November always brings a deeply rooted celebration to El Poble Nou de Benitatxell: Santa Cecilia, the festival of music. The municipality’s music associations (the Agrupación Musicomunicipal Santa María Magdalena, the Colla La Llebetjà, the Parish Choir and the Grup de Danses Morro Falquí), in collaboration with the Council, have organised a special programme of events that will take place over two weekends.
The programme will begin this Saturday, November 15th, with a concert by the Agrupación Musicomunicipal Santa María Magdalena, which will take place at 8:00 p.m. in the church.
The events will continue on the following Friday, November 21st, at 7:30 p.m., with a parade and the welcoming of the new members of the Colla La Llebetjà, who will eagerly await at home to become full members of the Colla. This year’s new members are: dolçainers José A. Bolufer Soler and José A. Cano Úbeda, and tabaleter Juan Ivars Vallés.
Afterwards, there will be refreshments at 8.30 pm at Bar La Trillaora for the members of the Music Band. To attend, reservations must be made until November 14th, either in person at the Municipal Library (10:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.) or by telephone at 618 637 579 (Isabel). Reservations are free for members of the Band and cost €8 for guests.
Saturday, November 22nd will feature several events throughout the day. The day will begin at 11:00 am with a concert by all the students of the Municipal School of Music and Dance in the church. Performances will be given by Batucada Dacatuba, the Children’s Band, the Youth Band, the Percussion students, the Colleta and the choirs.
Later, at 12:15 p.m., there will be a very special event for the new musicians joining the band: horn players Lucas Pérez García and Lara Gómez Martínez, flutist Marta Mateu Devesa, and saxophonist Rubí Sáenz Fuentes. As is tradition, they will wait excitedly at their front doors for the band to come and collect them for a parade through the streets of the town.
In the afternoon, the events will be resumed at 6:15 p.m. with a parade of the four musical associations carrying the image of Saint Cecilia, a display of traditional dances by the Grup de Danses Morro Falquí and the Colla La Llebetjà at the church square at 6:30 p.m., and a mass in honour of the patron saint of musicians sung by the Parish Choir at 7:00 p.m. After the mass, the Parish Choir will give a concert. The final event in the programme will be a fellowship dinner for the four musical associations.
The mayor, Miguel Ángel García, and the Councillor of Culture, Jorge Pascual, have highlighted the important role of musical groups in the life of the municipality. «The four musical associations are the soul of our town. Not only do they offer us artistic quality, but they are also fundamental pillars of social cohesion, the transmission of values and the maintenance of a cultural tradition that defines us. Their dedication to music education is commendable. They are true schools of talent, where dozens of young and not-so-young people find a space for learning and passion.»
