Symphony Orchestra of the National University of Cuyo (Orquesta Sinfónica de la Universidad Nacional de Cuyo)

On June 10, 1948, the National University of Cuyo Symphony Orchestra was created, with Dr. Irineo Fernando Cruz as the university’s rector and maestro Julio Perceval as the director of the Conservatory of Music and Performing Arts—now the School of Music of the Faculty of Arts.

The most prominent titular directors of this organization were successively: Julio Perceval, Olgerts Bistevins, Jean Constantinesco, Alejandro Derevitzky, Aquiles Romani, Juan Carlos Zorzi, Julio Malaval, Jorge Fontenla, Armando Krieger, Guillermo Scarabino, Javier Logioia Orbe, David del Pino Klinge, Ligia Amadio, David Handel, and Stefan Lano. Since 2015, the artistic direction has been assumed by the Venezuelan maestro Rodolfo Saglimbeni.

The UNCuyo Symphony Orchestra hosted famous conductors, including Paul Hindemith, Choo-Hoey, Albert Wolff, Desiree Defauw, Víctor Tevah, Andrea Paridis, Jacques Bodmer, Andrés Andrzej, Andres Panufnik, Stansilav Wisloscki, Charles Dutoit, Ernst Bour, Georgy Ciffra, Karol Strija, Ricardo del Carmen, Richard Schumacher, Julio Karr-Bertoli, Frieder Weismann, Alejandro Szenkar, Pedro I. Calderón, Gunter Ramin, Enrique Jordá, Donald Portnoy, Carmen Moral, Giorgy Giorivanyi, Yoshikazu Fukumura, Eduardo Marturet, Jan Latham-Kóenig, Vakhtang Jordania, Lior Shanbadal, and Mika Eichenholz, among others.

Numerous internationally acclaimed soloists graced the university orchestra at various stages of its existence, enriching the cultural life of Mendoza. Argentine performers and composers, including professors and graduates of the School of Music of the Faculty of Arts of UNCuyo, were featured in the artistic program, showcasing a cultural movement of significant impact.

From 1981 to 1984, the “Latin American Orchestral Conducting Course” was held under the guidance of maestro Guillermo Scarabino, producing prominent directors of today. In 2003-2004, similar courses were conducted in collaboration with the United States Institute of Conductors under the direction of Donald Portnoy.

Since 1994, the organization’s image has been renewed, gaining significant reintegration into the Mendoza community with national and international relevance through various programmed activities. Efforts were made to attract a new audience by combining educational and artistic work, transforming this cultural proposal into a spectacle with massive attendance.

In 1997 and 1998, the UNCuyo Symphony Orchestra organized the Selection of Young Directors from Latin America. Periodically, the “Reading of New Argentine Works” is held to provide young composers the opportunity for first auditions of their compositions. The annual program includes the Young Talents Cycle with the participation of winners from the competition organized by the Faculty of Arts among instrument majors.

In 2009, it was selected to receive the Konex Award dedicated to distinguishing the most important personalities in Classical Music in Argentina from 1999 to 2009.

In 2015, the UNCuyo Symphony Orchestra moved to the University Nave Cultural Center (now Nave UNCuyo), the first dedicated venue built by UNCuyo for its Artistic Organizations. This new space has provided adequate infrastructure, a new acoustically developed concert hall, and rehearsal rooms that have optimized the artistic-musical work of the ensemble. The characteristics of the space have increased the quantity and diversity of the audience attending performances.

Since 2018, the Orchestral Training Program “Musical Nursery” has been implemented to provide instrument major students with a platform for superior and excellent training with carefully curated repertoires, aiming at the formation of specialist musicians in the interpretation of orchestral repertoire.

Thanks to the special support of university management, the season’s closure was reintroduced with the massive Year-End Concerts in Central Park, featuring film music, tango, ballet, symphonic-choral works, and expanding the musical spectrum with an avant-garde proposal of electronic music alongside DJs.

Starting from the 2023 season, the artistic direction of the Symphony Orchestra will be assumed by the young and recognized Brazilian maestro Tobias Volkmann.

Source: National University of Cuyo