Five voices, one breath

Carmen is known for her passionate playing and for the way she conveys emotion through music. “She has a strong stage presence, which will open many doors for her” (Yurena Duque, 2018).

Chamber music is one of her greatest passions: she won the 1st Chamber Music Competition of the Jaén Conservatory with the wind quintet Quinteto de Viento A5, with which she performed extensively. She is also part of the flute and bassoon duo Ve-Mol Dúo, performing across the Community of Madrid, and a member of Dúo Lorca, for flute and oboe, touring throughout Andalusia since 2020.

Carmen began studying flute at the Jaén Conservatoire, and her drive to keep learning took her to Brussels to study with Frank Hendrickx and Carlos Brunell. She has also received masterclasses from renowned flautists such as Paul-Edmund Davies, Felix Renggli and Juan Carlos Chornet, among others. In orchestral settings she has performed under notable conductors including Dirk Vermeulen, Lucía Marín and Jordi Mora. Carmen went on to complete a Master’s in Solo Performance in Madrid at the Centro Superior Katarina Gurska under professor María Antonia Rodríguez, and continues to train with renowned flautists.

“Gabriel has an impressive spontaneity and an urge to communicate” (Máximo Pradera, 2018).

A musician in constant growth, Gabriel Ortega covers a wide repertoire spanning from the purest Baroque to the full 20th century, with performances that combine faithfulness to the score with a personal, musical voice of his own.

He has extensive experience with European orchestras such as the Stuttgart Kammerorchester and the Südwestdeutsches Kammerorchester Pforzheim, as well as numerous collaborations with Spanish orchestras including the Orquesta Ciudad de Córdoba, Orquesta Ciudad de Guadalajara and Orquesta Ciudad de Almería.

Born in Jaén, he began his musical career on the bassoon at the age of 9, guided by Juan Ramón Fuentes — his teacher and musical father figure — and other renowned bassoonists such as Asger Svendsen, Gustavo Núñez, Vicente Alario and Enrique Abargues, among others. At 16 he joined the Andalusian Youth Orchestra programme. He later studied at the Jaén Conservatoire, where he won first prize at the 2nd Chamber Music Competition of the CSM Jaén. He then furthered his skills with Akyo Koyama at the Staatliche Hochschule für Musik Trossingen, and continues to develop as a soloist and with orchestras and chamber groups today.

“His sound is full of colour and nuance, a true reflection of a sensitive person open to every musical style and idea” (Andrés Parada, 2020).

He has extensive experience in chamber music, performing with the Quinteto Bohemia in venues such as the Palacio de San Telmo with the Barenboim-Said Foundation, the Museo Íbero in Jaén, and other venues across the province. With this ensemble he won first prize at the 2nd Chamber Music Competition of the Andrés de Vandelvira Conservatoire. He is also a member of Dúo Lorca, for flute and oboe, touring throughout Andalusia since 2020.

As a soloist, José Javier has performed classical, romantic and post-romantic repertoire with orchestras such as the Polish Sinfonia Iuventus, the Córdoba Youth Orchestra and the University of Jaén Orchestra. He completed his higher studies at the Andrés de Vandelvira Conservatoire under professor Cecilio García, and also studied at the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw. He has taken masterclasses with internationally renowned teachers such as Thomas Indermühle, Tytus Wojnowicz, Jose Antonio Masmano, Guillermo Sanchís and Eduardo Martínez, and completed a Master’s in Solo Performance at the Centro Superior Katarina Gurska under professor Salvador Barberá.

His musical journey began at the age of 8 in the “Salvador Contreras” music band of Albanchez de Mágina (Jaén). He then joined the “Ramón Garay” Professional Conservatoire of Jaén, where he earned his elementary and professional horn qualifications with honours. He later completed his higher music studies in horn under professor Luis Delgado at the Málaga Conservatoire.

He has furthered his training in masterclasses with numerous nationally and internationally renowned musicians at conservatoires and universities across Spain, including Will Sander, Nury Guarnaschelly, Loris Antiga, Bernardo Silva, Javier Bonet, María Rubio, Jose Vicente Castelló, Manuel Fernández, José Chanzá, Raúl Díaz, Óscar Sala and Luca Benucci, among others.

Throughout his career he has been a member of and collaborator with numerous ensembles, including the Jaén Provincial Choir and Orchestra, Joven Orquesta del Sur de España, Orquesta Castvlvm de Linares, the Córdoba Youth Orchestra, Orquesta de Córdoba, Orquesta Promúsica de Málaga, Brass Band de Málaga, the University of Almería Orchestra, Almería Municipal Band, and the Málaga Philharmonic Orchestra. He was a member of the Málaga Municipal Music Band during 2019 and 2022.

A native of Jaén, he studied at the “Andrés de Vandelvira” Conservatoire under professor Antonio Ferrús Puertos, graduating with distinction.

He continued his training in numerous advanced courses with teachers such as Carlos Jesús Casadó Tarín, Enrique Pérez Piquer, Josep Fuster Martínez, Radovan Cavallin, Justo Sanz, Javier Trigos and José González Granero, along with chamber music classes with teachers of the calibre of Carlos Gil, José Luis Estellés and Francisco Bernal.

He has served as assistant principal clarinet of the Hispano-Russian Orchestra “Jerez-Samara” under conductor Anatoly Levin, and is a founding member of the “Ciudad de Jaén” Symphonic Band. He was a finalist in the 2008 Acordes Caja Madrid competition for young orchestras, bands and chamber groups, and received an Honourable Mention in the 2009 edition. He recorded the CD “Jóvenes Intérpretes” for Cadena COPE, and recorded the Jaén Provincial Anthem and premiered the official anthem of Jaén Paraíso Interior F.S.

He has collaborated with orchestras including Orquesta Joven de Córdoba, Orquesta Provincial de Jaén, Camerata Alcázar, the CSM Jaén Symphony Orchestra and Orquesta Álvarez Beigbeder.