The diplomat will attend this activity that commemorates the first year of a new group of Croatian descendants in the area.

The Ambassador of Croatia, Mira Martinec, will make the first diplomatic visit in the country's history to La Serena, inaugurating the folklore show "Croatian Culture", an activity that will take place this Saturday, October 5, starting at 19:45 p.m., in the Great Hall of the University of La Serena (Benavente 980).

The cultural event is organized by the group “Club Croatian Hrvatski Dom La Serena”, with the support of the University of La Serena, the sponsorship of the Illustrious Municipality of La Serena and the participation of the Croatian folk groups “Baština of the Cultural Corporation Domovina” from Santiago and “Hrvatska Jeka” from Antofagasta, which will bring about 60 dancers, musicians and singers. This is part of the celebration of the first year of existence of the new community of Croatian descendants in the area.

“Croatian Culture in La Serena” is a free-entry activity, after collecting invitations at the ULS Extension Center, located at Los Carrera 207, La Serena, or at the Croata Hostel, at Cienfuegos 248, in the regional capital.

Meeting with authorities

The Ambassador has already visited the Croatian communities of Antofagasta and Punta Arenas, and now, as the first Croatian diplomat in the area, she will visit La Serena, where she will be officially received on the same day, Saturday, October 05 at 12:00 p.m. by the mayor of La Serena and the Rector of the University of La Serena.

Mira Martinec is a lawyer, graduated from the University of Zagreb. She began her political career as director of the Ministry of Justice. She then served as director of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Croatia, later managing diplomatic activities, working at the Croatian Embassy in Washington, USA, and later in The Hague and the Netherlands.

Written by Jenifer Araya, DIVULS

The artistic proposal will be executed by the Wind and String Ensemble in the cities of Andacollo and La Serena.

To culminate the month of September with a large musical lineup, a new group of musicians belonging to the Universidad de La Serena Symphony Orchestra will be in charge of performing the last and fourth chamber music concert. A captivating trip that will visit the Province of Elqui with a select and varied list of magnificent works.

In this program, the work entitled 'Three Short Pieces for Wind Quintet' stands out, first and foremost, written by the Frenchman Jacques Ibert (1890-1962), composed for flute (Milén Godoy), clarinet (Erick Delgado), oboe ( Leonardo Cuevas), bassoon (Francisco Ramos) and French horn (Gerson Pierotti), a very virtuoso and interesting piece that seeks to captivate its audience with the sound of the winds.

Subsequently, it is the turn of 'Three Pieces for Solo Clarinet' by the brilliant Russian composer, pianist and conductor, Igor Stravinsky, recognized as one of the most important and transcendent musicians of the XNUMXth century. The crowning work in the repertoire of this instrument will be conducted by the first clarinet of the professional ensemble, Andrés Pallero, where he will demonstrate a wide range of resources and great virtuosity.

The musical journey also includes the 'Wind Quintet in G Minor' composed by the French maestro Paul Taffanel (1844-1908), recognized as an outstanding flutist, conductor and pedagogue; founder of the French School of flute and considered one of the creators of the national style, where he taught his students to play in a refined way, including the novel use of vibrato. The piece will be in the hands of the flutist Milén Godoy and the performers José Luis Urquieta (oboe), Andrés Pallero (clarinet), Alevi Peña (bassoon) and Gerson Pierotti (horn).

Finally, the evening will come to an end with another great maestro: Antonín Dvořák and his 'Serenade for Winds, Violoncello and Double Bass', op.44, which will feature Iván Rivas on cello, Andrés Carvajal on double bass and Alejandro Meléndez on the horn, to form an octet with the rest of the performers. “This is a very important work in the wind repertoire, since it is quite difficult. On this occasion we will do it without a director and it will be only the performers who will carry out the execution of this work,” said the first oboe of the symphonic ensemble, José Luis Urquieta, who is also part of this latest musical proposal.

The fourth chamber music concert will have its territorial extension in the commune of Andacollo, next Thursday, September 26. In the words of the head of the Department of Culture and Tourism, Felipe Vicencio, this concert responds to an alliance that has been maintained over time and “that has allowed us to strengthen artistic expressions in our commune, generating more and greater cultural attractions and interest in learned music.” The presentation will begin at 19:30 p.m. and will take place in the Auditorium Room of the Casa del Encuentro Ciudadano (Urmenta #599).

The next day, Friday, September 27 at 20:00 p.m., the concert artists will go to the Aula Magna of the University of La Serena (Benavente 980), where they will replicate this great program. Both concerts are free entry, without withdrawal of invitations, up to the total capacity of the venues.

