Third Concert of the 2019 Symphony Season Highlights the Music of Maestro José Antonio Molina

Santo Domingo, September 30, 2019 – The third concert of the 2019 Symphony Season took place last Thursday in the main hall of Santo Domingo’s National Theater. The concert was dedicated to the music of Maestro José Antonio Molina, current director of the National Symphony Orchestra. The Carlos Piantini Concert Hall was filled to capacity, including musicians, top government officials and other important national figures.

Concert 1980 – directed by Resident Director Santy Rodríguez – began with the symphonic piece “Fanfarria Novi Temporis.” It was followed by the “Caribbean Quartet for Strings,” a three-movement piece titled “Saoco,” “Vuela Sarambo” and “Vuela.” The first part of the concert ended with “A Typical Dance.”

The especial evening could not end without the presentation of “Merengue-Fantasía,” a piece that begins with a prologue titled “Papá Bocó,” “Los Algodones,” “Nocturno de Empalizá,” “Pambiches y Bolemengues,” “Tonada y Movimiento Perpetuo,” “Vals en Cuatro,” “El Compai” and, to end on a high note “El Jarro Pichao,” all popular songs that are key to Dominican folklore.

The concert, titled “Todo Molina,” included important figures of the Dominican Republic such as the Minister of Culture, Eduardo Selman, the parents of Maestro Molina, Maestro Papa Molina and his wife, well-known folklorist Josefina Miniño; Mrs. Margarita Copello de Rodríguez, president of the Symphony Foundation, Niní Cáffaro, director of the National Theater and Symphony Director Julio de Windt, among other key political, government, academic and cultural figures.

Before the concert began Maestro Eduardo Villanueva moderated a panel discussion with Maestro Molina in the Theater’s Juan Lockward Bar. During the side event, Maestro Molina told anecdotes and discussed the motivations that led to the creation of the musical pieces included in the program.

Maestro Molina also remembered special moments and the influence he received in certain periods of his life from his parents. He clearly stated that they had both inspired his musical creations.

Once the panel discusssion concluded Maestro Villanueva returned to the main hall where, on stage, he presented a video that summarized the 10 years Maestro Molina has headed the country’s most important musical institution. The audience enthusiastically applauded the short documentary.

Immediately, Maestro Villanueva asked the Minister of Culture, Eduardo Selman, Theater Director Niní Cáffaro, Maestro Julio de Windt and Luis Enrique Elsevif, Symphony percussionist, to join him on stage to present an honorary plaque to Maestro José Antonio Molina.

“Undoubtedly, it would seem that 10 years could appear to be a normal event,” stated Minister Selman. But, he concluded his remarks by stating that this was a very special occasion because it honored the first 10 years of Maestro Molina as head of the National Symphony Orchestra.