SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA OF THE BALEARIC ISLANDS (OSIB)
The Symphony Orchestra of the Balearic Islands is considered one of the leading symphonies in Spain. It was created in 1988 under the Fundació Pública de les Balears per a la Música, encompassing the Balearic Government, Palma Townhall and Mallorca Council.
Although the Balearic Islands’ symphonic history dates back to the ’40s, the orchestra’s formation as we know it today is down to the maestro Luís Remartínez, its conductor and artistic director from 1988 to 1994. The maestros following him were Philippe Bender (1994-1997 and 2005-2009), Salvador Brotons (1997-2000 and 2009-2013), Geoffrey Simon (2001-2002), Edmon Colomer (2002-2005), Josep Vicent (2013-2014) and Joji Hattori (2014-2018) as title co-director. Their current director is maestro Pablo Mielgo.
The orchestra performs its regular season symphonically – season ticket period in the Auditorium de Palma, symphonic concerts in Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera, season ticket period in the Auditori de Manacor, exclusive shows in Mallorca, as well as lyrically – opera season of the Fundació Teatre Principal de Palma and Amics de l’Òpera de Maó. In their summer season, the OSIB carries out the festival “Estius Simfònics” (Symphonic Summers), based at the Castell de Bellver, partnering with other festivals such as Pollença or Formentor Sunset Classics. In addition to its artistic schedule, extensive teaching efforts are made through programmes such as “Simfònica en família” and “Simfònica en societat” (the symphony for family and society), bringing music to groups facing social exclusion.
One of our primary goals is to release the Balearic composers’ labour. Proof of that is that we hold Antoni Parera Fons as a composer in residence. Soon we will première a new work, Arxiduc, composed by him and written by Carme Riera – a member of the Real Academia Española.
Over the last 25 years, the orchestra has accompanied internationally renowned soloists, including Juan Diego Flórez, Frank Peter Zimmermann, Emmanuel Pahud, Khatia Buniatishvili, Giuliano Carmignola, Valentina Nafornita, Celso Albelo, Juan Manuel Cañizares, Kiri Te Kanawa, Teresa Berganza, Joaquín Achúcarro, Piotr Anderszewski, María Bayo, Simón Orfila, Katia and Marielle Labèque and the young Francisco Fullana.
The OSIB has performed outside of the Balearic Islands on numerous occasions, with their recent trip to Madrid’s Teatro Real together with the tenor Juan Diego Flórez, their journey to Zurich for a concert, particularly highlighting the mezzo Kate Lindsey, the show in Paris’ Radio Hall France with Khayia Buniatishvili and the concert in the UN’s Human Rights Room, in Geneva.
The OSIB has a label allowing them to distribute their recordings across over 40 music platforms, such as Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and Google Play Music. Today, they hold four albums: “Revolució,” with Symphony No.7 by Beethoven and The Rite of Spring by Tchaikovsky; Symphony No. 2 by G. Mahler; and works by Majorcan composers in “Mallorca Suite” by Baltasar Samper; and “Foners,” by Antoni Parera Fons.
Besides enjoying these recordings, the OSIB displays the Balearic Islands’ talent and international scope through them, and its institutions prove their firm commitment to supporting culture as an essential element for the region’s future.
In 2020, the OSIB received the Gold Medal, the most prestigious award from the Balearic Government.