This season is carried out thanks to the financing of the Ministry of Cultures, Arts and Heritage, which since 2016 has been attached to the National Budget Glosa; in addition to the important support provided by the University of La Serena and its Directorate of Linkage with the Environment and Extension (DIVEULS); the Municipality of La Serena and the Department of Culture; and on this occasion, the Municipality of Andacollo and its Department of Culture and Tourism.

Written by Camila Pérez, University of La Serena Symphony Orchestra

The event culminated with two large-format presentations, which mixed the best of contemporary Chilean composition and the mastery of great musicians.

With a great and colossal closing, the University of La Serena Symphony Orchestra presented its VII Concert of the 2019 Season in the cities of Coquimbo and La Serena. A regional event worthy of a great staging and an outstanding selection of works by national origin that put the finishing touch to the XVI version of the MUSICAHORA Contemporary Music Festival.

The mastery of one of the most renowned directors of the five continents, David Handel, imbued the audience with all his audacity and agility with the conduct of the pieces chosen for this September program. The opening fell into the hands of the Chilean composer based in Australia, Adrián Pertout Navarro, who premiered 'Hacia los Vientos Norteños' (2019), inspired by a hero of symphonic music and creator of the first Children's and Youth Symphony Orchestra in Chile and Latin America , Jorge Peña Hen.

“The Symphony Orchestra gave me the opportunity to write a new work for them, which is very special. The piece is about Jorge Peña Hen, who has a very marked legacy in this area for supporting and developing culture in the North of Chile and I thought of taking inspiration from him and the winds of the North, since geographically we are in this area ", specified the composer, adding that "what happens in Chile is very special and does not happen in many Latin American countries, which is supporting living composers. “I am very grateful for this opportunity.”

The closing day of Musicahora continued with a piece written by maestro Luis Saglie for José Luis Urquieta, first oboe of the regional ensemble and soloist of this seventh trip, who dazzled the attendees with his impeccable interpretation, owner of a perfect combination with the tonal, modal and multiphonic sonorities of the oboe that, accompanied by different bow strokes and the subtlety emanating from the strings, gave life to 'Misterios Chilotes' (2017).

Finally, the high notes were in the hands of the composer Esteban Correa, artistic director of this Festival, and creator of an authentic 'rock cantata' along with his work 'La Pacificación de Chile' (2013). A program as captivating as it was energizing that inserted great emotions in the Palace Cultural Center and, later, in the Aula Magna of the University of La Serena with a cantata for voices, rock trio and orchestra, which had the collaboration of the ULS Student Choir , directed by teacher Vanessa Medo and musicians Felipe Aguirre and Adolfo Díaz (tenor), José Chirino (baritone), Orlando Villarroel (electric guitar) and Mauricio Pizarro (electric bass).

“For us, closing with the Universidad de La Serena Regional Symphony Orchestra is a privilege. This is a fact that we must know how to ponder and recognize within the last 20 or 30 years in Chile and we are, perhaps, the first Contemporary Music Festival that integrates an orchestra as a closing. "Within everything, it is important to bring this new music, from living, current composers, to a wide audience," Correa explained. Regarding the culminating piece, he pointed out that “it is a vast work not only in its extension, but also in the musicians who compose it. In addition to the symphony orchestra there is a rock trio, there is a choir that is also quite forceful and that allows us to have a large work, which is very suitable to close a Festival of this type,” he assured.      

Written by Camila Pérez, University of La Serena Symphony Orchestra

The organization continually provides scholarships that contribute to the development of young ULS students.

With a dinner of camaraderie where they shared and remembered their time at the institution, nearly forty people who are part of the Alumni Center of the Technical University of the State and the University of La Serena, Codelco, Chuquicamata Division, celebrated the number anniversary forty since its constitution.

The president of the Alumni Center, Carlos López, highlighted that “for us this activity represents the unity and spirit of the University, embedded in mining. The State Technical University, the specialty of Mines specifically, led the planning of the Chuquicamata mine. Many Serenenses were in very important positions within the labor issue, and that invites us to reflect on this that began in 1979 when Mr. Julio Zepeda was the planning superintendent, and with a group of Serenenses they considered why not do something for the University and for the students, having the opportunity and economic conditions. It motivates us to be together, as a root, as a University, as an alma mater.”

In the activity, the secretary of the group, Simón Toro, who joined the Division in 2010, took time to send advice to the graduates of the U. of La Serena. “I tell them not to be afraid of the application systems. There are many colleagues who left the University and have shown on the field that our school has trained us very well as professionals and that we cannot give in to anyone. That give us the tools to perform in a unique way. You have to be insistent and have clear objectives,” he indicated.

