Local music and dance groups inaugurated the stage of the new Chapel auditorium yesterday, November 12th, with a special performance. The event was presented by Jon Maia and Libe Yeregi, and featured the participation of the Zumaia Music School, the Zumaia Music Band, the San Pedro Choir, the Astindu Dance Association, the Txistulari Band, the Zumai Txaranga, the Zutrik Trikitilari Association, and the Music School's dulzainero players, alongside artist Akaleia.
The performances combined music and dance, with both solo and collaborative acts. Highlights included joint performances by the Astindu Dance Association and the San Pedro Choir; pieces by the txistularis and the Zutrik Trikitilari Association; and the public premiere of a new song by artist Akaleia. At the end, the Music Band, the small band, the choir, and the txaranga united to perform several pieces.
The Chapel auditorium, located within the Komentua Kultur Topagunea (Convent Cultural Meeting Point), is equipped to host concerts and shows. In addition to musical performances of various formats and styles, the space will accommodate activities by local associations, small-scale dance and performing arts shows, lectures, screenings, performances, workshops, and seminars. The hall features a flexible seating and tiered system, with a capacity for 126 seated audience members for performances and approximately 300 for standing concerts. It also includes equipment for music recording.
One of the key objectives of this new venue is to address the shortage of public spaces in Zumaia for live music performances, serving as a hub for local musicians and cultural agents. This project aims to give a new public use to the historic building of the San José Convent, transforming it into a center for music, dance, and theater-related activities.
The San José Convent was founded in 1609 by Francisca Labayen Hernandez de la Torre. After centuries of adaptations and renovations, the building became disused in 2008 when the nuns of the Discalced Carmelite Convent moved to a new monastery in Hondarribia, and the property transferred to the City Council. In 2019, the Council decided to turn the convent into a cultural hub, initiating a participatory process in 2020 with local stakeholders to develop the building's restoration and transformation project. During the works, preserving the building's heritage and the memory of monastic life was also a goal, with several pieces of furniture and artworks being restored. Guided tours will soon be offered to share its history.
The Komentua Kultur Topagunea will bring together various uses and services, including the Zumaia Music School and local cultural associations. Among the project's collaborators are the Zumaia Music Band, the San Pedro Choir, the Txistulari Band, the Astindu Dance Association, the Sapere Aude Sinfonietta, and the Zutrik Trikitilari Association, who began using the space in September 2025.
