New work for oboe “Ara Solis” – Sergio Rodríguez

New work for oboe “Ara Solis” – Sergio Rodríguez.

During the II Congress of oboists and bassoonists of Galicia on March 17, 2019 the work Ara Solis by composer Sergio Rodríguez has been premiered. We are pleased to introduce the work here.

Ara Solis is a work written originally for oboe and clarinet quartet commissioned by David Villa to the composer.

Myths and legends of the Costa da Morte (Galicia, Spain), place the ara solis (altar of the Sun) on the promontory of Cabo Fisterra, in the northwest corner of Spain. It would be a pre-Christian sanctuary dedicated to the Sun in the western end of the known land. There the sun was setting every evening. It was huge and overwhelming.

The work Ara Solis, divided into five small sections entitled: “Vaise o Sol”, “Foise: venerando o altar”, “Illa da eterna xuventude – Cadenza de óboe”, “Danza do Sumo Sacerdote” and “Volve o Sol” aims to reflect all those practices that took place in the old Celtic sanctuary and bring the listeners to a reflective and relaxed state.

Ara Solis.
Composer: Sergio Rodríguez.
Oboe solo: David Villa Escribano
Clarinets: Clara García, Martín Mirás, Antonio Suárez and Álvaro Rodríguez.

Sergio Rodríguez, oboist and composer. 

Sergio Rodríguez began his oboe studies at the Bandeira Recreative and Cultural Music Band School with Benxamín Otero at the age 8 years. He is currently studying at the Professional School of Music of Lalín (Pontevedra) with Benxamín Otero.

He completed masterclass courses with oboists such as: José Antonio Masmano, David Villa, Roberto Baltar, Tania Ramos, Daría de Lamo, Lorena Varela, Avelino Ferreira, Tamara Rodríguez, Sara Fernández and Carla Suárez.

In the world of composition, he is practically self-taught, but he also attended lessons with Manuel Paino and Fernando Buide. He also participated in a masterclass with Ferrer Ferrán. His works were premiered  in different parts of the Galician and Spanish geography. They emphasize the publication of the work Seis cadros for oboe solo, edited by Dos Acordes and Rosalía (muiñeira composed by Xanxo Rei), edited by the National Association of Band Directors (ANDB).

Between the prizes received, emphasizes the first prize won in the V Contest “Sintonía Romántica” summoned by the IES Ramón Mª Aller Ulloa (Lalín) for students of secondary education in all Spain and the prize ex aequo First Prize of Composition of the USC (University of Santiago de Compostela) in 2017. Also this year he became part of the Association of Composers of Galicia.

Source: Sergio Rodríguez.