Representing the University of La Serena, the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Dr. Mauricio Godoy, and a representative of the Graduate Monitoring Office, psychologist Maximiliano Jiménez, participated in the celebration, in gratitude for the group's contribution to the institution and the students of the house of higher education.

Written by Jenifer Araya, DIVEULS

Teachers and CRA (Learning Resource Center) managers from different schools belonging to the Gabriel González Videla Municipal Corporation participate in the event.

“The story in the classroom: a pedagogical experience” is the title of the training being carried out by the University of La Serena, through the professionals of the ULS Publishing House. In the activity, the story is worked on as an educational resource, a useful tool for various thematic areas and contents.

Each of the participants will be certified by the Directorate of Linkage with the Environment, highlighting the number of hours of training and competencies installed in relation to “Storytelling as a pedagogical tool.”

In this regard, the person in charge of the Editorial, Alejandro Abufom, highlighted: "this training for teachers from the Gabriel González Videla Municipal Corporation, 16 people in total, is part of the task of the ULS in Linking with the Environment. We will deliver elements to help teachers communicate better in the classroom, but also - as a University - we will collect and learn from how teachers are working today, what their 'communication nodes' are, their handling of stories in classes, etc."

In addition, he added that “the workshop takes place in the ULS Bookstore, as a way to place them in a stimulating environment, where they can ask questions, take books, browse them, and, therefore, have a close relationship with reading. This is also, in some way, a form of reading promotion for teachers."

This training lasts six work sessions and is developed through a participatory methodology with reflective and experiential work, directed by professional Olga Sáez Lepe, from Editorial ULS, with a degree in cultural mediation and reading promotion.

Written by Jenifer Araya, DIVEULS

The closing of the contemporary music meeting will be in the hands of the University of La Serena Symphony Orchestra, within the framework of its seventh concert of the season.

The artistic and musical programming is broad and rich, and will last five days in the Coquimbo Region. This is the XVI version of the MUSICAHORA Contemporary Music Festival, which has a billboard that varies from talks and conferences with great national exponents to concerts in the evening hours. All admission is free and without withdrawal of invitations, including the closing concert by the Universidad de La Serena Symphony Orchestra.

“In recent years, the MUSICAHORA Festival has managed to transform itself into a recognizable event within the panorama of Chilean contemporary music, and as is the case with other festivals of its type in the country and the world, in its realization we assume the possibility of updating our relationship with the musical aesthetics of the time we live in,” explains Esteban Correa Astudillo, artistic director of this Festival and academic of the Music Department of the ULS, the institution organizing the meeting.

In this mission, the final day will be conducted by the American conductor, David Handel, who will once again be present in the orchestra's season and with whom he will perform three select works, all coming from an outstanding group of Chilean composers. One of them is the absolute premiere of 'Hacia los Vientos Norteños for Orquesta Sinfónica N°452' (2019), by the composer based in Australia, Adrián Pertout, who on this occasion will visit the Elquino territory to also give the conference 'Music , mathematics and science: intuition and rationality', next Wednesday, September 4 in the Auditorium Hall of the ULS Music Department.

The program continues with another masterpiece: 'Misterios Chilotes para Oboe y Cuerdas', written for the prominent Serenense concert pianist and first oboe player of the regional ensemble, José Luis Urquieta. “Master Luis Saglie dedicated this work to me to be premiered with the Solístico de Santiago in 2017. Since then, I have played it several times with national orchestras and, on this occasion, I will have the opportunity to perform it with my regional orchestra. of La Serena', said the soloist of the concert.

Finally, 'Pacificación de Chile' will set the high notes for the MUSICAHORA program, a spectacular and authentic cantata for voices, rock trio and orchestra, created in 2013 by Esteban Correa.

The musicians invited to this closing are Felipe Aguirre and Adolfo Díaz (tenor), José Chirino (baritone), Orlando Villarroel (electric guitar), Mauricio Pizarro (electric bass) along with the ULS Student Choir, instructed by director Vanessa Medo.

The seventh concert of the 2019 season of the Symphony Orchestra will be presented in the Performing Arts Room of the Palace Cultural Center of Coquimbo (Aldunate #599), on Thursday, September 5, at 20:00 p.m. The closing night is free entry, without withdrawal of invitations, up to the total capacity of the venue.

It should be noted that this season is carried out thanks to the support and financing of the Ministry of Cultures, Arts and Heritage, which since 2016 has been attached to the National Budget Glosa; in addition to the important institutional support provided by the University of La Serena, through the Directorate of Linkage with the Environment and Extension (DIVEULS); the Municipality of La Serena, through its Department of Culture; and the Municipality of Coquimbo in conjunction with its Department of Culture.

Written by Camila Pérez, University of La Serena Symphony Orchestra