www.wscm11.cat/lecturer-lluisvila

LLUÍS VILA CASAÑAS, Catalonia

Relative tuning

This presentation aims to illustrate as clearly and succinctly as possible the problems associated with tuning systems. Based on the study of the main musical temperaments and using some examples from the choral repertoire, the presentation then proposes possible solutions to the various difficulties that the melodic and harmonic characteristics pose at all times.

Temperaments, relative tuning.

A fixed-pitch insrument will always need to be guided by a temperament. However, this is not the case for adjustable-pitched instruments and therefore, of course, the voice. The voice, and by extension a choir, does not need to consider which temperament to follow. Instead, the choir use their ear to sing a melody. If they pay attention, they will have to adjust the pitch of certain notes, depending on whether they are singing in unison or in harmony. In fact this is a very common occurance, even if they are not fully aware of it happening.

Clearly, the choir in question should be made up of pure tone voices (or with very little vibrato). This choir will always be better equipped to find its own way to harmonize than a choir of voices with a lot of vibrato (always at the conductor’s discretion, of course).

Lluís Vila Casañas was born in Sabadell, Spain. At 10 he entered the Choir of Montserrat, where he began violin lessons, piano and singing, and was highlighted as a soloist. Soon he came into contact with the world of conducting with the "Coral Belles Arts" from Sabadell.

Later, for four years and was chief conductor of the Choir Prince of Asturias of Oviedo. During this stage, had their first contacts with the professional conducting, directing, among others, the Asturias Symphony Orchestra, the Orchestra of the University of Oviedo and the Symphonic Youth of Wales.

In 1989, he moved to Vienna to study at the School of Music in that city, with Leopold Hager and Günther Theuring. Scholarship for Spanish institutions and various Austrian graduated five years later in orchester conducting and choir conducting.

During these years he was a member of the choir Arnold Schoenberg from Vienna, with whom he participated in various productions and recordings for the Vienna Opera with Claudio Abbado and performed numerous concerts and recordings with Nicolaus Harnoncourt and Concentus Musicus Wien on.

During five years he was director of the Wiener Motettenchor the Kirchenchor Mariahilf and directed other ensembles as the Orchestra Tonkunst Austrian, Vienna Waltzes Orchestra, the Chamber Opera House in Vienna, the Wiener Singakademie, etc..

Lluís Vila has also worked with the Vallès Symphony Orchestra, the Symphonic Orchestra of the Empordà, Catalan Baroque Orchestra, the National Choir of Spain, the Bulgarian Radio Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra of Cervera Chorus of the Comunidad de Madrid, the Lieder Camera Choir, the Choral Society University of Valencia, etc.. He was assistant conductor of the Chorus of the Gran Teatre del Liceu. He has collaborated with the Catalan Music Magazine and the Österreichische Musik Zeitschrift, among other specialized publications.

2001-2016 was the conductor of Coral Sant Jordi, who has made two recordings, and professor of choral conducting at the Esmuc (Highschool of Music of Catalonia).

He has given courses towards Portugal, Murcia, Lerida, Vitoria, Mallorca, Asturias, Germany, etc. He is currently music director of the Festival International de Música de Cantonigròs.

Bio en CAT