Nines Galán – Clarinete

Nines Galan studied clarinet in the “Conservatorio Superior de música”Joaquín Rodrigo”of Valencia” and obtained her final exam with the highest qualifications.
After studying with clarinettist Joan Enric Lluna, she moved to the Royal Conservatory in the Haque,the Netherlands, where she did a postgraduate study with  Sjef Douwes, solo clarinettist of the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra.

From 1992 to 1996 she was member of the National Youth Orchestra of Spain and received clarinet and chamber music lessons from teachers such as: W. Meyer, A Pay, M. Zukovsky, J.L. Estellés, Th. Indermühle, K. Hill, E. Abbül, P. Gane, C. Nicklin, B. Pollard and J. Martin.

She has played in  various orchestras such as: Or. Sinfonica de Galicia, Or. “Pablo Sarasate” Pamplona, the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra of the Liceo in Barcelona, Granada city Orchestra and performed in festivals in Spain and abroad with prestige conductors such as: Carlo M. Giulini, Mr. N. Marriner, G. Noceda, L. Maazel and Z. Mehta.

In 1994 she won the 1st prize in the II national Chamber Music competition “Montserrat Alavedra” of Terrassa, Barcelona, with the “Haizea Wind Quintet”.

From 1997on she plays regularly in the “Cadaqués Orchestra” and in 2003 she was appointed as solo clarinettist in the Symphony Orchestra of Castilla y León and in  the orchestra of the “Stresa and Lake Maggiore Festival”, in Italy. As a substitute player she works regularly in  the Orchestra of the Comunidad Valenciana and in april 2009 she performed as a  soloist with the same orchestra Prokofievs “Peter and the Wolf”.

As a member of the instrumental group “Moonwinds” conducted by Joan Enric Lluna she recorded “Mozart’s Gran Partita” for the label Harmonia Mundi and “Serenades” of W.A. Mozart , distributed by Iberian HM.
In February 2012 she obtained the Graduate of Advanced Studies in the education departament of the  ”Universitat Jaume I de Castelló de la Plana” in the field of ” Diversitat Cultural e Interdisciplinarietat Educativa”.

She has been teaching clarinet in the National Youth Orchestra of Spain in 2001 and worked at the Conservatory of music in Salamanca during the years 2002-2003.
From 2003 to 2011 she has been teaching clarinet at the Conservatory of music “Angel Barja” in Astorga, León and at the Prof. Conservatory of music in La Coruña as well as chamber music at the Conservatorio Superior in Castellón.  In 2006 and 2008 she teached clarinet and chamber music at the “international summer school” in Lucena, Córdoba and in 2011 at the international course of “Pyrénées Classic” in Canfran, Huesca.

Nines Galan currently works as Professor of Chamber music at the “Conservatorio Superior de Música “Oscar Esplà” in Alicante.

Isaac Itsvan Székely – Piano

Isaac István Székely was born in Sombor (Vojvodina, Serbia) in 1977. He has hungarian origins. He started his musical training having only 3 years old, receiving his first lessons from his mother. At the age of 10, he won the first price of the Young Musicians Competition at his native city, giving his first recital at the age of 13, and his first performance with orchestra at the age of 15 playing the Coral Fantasy of Beethoven. In 1994 he moved to Israel being the youngest student of the Rubin Music Academy of Jerusalem, with a scholarship of The Israel Ministry of Education and The America-Israel Cultural Foundation.

Between 1998 and 2001 he received a subvention from the Hungarian Ministry of Education to study with the world-famous piano teacher Orsolya Szabó at the Kodály Music Institute of Hungary. In 2001 he studied at the prestigious Music Conservatory of Brussels, obtaining in only 2 years his Master Degree in Piano Interpretation. His teachers were Aleksandar Madzar and Daniel Blumenthal.

He also received master classes from great teachers such as: Dmitry Bashkirov, Irina Adelshtein, Malcolm Wilson, Kim Lee Sing.

Isaac won several prizes from national and international piano competitions as soloist and chamber music performer, such as: the Late Yugoslavia Novi Sad Piano Competition, Nis Piano Competition, Zajechar Piano Competicion, Panchevo Piano Competition, Smederevo Piano Competition, and the 2002 Yamaha Foundation Piano Competition in Luxembourg.

He performed numerous concerts and gave master classes in whole Europe including: Serbia and Montenegro, Belgium, Hungary, Sweden, Greece and Spain.

