Lekeitio aims to revive its music band to fill the void in the municipality since the previous ensemble disbanded last April. The cessation followed accusations of mistreatment towards students by the management, sparking significant public controversy and tension among local associations.
To this end, the City Council has initiated the process of forming a new group. It will be managed and directed by professionals from the Musikaia music school, which will become a public center starting September 1st. A key initial step has been to begin recruiting musicians for the ensemble.
«The call is open to all interested individuals over 14 years old with basic musical knowledge,» stated Ohiana Etxabe, the center's director. «We are looking for specialists in clarinet, saxophone, trumpets, or percussion, among others, as the focus is on rehearsing for performances rather than learning to play,» she added.
Participants will be exempt from any subscription or enrollment fees, with the deadline to register being June 5th. The objective is to gauge the number of interested individuals, assess their experience, and determine instrument availability.
The local administration has allocated a budget of 50,000 euros to purchase musical instruments and other necessary materials such as tables, chairs, and music stands. «The former band's leaders established their own association and donated the most valuable and best-maintained instruments to it,» explained Antton de La Lama, the Culture councilor.
«Consequently, an inventory was conducted to determine the necessary funds for the band's operational start,» justified La Lama during the project's presentation. The mayor, Ander Aldazabal (EH Bildu), emphasized the value and importance of revitalizing one of the coast's oldest and most established cultural entities in the town.
The band was originally formed in the spring of 1867 when a group of young people approached the Town Hall seeking financial aid for instruments. «We attempted to reach an agreement and find solutions with the previous formation's leaders, but given the impossibility, we decided to proceed with a parallel process to the publicization of Musikaia,» clarified the mayor.
The new orchestra will combine partial and general rehearsals to resume performances next year and be present at key municipal events. The planned calendar includes participation in the San Antolin and San Pedro festivals, as well as during Christmas and Carnival celebrations.
«Currently, although still to be definitively finalized, the only notable change from previous years' programs is the advancement of the plaza dance sessions to July,» noted the director of Musikaia.
