On Saturday 4th May the V UNCOLI Symphonic Festival will take place in the Coliseum of Saint George’s School. The Festival has become a focal point for the symphonic bands of the schools of Bogotá. The Festival attracts over 700 musicians from 14 symphonic bands as well as renowned composers/ conductors who will provide the feedback for the conductors of the various bands. These are:

Jesus Orielso Santiago Jácome: a graduate in Music-Cum Laude from the Universidad Industrial de Santander and a graduate in Orchestra Conducting from the Instituto Universitario Juan M Corpas. He is currently conductor of the Symphonic Orchestra of Chia that in 2013 obtained second place in the World Music Contest in Kerkrade (Holland); and the gold medal in the Rastede Music Band Competition in Germany in 2015. Jesus Orielso is an educational and musical advisor to the bands of the Department of Cundinamarca whilst also composing and arranging. The bands of which he has been conductor have continuously received awards in the major competitions in Colombia.

Victoriano Valencia: a Colombian composer and music teacher, he composes and makes arrangements for bands, choirs, symphonic orchestras and local bands. He has a degree in Music from the Universidad Pedagógica Nacional and a Masters in Composition from the EAFIT University of Medellin. He has been advisor to The Ministry of Culture in Colombia and to the network of Music Schools in Medellin as well as to several national institutions for higher education. He is the Director of Music in the Javeriana University.

Camilo Bustamante: a conductor and a Master of Orchestra Conducting from the Javeriana University, he has been the director of the BATUTA programme in the Department of Meta. Currently he is the director of Promotion and Development for the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Javeriana University.

The Bands that were present:

First Session: 8.30 a.m.

• Orquesta sinfónica Infantil Santa Lucia Cafam Tocar y Luchar.
• Banda Infantil Salesiana del niño de Jesús.
• Orquesta Infantil del Programa de Formación Musical para Niños y Niñas de la Universidad Nacional de Colombia.
• Orquesta y Banda Sinfónica Infantil y juvenil Liceo Hypatia.
• CAS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA.
• Banda Sinfónica Juvenil Escuela de Formación Artística y Cultural de Chía.

Second sesión: 11:00 a.m.

• Banda Sinfónica IED Simón Bolívar.
• Orquesta Sinfónica Infantil y Juvenil Gimnasio Vermont.
• Banda Sinfónica Infantil Gimnasio Vermont.
• Banda Sinfónica Colegio San Bartolomé La Merced.
• Orquesta Sinfónica SGS.
• Banda Sinfónica Infantil SGS.
• Banda Sinfónica SGS.