In the vast universe of music in the Canary Islands, there are stars that shine with their own light, and Laura Vega Santana is, without a doubt, one of them. Its Canarian essence, rooted in the melodies and rhythms of the islands, is intertwined with the sophistication and complexity of contemporary music, creating a sound mat that evokes landscapes, emotions and memories.
From the first notes she played at the Vecindario Municipal Music School to the majestic compositions she has created for renowned orchestras, Laura has charted a musical path that is as much a reflection of her soul as it is of her homeland.
And now, in a climactic moment, the Classical Laguna Experience Orchestra, under the direction of David González, and with Luis López on piano, will perform his work Caelum in terra at the emblematic Teatro Leal in La Laguna, Tenerife, on Sunday, October 29 at 8:30 p.m. A concert that promises to be a celebration of music, passion and talent.
Laura, your roots in Gran Canaria are evident in your music. How has she influenced the Canarian landscape and culture in her creative process and in works such as Caelum in terra?
It is very influential because through my music I try to convey the emotional state that the sea or spectacular landscapes of our archipelago provoke in me such as Ventana del Nublo, Risco Caído or Garajonay Park, among many others, or by the selection of extra-musical materials of Canarian authors who serve as inspiration for me, for example texts by Elvireta Escobio, Pedro García Cabrera, Tomás Morales, Santiago Gil, Juan Millares Carló, Benito Pérez Galdós or paintings by Manolo Millares, Antonio Padrón or Pedro Lezcano Jaén to name a few examples.
You have had the opportunity to study with renowned teachers. Is there a lesson or anecdote with any of them that has marked her career as a composer?
The people who have most influenced my compositional career have been Paco Brito, Daniel Roca, Lothar Siemens, José Luis de Delás and José María Sánchez Verdú. From all of them I have received great lessons on a personal, musical and cultural level.
Caelum in terra will be the center of attention at the Classical Laguna Experience Orchestra’s next concert. What emotions and sensations do you hope to evoke in the audience that night?
I couldn’t say it because each of the people who make up the audience is a universe on an emotional level. Caelum in terra It was born in 2022 as a result of the commission of the Insular Institute for the Integrated Management of World Heritage and the Biosphere Reserve of Gran Canaria, inspired by the Cultural Landscape of Risco Caído and the Sacred Spaces of the Mountains of Gran Canaria. My music, through a long journey of contrasting sections, tries to reflect the light and darkness of these spectacular caves, the grandeur of the surrounding landscape and its spirituality.
In the words of pianist José Luis Castillo, Caelum in Terra is music that starts from the heart, towards the heart, interweaving with two of the absolutely essential qualities and today more than ever, urgently necessary in these unfortunate times: Beauty and Love It is an unequivocal song to generous and infinite love, towards the universe, towards the magical and telluric of nature, towards other human beings, and above all, towards ourselves.
Throughout his career, he has fused traditional elements with classical music. What challenges and rewards has he found in bringing these two worlds together?
I’ve never thought about it. This fact arises in me naturally according to my expressive needs or due to the characteristics of the compositional project. To cite an example, it was a certain challenge to have to include Gomero whistlers alongside the symphony orchestra in my work “Images of an Island” (2007). They were people who had not studied musical language, had never seen an orchestra rehearsal nor had followed the baton of a conductor, but it was one of the requirements of the assignment and we managed to carry it out with great success.
The composer’s solitude in front of the blank page is a moment that many artists describe as challenging and at the same time revealing. How do you face those moments of searching for inspiration and how do you manage to transform that loneliness into music?
I confess that I increasingly need spaces of solitude and silence to compose and I usually lock myself in my studio to do so. Inspiration not only acts in the first phase of the compositional process since it is equally necessary when developing subsequent ideas. This process of developing ideas involves a high degree of concentration and that, on many occasions, means withdrawing from the everyday world to be able to connect with the deepest emotions.
She has been recognized with several awards and distinctions. How have these recognitions impacted her evolution as an artist?
Logically, I am very grateful for the recognitions made to my career but I do not consider that they have an impact on my musical evolution. However, it is true that receiving words of recognition from performers, from the public, from colleagues in the profession, from institutions, are a great motivation and give strength to continue working hard every day with enthusiasm, trying to get the best out of myself. same.
In addition to her work as a composer, she has dedicated part of her life to teaching. What advice would you give to young musicians and composers who are starting their path in the world of music?
Devoting yourself to music professionally requires a lot of discipline and sacrifices but it also offers many moments of satisfaction and complete happiness. I think the most important thing is that everyone directs their life to what they are truly passionate about. The best thing I can wish for a young student is that he seek and find his life purpose and dedicate himself to it with a true vocation, in body, mind and soul.
Its catalog is extensive and varied. Is there any work that you consider especially personal or that represents a milestone in your career?
There are works that, indeed, are more special because of the characteristics or the environment in which they are born: because of the people to whom they are dedicated, because of the musicians or groups that carry out the premiere, because of the institution that commissioned me. , etc. In general, symphonic works are very special to me and among them I would highlight the four concertos for soloists and orchestra that I have premiered so far: for oboe, for piano, for percussion and for guitar.
He has collaborated with various orchestras and musicians. Is there any collaboration or project that has particularly challenged or surprised you?
They practically always surprise me for the better! I feel very lucky because throughout my career I have been able to count on excellent musicians and beautiful people. I have also been able to work with the great symphony orchestras of Spain, among which are our Canarian orchestras, as well as with wonderful orchestras made up of young students and even amateur orchestras that make music with true passion. I have also been able to collaborate with incredibly talented and extremely professional people from other artistic disciplines.
He will soon collaborate with Luis López, nominated for a Grammy in 2023, and with director David González in the interpretation of Caelum in terra. What expectations do you have about this collaboration and what do you think they will contribute to the performance of your work?
I love the opportunity that my profession offers to be able to “co-create”. As a composer I need an interpreter who makes the music that I have left captured in a score a reality from my thoughts. Therefore, the personality of the interpreter joins mine in that almost magical process of decoding, transformation and co-creation that interpretation entails. It’s incredible how the same work can sound so different depending on the musician who interprets it. I have never worked with these musicians before but I do know their careers and I am sure they will do a magnificent job.
Looking ahead, are there any projects or collaborations that you are particularly excited about that you can share with us?
Soon I will premiere my last two orchestral works, Old with the Oviedo orchestra under the direction of Lucas Macías and Souls thief with the Extremadura orchestra under the direction of Andrés Salado. I am currently immersed in writing two new works that I am very excited about, a work for guitar and string quartet dedicated to the guitarist Pablo Sainz Villegas and a concerto for timple and orchestra dedicated to the great Canarian timplist Domingo el Colorao.
