Orquesta Sinfónica del Estado de México
Encyclopedia
The Orquesta Sinfónica del Estado de México (OSEM) is the Symphony Orchestra
of the State of Mexico. It was founded in 1971 and is based in Toluca
, Mexico State, Mexico
; its home hall is Sala Felipe Villanueva.
, and its home hall is the Sala Felipe Villanueva. The Orchestra has been characterized by its endeavor to carry its message to all the municipalities of the state, to all corners of the country. It was also the first institution of its kind to visit the 16 political divisions of the Federal District. It began giving concert
s in the main settings of the capital of the country
, from the Bellas Artes theater and National Auditorium to the Sala Nezahualcoyotls, as well as other halls in the outlying areas, such as the San Benito Abad theater of the Centro Escolar del Lago, in the municipality of Cuautitlán
, which, in spite of its location–40 kilometers from the center of the city–rose in popularity for the metropolitan public, due to the area and the admirable acoustic
conditions and the comfort of the hall.
The OSEM performed at the Fourth Festival of the Historic Center of Campeche, and the following year at the Orchestral Festival organized by the National Council for Culture and Arts. For 6 years, the orchestra carried out a Festival in Valle de Bravo
, in the state of Mexico, showing through it how excellent art can be when it is the result of a joint effort of the living forces of the country.
Between 1983 and 1985, the orchestra was under the direction of maestro
Manuel Suárez, and later, until 1989, Eduardo Diaz Muñoz.
, returning continuously for three years, starting in 1979, playing in the most important cities. In 2002, it toured for the first time in Germany
.
In 2003, a European Tour led the orchestra to Spain
, Poland
, Germany
and France
. In 2005, the orchestra traveled to Paris, France and offered two concerts, one in Salle Gaveau and the other in Theater Mogador, with extraordinary success. In September 2005, the OSEM traveled to the People's Republic of China
to offer six concerts in the most important cities of this country, including Changsha, Shanghai
, Shenyang
, Harbin
and Beijing
.
, and also participated in the discovery and encouragement of young performers, through the "International Henryk Szeryng
Violin Contest", begun in 1992. In the four times this contest was held, the OSEM enjoyed the presence of the most notable aspiring violinists of the world, and rewarded a dozen of them. The OSEM has also hosted many guest directors and soloists, chosen from the most outstanding in the world.
A significant accomplishment of the OSEM, assisted by the Trust Foundation, has been the institutionalization of the Festival Valle de Bravo year after year, since 1997. Concerts of this Festival take place in this lovely town in Valle de Bravo as well as in the theater of Bellas Artes in Mexico City, the most important national setting.
, Robert Schumann
, Johannes Brahms
and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
.
have repeatedly received the Annual Award from the Mexican Union of Chroniclers of Theater and Music, given for its 25th anniversary by the First Festival of Classical Music in 1996 with the participation of other orchestras in the country, as well as for its promotion of musical activities in Mexico.
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
of the State of Mexico. It was founded in 1971 and is based in Toluca
Toluca
Toluca, formally known as Toluca de Lerdo, is the state capital of Mexico State as well as the seat of the Municipality of Toluca. It is the center of a rapidly growing urban area, now the fifth largest in Mexico. It is located west-southwest of Mexico City and only about 40 minutes by car to the...
, Mexico State, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
; its home hall is Sala Felipe Villanueva.
History
On August 27, 1971, under the initiative of Enrique Bátiz Campbell and the government of the Mexico State, the Orquesta Sinfónica del Estado de México (OSEM) was founded. Its purpose is the spreading of music as an art, to create unity and identity among the citizens of the state. The orchestra is located in the city of TolucaToluca
Toluca, formally known as Toluca de Lerdo, is the state capital of Mexico State as well as the seat of the Municipality of Toluca. It is the center of a rapidly growing urban area, now the fifth largest in Mexico. It is located west-southwest of Mexico City and only about 40 minutes by car to the...
, and its home hall is the Sala Felipe Villanueva. The Orchestra has been characterized by its endeavor to carry its message to all the municipalities of the state, to all corners of the country. It was also the first institution of its kind to visit the 16 political divisions of the Federal District. It began giving concert
Concert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
s in the main settings of the capital of the country
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
, from the Bellas Artes theater and National Auditorium to the Sala Nezahualcoyotls, as well as other halls in the outlying areas, such as the San Benito Abad theater of the Centro Escolar del Lago, in the municipality of Cuautitlán
Cuautitlán
Cuautitlán is a city and municipality in the State of Mexico, just north of the northern tip of the Federal District within the Greater Mexico City urban area. The city has engulfed most of the municipality, making the two synonymous...
