“Play me, I’m Yours” at Barcelona

From March 2010, more than 20 street pianos will be distributed across the streets of Barcelona for the International Music Competition Maria Canals. Located in public parks, streets and squares, the pianos are for any member of the public to play, to personalise and to enjoy.

Touring internationally since 2008, “Play Me, I’m Yours” is an artwork by artist Luke Jerram.

The Maria Canals Music International Contest was the first music contest in Spain and is one of the most prestigous all over the world. The Contest will be on from March 13th to March 26th in El Palau de la Música and will organize more than 50 concerts all around Barecelona within the framework of the Off Contest 2010.

Don’t shoot the pianist

The Maria Canals International Music Competition of Barcelona was founded in 1954 by the pianist Maria Canals and her husband, the writer Rossend Llates. This Competition has achieved international prestige since it was accepted by the World Federation of International Music Competitions in 1958.

It is held at the Palau de la Música Catalana in Barcelona, being endorsed by the World Federation of Music Competitions for the organization of the branches of piano, violin, singing, cello, chamber music, guitar, percussion and flute. Since 1954, the Competition has held over 110 branches, with over 7.000 participants from 100 countries and 180 jury members from all over the world.

The 56th Barcelona Maria Canals International Music Competition will bring together 91 pianists from 26 countries between 13 and 26 March. At the same time, the Off-Competition will be taking piano music to the public.

Maria Canals Competition wants to take advantage of the presence of so many prestigious pianists in the city to take piano music out to the public. More than fifty pianos will be spread around the city so everyone who wants to can play the piano in some very unusual places.

Green spaces, squares and streets will provide the setting for concerts aimed at everyone, children and adults, professionals and amateurs, with grand pianos installed so the participants in the competition can take their art to every corner of the city. Rambla del Raval, Plaça de Sarrià, Can Brians prison and the Line 2 metro station lobby in Plaça de la Universitat are some of the improvised “concert halls” for these young artists.

Tradicionarius: International Folk Festival

The Tradicionàrius International Folk Festival takes place for the 23rd time, featuring nearly 50 artists, seven album presentations and four new shows that will fill the CAT stage with folk songs and rhythms while including other city venues.

Once again Tradicionàrius wants to make local traditional music and culture more accessible to city residents, without abandoning its aim to evolve and expand. So, until 26 March, Barcelona will be moving to the rhythm of folk.

More inf@: Tradicionarius Website

La Laia Festival, another festivity of Barcelona

The legend of Eulàlia tells how a thirteen year old girl who lived in a farmhouse in Sarrià rebelled against the Roman Emperor Diocles’ persecution of Christians. Eulàlia, or Laia for short, was sentenced to death but she never gave up fighting for her beliefs.

Today, this girl - Saint Eulalia - is the joint patron saint of Barcelona and star personality of the city’s winter festival. A festival aimed at every child in Barcelona who bears that extremely courageous girl’s spirit of solidarity.

On Friday, 12 February there will be the night parade and the city’s Eagle Dance, inside the Santa Maria del Mar basilica. Remember that giant figures, with Laia herself at the head, will be the special guests of this festival, which will also feature parades and dancing throughout its days.

Plaça Reial will be bursting with frenetic energy from 11am, when the city’s giants and historic mythical beasts take part in one of the most eye-catching and traditional street parades of this festival.

Another must-see event of this festival is the “correfoc” or running firework display. On Sunday, 14 February Plaça de Sant Jaume will fill up with little devils at 6.30pm and, afterwards at 8pm, Avinguda de la Catedral will be the setting for fire and colourful flames at the traditional Santa Eulalia “correfoc”.

The Teatre Poliorama, the Macba and the Museu Marítim are staging music, dance and theatre shows for all the family. You’ll be able to enjoy performances such as “En Joan sense poro Nautilus“, discover the world of dance, take part in workshops, experience the best of hip-hop and relax to music played by ensembles and chamber groups.

Santa Eulàlia Festivity website

All Saints Day: chesnuts & panellets

All Saints is a time to remember those no longer with us, but it also marks the start of a new cycle in Nature, with trees losing their leaves and fields bare after the harvest of summer.

It is a time to celebrate with the popular tradition of eating chestnuts and panellets, the marzipan cakes (sweet potatoes) typical of Catalonia. In Barcelona there are castanyades, chestnuts for the general public, as well as stands on the streets selling them. The classic panellets are with pine nut, almond, potato, sugar, egg and lemon peel. But others contain strawberry, coconut, more lemon, green tea, coffee, and anything else imaginable.

Chestnuts are also an important part of the festivals, typical in autumn, lovely to eat warm with the arrival cold weather. And there’s also sweet potato. And all to be enjoyed with a little sweet wine.

Time to share with the family, around a table full of special delicacies.

