Gorka Hermosa  |  Accordion, composition 

Gorka Hermosa was born in Urretxu (Basque Country) in 1976 and is a versatile musician: accordionist, composer, teacher, author, publisher. His works for accordion and orchestra have been premiered by more than 50 orchestras on three continents. As the first accordionist in his country, he performed as a soloist with the Spanish National Radio and Television Orchestra and gave concerts in China, Iran, South America and throughout Europe. He has published thirteen CDs and four books on the history of the accordion and has given master classes at conservatories in China, Russia, America and Europe. He currently teaches accordion at the "Jesús de Monasterio" Conservatory in Santander.

Gorka Hermosa dedicated his concert "Peace Dream" to the 2023 Peace Festival and premiered it there himself. For the current PANTONALE Festival “Accordion Spring” he has now created “Hope”, a work for three soloists, string orchestra and choir. “Hope” is to be performed after “Peace Dream” but is not an epilogue to the concert but an independent work. “Peace Dream” and “Hope” are based on two traditional melodies: the Ukrainian “веснянка” (spring duck) and the Russian “Утушка луговая” (meadow duck). The two melodies are connected throughout the work and are intended to express different situations, feelings, moments: struggle, love, hate, war, hope, ... First the relationship is lovingly presented, then there is struggle and war, while the last part (coda) symbolizes the hope for a better future.

In "Hope" the hymn from Beethoven's 9th Symphony is also used in an impressive way, symbolizing peace and hope. In an attempt to create a parallel with Beethoven's 9th Symphony, the words written by Schiller and sometimes part of Beethoven's hymn are used in an impressive way. In this new work, the two previously mentioned melodies, the Ukrainian and the Russian, will sound in a mystical atmosphere reminiscent of Holst's "Neptune" with the help of a female choir and will end in a peaceful mood with the epic point of the central melody of Beethoven's "Ode to Joy" or Holst's "Jupiter" where men also join the choir, all with 3 accordion soloists and of course the string orchestra.

Videos
»Peace Dream« von und mit Gorka Hermosa
Uraufführung im Rahmen des PANTONALE Friedensfestivals 2023
»Gernika, 26/4/1937« von und mit Gorka Hermosa
»Dwarves’ Tales« von und mit Gorka Hermosa
Uraufführung im Rahmen von PANTONALE / BERLIN FEIERT PIAZZOLLA

Photo: Christoph Soeder