He also performed in USA, South America (Colombia) and Israel. His appearances include recitals in Subotica, Novi Sad, Sombor, The Belgrade Festival Week of the Jewish Culture and charitable concerts of the Serbia and Montenegro Foundations of Education and Medicine. Also recitals in Hungary, at The Kodály Music School, The Miraculum Concert cycle, The Kodály Institute, The Ferenc Liszt Music School, The Ferenc Liszt Music Academy; recitals in Naharya, Israel; recitals in Lund, Sweden, at The Palaestra Concert hall; in Spain at The San Pablo Festival and the closing concerts of the music summer classes of the University of Burgos; in Greece, at The Calpe International Chamber Music Festival, and Kefallonia; in USA, at Alexandria, New Harmony; in Colombia, at The Bucaramanga`s international piano festival, The Barrancamermeja´s International Piano Festival, and The Manizales International Music Season; in Belgium, at The Midis-Minimes Concert Cycles of Brussels and The Muziekacademie de Berchem-Sainte-Agathe of Brussels.

Isaac was, among many other tasks, a musical reviewer at the Sombor Radio in 1988, member of the jury of the Bucaramanga´s International Piano Competition, Performer of a private concert dedicated to The Thailand HRH Princes Culabhorn Mahidol and Performer at the Music Palace of Valencia, The Adoc Auditorium in Elda, the Congress Hall of Murcia(Spain). He has played chamber music concerts with known artists such as Joaquin Palomares, Jovan Bogosavljevic, Soloists of the Valencia Orquestra etc.

At present he lives in Albir (Spain) and continues his career as a performer and a Pedagogue.

Clara Novakova – Flauta

Clara Novakova was born in Brno into a musical family, as the second daughter of  the  composer Jan Novák.

Having spent a number of years in Denmark and Italy, she went on to study at the “Hochschule für Musik” in Stuttgart  with professor Klaus Schochow . Later she moved to Paris where she continued her studies at the Conservatoire National Supérieur  de Musique de Paris with Michel Debost. She won several international competitions including Palmi, Ancona, Stresa, and the Rotary-Preis Stuttgart, the Darmstadt Stipendiumpreis and the Pro Musicis Award among others.

Between 1988 and 2006 she was principal flute with the Ensemble Orchestral de Paris, and has made regular appearances as a soloist at the most important venues and festivals (Salle Pleyel and Theatre des Champs Elysées -  Paris,  Carnegie Hall – New York, City Hall Theatre – Hong Kong, Leo S. Bing Theatre – Los Angeles, Auditorio Leon de Greiff – Bogotá, Auditorio Nacional, Madrid…) as well as with various ensembles (KammerEnsemble de Paris, Trio Salomé, Trio Nobis, Ensemble Arcema, SmashEnsemble Salamanca, Trio Prisma, ensemble PragueModern).

Ms. Novakova has a long pedagogical experience as well. Apart teaching at the “Conservatoire Municipal Georges Bizet” in Paris for several years, she was leading master-classes in France, Spain, Colombia, Mexico, South Corea, Japan, Taiwan.. Since 1997 she is teaching flute, modern techniques and collective improvising at different summer academies in the Czech Republic and at the Conservatory in Benaguasil, Valencia (Spain).

She has also broadcasted on radio and television in many countries, and recorded with EMI France, Universal, BNL, Gallo Switzerland, FNAC France, Maguelone, Nouveaux Horizons, LH Promotions Prague and MODE New York. The CD dedicated to the music of Camille Saint-Saëns (Odelette and Romance for flute and orchestra) was rewarded with a Diapason d’Or, her recital CD of the 20^th Century Czech music was evaluated with the highest points in “Harmonie”, the Czech musical magazine.

Clara Novakova lives between Paris, Valencia and Prague.

Joan Enric Lluna – Clarinete

Joan Enric Lluna is a multi-talented musician who combines his work as a clarinettist with orchestral conducting and teaching.

His commitment to Chamber Music has taken him to perform regularly with string quartets such as the Alexander, Tokyo, Brodsky, or Jerusalem; to share trio with Lluís Claret and Josep María Colom and collaborate with first class international artists. His appearances at the City of London Festival, Festival Classique in The Hague, San Francisco Chamber Music series, Berlin’s Konzerthaus or the Liceo de Cámara in Madrid have been of special notice. Joan has premiered and commissioned a number of chamber works by composers like César Cano, J. Torres, I. Zebeljan’s , P. Barker, D. del Puerto and H. Khoury among others.

In 2005 Joan formed Moonwinds, and he directs since 2009 the International Festival “Residències de Música de Cambra” in Godella, Valencia (Spain).

As a soloist Joan has performed and recorded the clarinet concerto repertoire, and many composers have written new concertos for him, among them Sir John Tavener, Joan Guinjoan or César Cano. His premieres of “Qualia” with the OCV and Zubin Metha and “Elogio del horizonte”, both by Sánchez Verdú were greatly acclaimed both in Madrid and Munich with the Bayerische Rundfunk.