, which, in spite of its location–40 kilometers from the center of the city–rose in popularity for the metropolitan public, due to the area and the admirable acoustic
Musical acoustics
Musical acoustics or music acoustics is the branch of acoustics concerned with researching and describing the physics of music – how sounds employed as music work...
conditions and the comfort of the hall.
The OSEM performed at the Fourth Festival of the Historic Center of Campeche, and the following year at the Orchestral Festival organized by the National Council for Culture and Arts. For 6 years, the orchestra carried out a Festival in Valle de Bravo
Valle de Bravo
Valle de Bravo is a town and municipality located in Mexico State, Mexico. It is located on the shore of Lake Avándaro, approximately 156 km southwest of Mexico City and west of Toluca on highways 15, 134 or 1...
, in the state of Mexico, showing through it how excellent art can be when it is the result of a joint effort of the living forces of the country.
Between 1983 and 1985, the orchestra was under the direction of maestro
Maestro
Maestro is a title of extreme respect given to a master musician. The term is most commonly used in the context of Western classical music and opera. This is associated with the ubiquitous use of Italian vocabulary for classical music terms...
Manuel Suárez, and later, until 1989, Eduardo Diaz Muñoz.
Tours
In 1975, the OSEM made its first tour to the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, returning continuously for three years, starting in 1979, playing in the most important cities. In 2002, it toured for the first time in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
In 2003, a European Tour led the orchestra to Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. In 2005, the orchestra traveled to Paris, France and offered two concerts, one in Salle Gaveau and the other in Theater Mogador, with extraordinary success. In September 2005, the OSEM traveled to the People's Republic of China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
to offer six concerts in the most important cities of this country, including Changsha, Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
, Shenyang
Shenyang
Shenyang , or Mukden , is the capital and largest city of Liaoning Province in Northeast China. Currently holding sub-provincial administrative status, the city was once known as Shengjing or Fengtianfu...
, Harbin
Harbin
Harbin ; Manchu language: , Harbin; Russian: Харби́н Kharbin ), is the capital and largest city of Heilongjiang Province in Northeast China, lying on the southern bank of the Songhua River...
and Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
.
Contributions to the performing community
The promotion of new musical talents has been an objective of the orchestra since its beginnings. It has given rise to over forty excellent soloistsSolo (music)
In music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...
, and also participated in the discovery and encouragement of young performers, through the "International Henryk Szeryng
Henryk Szeryng
Henryk Szeryng was a Polish violinist.-Early years:He was born in Żelazowa Wola, Poland on 22 September 1918 into a wealthy family....
Violin Contest", begun in 1992. In the four times this contest was held, the OSEM enjoyed the presence of the most notable aspiring violinists of the world, and rewarded a dozen of them. The OSEM has also hosted many guest directors and soloists, chosen from the most outstanding in the world.
A significant accomplishment of the OSEM, assisted by the Trust Foundation, has been the institutionalization of the Festival Valle de Bravo year after year, since 1997. Concerts of this Festival take place in this lovely town in Valle de Bravo as well as in the theater of Bellas Artes in Mexico City, the most important national setting.
Recordings
The recordings of the OSEM cover the broadest range of any Mexican orchestra. They include recordings dedicated to the works of Verdi and Rossini, Mexican and Spanish music, the works of Isaac Albéniz, Joaquín Rodrigo, Manuel M. Ponce and Carlos Chávez, and the integral series of the symphonies of Ludwig van BeethovenLudwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven was a German composer and pianist. A crucial figure in the transition between the Classical and Romantic eras in Western art music, he remains one of the most famous and influential composers of all time.Born in Bonn, then the capital of the Electorate of Cologne and part of...
, Robert Schumann
Robert Schumann
Robert Schumann, sometimes known as Robert Alexander Schumann, was a German composer, aesthete and influential music critic. He is regarded as one of the greatest and most representative composers of the Romantic era....
, Johannes Brahms
Johannes Brahms
Johannes Brahms was a German composer and pianist, and one of the leading musicians of the Romantic period. Born in Hamburg, Brahms spent much of his professional life in Vienna, Austria, where he was a leader of the musical scene...
and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (Russian: Пётр Ильи́ч Чайко́вский ; often "Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky" in English. His names are also transliterated "Piotr" or "Petr"; "Ilitsch", "Il'ich" or "Illyich"; and "Tschaikowski", "Tschaikowsky", "Chajkovskij"...
.
Awards
Both the orchestra and its artistic directorArtistic director
An artistic director is the executive of an arts organization, particularly in a theatre company, that handles the organization's artistic direction. He or she is generally a producer and director, but not in the sense of a mogul, since the organization is generally a non-profit organization...
have repeatedly received the Annual Award from the Mexican Union of Chroniclers of Theater and Music, given for its 25th anniversary by the First Festival of Classical Music in 1996 with the participation of other orchestras in the country, as well as for its promotion of musical activities in Mexico.