The Banda de Música Las Candelas is commemorating its half-century of existence with a special event featuring the acclaimed international violinist Ara Malikian. The performance is scheduled for Friday, August 7, starting at 9:30 PM at the venue next to the Candelaria City Hall, as part of the festivities honoring the Patron Saint of the Canary Islands.
This concert, now in its eleventh edition and established as a key musical event of the Candelaria summer, holds special significance as it coincides with the band's 50th anniversary. Musical direction will be led by Mauro Fariña Alonso, and the evening will be presented by Víctor Brito.
The mayor of Candelaria, Mari Brito, emphasized the importance of this milestone: «For a town band to reach fifty years is a collective achievement, sustained by generations of residents who have made music a form of community. Bringing Ara Malikian to this celebration is Candelaria's way of recognizing that effort and celebrating it with the entire municipality».
Ara Malikian is regarded as one of the most virtuosic and distinctive performers of his generation. His unique musical language bridges the grand European classical tradition with Armenian, Oriental, Gypsy, tango, and flamenco folklores, as well as rock. A winner of top prizes at international competitions such as the Felix Mendelssohn Competition in Berlin and the Pablo Sarasate Competition in Pamplona, he has performed in renowned venues like New York's Carnegie Hall, Vienna's Musikverein, and Madrid's Teatro Real.
Mauro Fariña Alonso, for his part, conveyed the ensemble's excitement for the concert: «Performing on the same stage with a musician of this caliber is a gift for the Band, and especially for those who have supported it for decades. It's a night we've been preparing for months, and we want it to be, above all, a thank you to this town; 90 musicians will accompany Malikian».
