solo singing contestants selected from a preliminary video pre-selection. The finals, which occurred on June 17th and 18th, were recorded and will soon be available for viewing on the JM Spain YouTube channel (https://youtube.com/@JuventudesMusicales). Additionally, the performances will be broadcasted on Radio Clásica.
The winners of the contest will be rewarded with the opportunity to perform in various concerts as part of the JM Spain circuit in the Red de Músicas. The first prize recipients will enjoy two seasons of performances, while the second prize winners will be granted one season to showcase their talent.
The distinguished jury for the Singing modality included conductor, composer, and pianist Miquel Ortega, along with internationally renowned singers María Bayo and Teresa Iervolino. The chamber music jury consisted of cellist Helena Poggio from the Quiroga Quartet, pianist.