We suggest you our special promotion during this special Festivity and autumn time!

Correfoc - a fire beast parade

One of the best moments of La Mercè. Gangs of demons (diables) around Barcelona participating in the great festival of fire and sound, which began with the spectacular fireworks of Gate of Hell (Porta de l’Infern), in open, gives way to Correfoc.

If you’re one of those who go in for traditional, family activities, don’t miss the “fire beast” parade, a spectacular, safe, night-time procession that lets you calmly observe dragons and beasts making their way through the old quarter up to Plaça Sant Jaume.

Recommendations.
Wear appropriate clothing: cotton clothing with closed neck, long sleeves, neck scarf, hat, shoes flexible, light and closed, and ear-plugs

Route: Porta Cambó, av. Cambó, pl Antoni Maura, Via Laietana, pl Antoni López
Saturday 26/09 from 20:30h to 22:30h

NN hotels: www.nnhotels.com

12th International Pyrotechnic Festival

The 12th International Pyrotechnic Festival, taking place over the nights of 25 and 26 September, will see two firework displays from the Valencia and France, which spectators will be able to see from Espigó del Gas, next to the Hospital del Mar.

On 25 September, Focs d’Artifici Europlá will be bringing light and colour from Valencia; and finally, on 26 September, the French ‘Fêtes et Feux’ will be combining fireworks with special effects.

NN Hotels: www.nnhotels.com

La Mercè: patron-saint-day Festivities

Six hundred activities for every kind of public await you at La Mercè 2009, some thirty venues  throughout the city and five days and nights of Festa Major (patron-saint-day festivities). You’ll have no excuse for being bored if you’re in Barcelona between 23 and 27 September!

40 years of human pyramids
Barcelona’s human-pyramid makers, the Castellers de Barcelona, are celebrating their 40th anniversary and to do this, along with other groups from the city, they’ll be turning up in their biggest number ever for the Diada Castellera, which takes place on Thursday 24 in Plaça Sant Jaume.

Traditional music and BAM
Music has always been one of La Mercè’s main attractions, both in terms of the more traditional kind and the more innovative events at BAM , a festival now in its 17th year with such big names as The Hives, Billie The Vision & The Dancers, Manel, La Kinky Beat and Calima taking part.

In addition to BAM, you can also go to concerts featuring James Hunter, The Pepper Pots, Tarrakota and Baba Zula.

Fire and fire music
As for the traditional part of the festival, its main features have always included the ‘Piromusical‘ - a fire, water and music spectacle - and the International Pyrotechnic Festival.

The former, in Avinguda Maria Cristina, will be held on Sunday 27 and pay tribute to composers of cinema music and the Catalan ‘Nova Cançó’, the new song wave now celebrating its 50th anniversary.

The latter will be taking place for the 12th time at Barceloneta beach with three firework spectaculars - Thursday, Friday and Saturday - which you can watch from the Espigó del Gas.

The fun run
This year’s traditional La Mercè 10k fun run is being dedicated to a worthy cause. And that’s because the five euros it costs to enrol will be earmarked for the UN project ‘Sport for development and peace’. What’s more, those joining in will receive a gift!

There will also be a 2k course for people with disabilities and the TMB Gymkhana (in connection with Cerdà Year).

More inf@ visiting: www.bcn.es | Web La Mercè

Festa Major in Sants (city festival).

 During seven days, the neighbourhood will swell with loads of activities for the whole family. A dozen streets in all will be decorated, taking part in the traditional street-decoration competition, while there will be concerts on every day, parades, ‘correfocs’ or running fireworks, eating fests, workshops and gamesworkshops for young and old and plenty of music are just some of the ingredients you’ll find filling Sants’ streets with life until 29 August.

There’ll also be the ‘correfoc’ or running fireworks, the Diada Castellera and the Festa Major concert performed by the Barcelona Municipal Band. Also taking place will be the traditional International Chess Open, a cycling race and a Sardana festival, in addition to musical performances going on throughout the neighbourhood’s streets and squares.

More info: www.bcn.es

NN Hotels: www.nnhotels.com

Swing in Barcelona

Lindy Hop classes, face painting workshops, dance, concerts, etc. and all that with swing in the background. That’s what you’ll find in Plaça del Diamant during the Gràcia Festival, during which it will become the Plaça del Swing (Swing Square).

The music will be provided by Johnny Branchizio & The Lindy Hop Connection, the Ivanow Jazz Group, Lush Five, S’Arrual, The Swinging Singers, Jove Combo and Cabo San Roque, while there will also be musical performances with puppets for little children, theatrical performances and swing workshops for everyone.

Where: Plaça del Diamant,
Gràcia District.
When: Gràcia Festival week,
August 15th - 21st.
Cost: Free activities.

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