While the Basque songbook features anthems dedicated to various regions, Gipuzkoa, apart from the San Ignacio March, lacks a distinctive musical piece of its own. This gap has been highlighted by the members of the band Oskarbi, who are celebrating their 60th anniversary this year. To mark the occasion, they have released a new album, Gipuzkoa Donemilia, as a tribute to the province, and have organized several events.
The album launch will take place this Tuesday at the Santa Teresa Convent in San Sebastián at 7:00 PM. Additionally, the band will perform concerts in Aia on Friday and in Arantzazu on September 26th. On November 8th, the Pasaia City Council will honor them, and the highlight of the celebration will be the concert on December 12th at the Victoria Eugenia Theatre in San Sebastián, featuring several guest artists.
Joxelu Treku, one of the band's veteran members, explained that the production of the album Gipuzkoa Donemilia began a year and a half ago. The album contains eleven songs and aims to honor the first written mention of the territory's name. Treku emphasized that "Oskarbi owes its musical life to Gipuzkoa," as "we have traveled throughout the Basque Country, but primarily, here."
On the new album, they have also recorded for the first time songs published centuries ago, such as Mosen Bernat Etxepareren Kantuia and Perutxoren kantua. The album reviews the band's journey over six decades, reviving melodies from different eras, including Kattalin ttirun ttarun, Adizan Gabriela, Lore bakartia, Arto zuriketa berria, Tiriki Tauki, Oi Pello Pello, and Globo Gorri.
Currently, Jon Martin, Joxelu Treku, Iñaki Maritxalar, Maite Aizkorreta, Carlos Ruiz, Itziar Alonso, Manex Iñigo, Alaitz Guridi, Maite Aldaregia, Jabi Zurro, Beñat Ruiz, and Berttolo Hegi make up the band Oskarbi. Treku, Maritxalar, Aizkorreta, and Ruiz are the "veterans," and he highlighted the "nice balance" they have with the younger members.
The group was formed in the late 1960s, during a time when Basque culture seemed like an "arid desert." It originated from the initiative of several members of the Don Bosco Choir School, with the goals of singing in Basque, being a mixed group, delving into popular tradition, and creating original works. Since then, the band has performed over 1,000 concerts and recorded 13 albums.
At this afternoon's presentation in San Sebastián, Jon Martin will host the event, and the band's history will be reviewed with speeches from the veteran members. Afterward, the album's songs will be explained, and two songs will be performed live: Oi, Pello Pello and Mosen Bernat Etxepareren Kantuia. The event will conclude with the screening of the music video for the track dedicated to the province of Gipuzkoa.
