The orchestra and choir of the university of Santiago de Compostela (OCUSC) are embarking on a new chapter this academic year with the introduction of their activities at the Lugo campus. This expansion aims to extend their educational and artistic model to both campuses of the USC, enhancing the cultural activities within the university and fostering a shared musical identity.
The initiative includes the gradual establishment and development of choral and orchestral formations at the Lugo campus, integrated into the overall structure of the OCUSC but tailored to the specific characteristics and opportunities of the Lugo environment. Mario Diz, the director of the OCUSC, stated, “This is a significant step in the development of a consolidated university music project, expanding its scope to offer new opportunities for training, participation, and artistic creation to the Lugo community.”
The project aims to establish a continuous musical programme centred around rehearsals, repertoire preparation, and participation in activities and concerts, while also encouraging the exchange of experiences between the campuses of Santiago de Compostela and Lugo. Diz added, “One of its main strengths lies in combining musical training with real artistic experience, allowing participants to engage in a collective work dynamic where the learning process is as important as the interpretative outcome.”
Following the commencement of activities in the first semester, the orchestra and choir of the USC have launched an extraordinary call for new participants to gradually expand the formations at the Lugo campus. This campaign seeks to engage both the university community and other educational and musical spaces in the city, inviting new voices and instrumentalists to join this collective project. Interested individuals can find information about the call and submit their applications through the OCUSC channels or via email at orquestraecoro@usc.gal.
The establishment of these formations in Lugo also aims to strengthen the connection between the university and the city’s musical fabric, creating new collaboration opportunities with music education centres, cultural institutions, and individuals involved in the local artistic scene. The OCUSC aspires to be a continuous space for those who, after developing prior musical training, wish to maintain an active instrumental or vocal practice during their university years.
In this initial phase, the project features Baruk Domínguez Grandío as the choir director and Manuel Fernández Gayol as the guest conductor of the orchestra. Their involvement will help establish the artistic and pedagogical foundations of the new groups and facilitate their integration into the city’s musical landscape.
The OCUSC serves as a musical training space that transcends concert activities, placing collective practice at the heart of a comprehensive educational experience. Its model combines the development of artistic and interpretative skills with the acquisition of personal and social abilities, such as teamwork, shared responsibility, listening, cooperation, and commitment to a common project. From this perspective, music also becomes a tool for coexistence, integration, and enrichment of university life, fostering connections among individuals from diverse academic backgrounds, ages, and educational paths who share an interest in musical performance.
Furthermore, the interaction between both USC campuses is envisioned to complement their relationship and the engagement of students and participants within the musical groups.
