The Pazo da Cultura in Pontevedra will serve as the focal point for musical activity this weekend with the celebration of the XIX Certamen Galego de Bandas de Música, organized by the Federación Galega de Bandas de Música Populares (FGBMP). This event will bring together 17 music formations, including 10 from Galicia and 7 from Portugal, mobilizing around 1,000 musicians over the two days.
This year's edition introduces a significant innovation: the concept of an “integral concert,” which aims to move away from the traditional isolated succession of pieces to value the performance as a holistic experience. Each band is required to present a thematic thread, a unique identity, and an explanatory artistic memory.
Additionally, there is a strong connection to contemporary musical heritage, as the mandatory works for each category have been awarded in previous editions of the Concurso Galego de Composición para Banda de Música, promoting the dissemination of new Galician creations.
Schedule of Performances
The participating bands will perform in a total of five sections:
- Saturday, October 10 (morning): The opening will feature the Infantil Section at 11:00 AM and the Xuvenil Section at 12:30 PM.
- Saturday, October 10 (afternoon): Performances will continue from 5:00 PM with the Terceira Section.
- Sunday, October 11 (morning): Activities will resume at 10:30 AM with the Segunda Section.
- Sunday, October 11 (afternoon): The Primeira Section, the highest category of the contest, will take the stage starting at 4:30 PM, culminating in the closing ceremony and awards presentation at 8:30 PM.
Performances will be evaluated by an international jury, whose members will remain undisclosed until the contest begins. Access to the venue will be free until the auditorium reaches full capacity. To extend the musical experience beyond the auditorium and create an audiovisual archive, all performances will be fully recorded and streamed live on the YouTube channel of the Federation.