Among his recordings are Mozart’s clarinet concerto with Sir Neville Marriner (Trito) and with Antony Pay (Cala). He has recorded also with the Tokyo, Bordsky and the Alexander String Quartets. His interest in recovering and promoting Spanish music has produced 5 recordings, for Harmonia Mundi and Clarinet Classics. With Moonwinds Joan has recorded unknown divertimenti by Martin y Soler, as well as Mozart’s Gran Partita and wind Serenades.
Joan has performed as a conductor-soloist with orchestras such Pablo Sarasate Orchestra of Pamplona, Covent Garden Chamber Orchestra or Kensington Chamber Orchestra both in London. He also conducted the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia Orchestra.

Joan was appointed in 2006 by Lorin Maazel principal clarinet of the Orquestra CV del Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía in Valencia. He was previously a member of the Bournemouth Sinfonietta, and principal guest in orchestras such as Royal Philharmonic, Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, London Mozart Players, London Symphony, City of Birmingham, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, etc. He was a co-founder of the Cadaqués Orchestra, where he remains principal clarinet.

Joan teaches clarinet and chamber music at the Escola Superior de Música de Catalunya in Barcelona and Trinity College of Music in London. He is regularly invited to give master classes and recitals in major Music centres such as California State University, Royal College and Royal Academy in London or Royal Scottish Academy of Music in Glasgow.

Sergio Sáez Tecles, Viola

Sergio Saez studied in the Conservatories of Castellón and Palma de Mallorca and gained his solodiploma with distinction. He received masterclasses with J.Kússmaul, M.Stegner, G.Roosbacher, F.Gneri, E.Santiago, R.J.Dominé and L.Rego and gained the ‘’Andres Segovia- José Miquel Ruiz Morales’’ price.

As a chamber musician he is member and cofounder of the Detisov Quartet, an ensemble which dedicates itself to the recuperation of Spanish repertoire of the XVIII and XIX century, and of  the Cuarteto Arte Clásico.and is regular guest player in the Arbos Trio and the Ensemble Residencias.

Sergio Saez has been principal viola of the Jove Orquestra de la Generalitat Valenciana, the Spanish Youth Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra Andres Segovia, member of the EuropeanY outh Orchestra and the Gustav Mahler Orchestra and worked with conductors like Cl.Abbado, B.Haitink, L.Maazel. Z.Metha and V.Gergiev.

He was member of the Real Orquesta Sinfónica de Sevilla, principal viola of the Orquesta Sinfónica de la RTVE and was appointed in 2011 as coprincipal viola in theOCV of the Palau de les Arts in Valencia.

Adrian Van Dongen

Studied cello in Utrecht and Rotterdam and gained his solo diploma in 1981.He has participated in masterclasses with Janos Starker,Heinrich Schiff, Tibor de Machula and Menachem Pressler and completed his studies in Paris with Philippe Můller.In 1981 he received a scholarship to study in private lessons with Yo Yo Ma. In 1986 he entered the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra as second principal cellist. In 1991 he was appointed to the same position in the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra in Amsterdam.

He worked with conductors like V. Gergiev, Sir C. Davis, L. Maazel, D. Kitaenko, D. Kitaenko and Cl. Abbado and performed in the worlds finest concert halls like Suntory Hall, Tokyo; Concertgebouw, Amsterdam; Royal Albert Hall, London; Salzburger Festspielhaus and Berliner Philharmonie. As a soloist he has performed and has given masterclasses in most European countries, Russia, Japan and the USA, and participated in festivals in Athens, Madrid, Amsterdam, Perugia, Murcia, Mallorca, St.Petersburg, Czech Spring  and Concentus Moraviae.

He has broadcasted on Dutch Radio, the BRT, Radio France, Radio Suisse Romande, RNE and Tsjech Radio and has made several recordings on compact disc. As a chamber music player he is active in Trio Prisma, an international group which made their debut in Salle Pleyel, Paris in 2009, In Sala Iturbi, Valencia in 2008 and regularly performs in major halls in Spain, France  and the Tsjech republic. In1994 he moved with his family to Spain and was invited to give masterclasses in Benidorm, Madrid, Valencia, Ibiza, Castellón, Barcelona e.o.

He is member of the Art tango Ensemble, Solistas del Mediterráneo and collaborated on stage with musicians as Christian Zacharias, Philippe Entremont, Gil Sharon, Claude Delangle, Gerard Poulet, Philippe Bianconi and Isabelle van Keulen. He is founder of  Conjunto Barocco Valencia, an ensemble who dedicates itself to the interpretation of barock music in authentic style.

Adrian van Dongen, renowned pedagogue, whose pupils play in major international orchestras ( Amsterdam, Helsinki, Bilbao, Valencia, Lausanne, Mexico City)  is Professor of cello (1986-) at the Conservatory of Rotterdam and at the American Conservatory in Fontainebleau, France ( 1998-).