[email protected] :: www.mintzola.eus :: (+34) 943 693 870 Nazioarteko Inprobisatzaileen Bira International Improvisators Tour

The International Improvisators Tour is an initiative organised by Mintzola Ahozko Lantegia and Lanku Kultur Zerbitzuak. The aim of the tour is to continue gathering knowledge about the improvised verse singing in other cultures and languages. The tour of the improvisators from Cuba, Argentina and the Basque Country will take place from the 9th to the 14th of October. PROGRAMME

Tuesday, October 9, PAMPLONA At 7.00pm, in the Zentral hall Guest improvisators: Tomasita Quiala (Cuba) and Araceli Argüello (Argentina) Bertsolaris: Maialen Lujanbio and Julio Soto Conductor: Iker Iriarte Organised by Pamplona City Council

Wednesday, October 10, ERANDIO At 7.00pm, in the Merkatu Zaharra hall Guest improvisators: Tomasita Quiala (Cuba) and Araceli Argüello (Argentina) Bertsolaris: Amets Arzallus and Jone Uria Conductor: Iker Iriarte Organised by Erandio City Council

Thursday, October 11, HERNANI At 7.00pm, at the Biteri cultural centre Guest improvisators: Tomasita Quiala (Cuba) and Araceli Argüello (Argentina) Bertsolaris: Maialen Lujanbio and Julio Soto Conductor: Iker Iriarte Organised by Hernani City Council

Friday, October 12, VITORIA-GASTEIZ At 7.00pm, in the Beñat Etxepare theatre Guest improvisators: Tomasita Quiala (Cuba) and Araceli Argüello (Argentina) Bertsolaris: Maialen Lujanbio and Xabi Igoa Conductor: Maite Berriozabal Organised by Vitoria-Gasteiz City Council

[email protected] :: www.mintzola.eus :: (+34) 943 693 870 Saturday, October 13, BAYONA At 6.00pm, Cité des Arts École Superieure d’Arts Guest improvisators: Tomasita Quiala (Cuba) and Araceli Argüello (Argentina) Bertsolaris: Amets Arzallus and Jone Uria Conductor: Maite Berriozabal Organised by Basque Cultural Institute and Haizebegi Festival

Sunday, October 14, DONOSTIA-SAN SEBASTIAN At 7.00pm, in the Principal Theatre Guest improvisators: Tomasita Quiala (Cuba) and Araceli Argüello (Argentina) Bertsolaris: Amets Arzallus, Jone Uria and Julio Soto Conductor: Iker Iriarte Organised by Donostia Festak and Donostia Kultura Erakundea

IMPROVISATORS

JUANA TOMASA QUIALA Cuba, repentista

She was born on December 29, 1961, in Arroyon de Flores (Banes, Cuba). At early age, she moved to the capital in order to study in the special school for the blind called Abel Santamaria, where she did Primary and Secondary Education. Her first contact with improvisation happened all of a sudden, when she unexpectedly took part in a verse for a poet. Today, she is one of the most important reference of punto cubano in Cuba. She emerged from the amateur movement and even though she became a professional artist, Tomasita is still closely linked to the community work; thus, her main stages are bashes, serenades and local parties. Apart from that, she also writes tales, songs and poems.

Punto cubano ·Language: Spanish ·Region: Canary Islands and Cuba ·Improvisator: Repentista ·Description: It is an improvised verse singing expression from Cuba performed in Spanish. Although it has its origins in Andalusia and the Canary Islands, and including African musical elements punto cubano has established itself as a genre in its own right. Currently, this type of improvised verse singing is very much alive in Cuba. Projects are being developed to hand down to new generations, and there are more and more women taking up this expression.

[email protected] :: www.mintzola.eus :: (+34) 943 693 870 ARACELI ARGÜELLO Argentina, payadora

She was born on February 20, 1995, in Pozo de Moll (Cordoba, Argentina). The family instilled in her the tradition and fondness for creole customs, and she showed an interest in creole verses and milongas at an early age. At the age of twelve, she took her guitar along with the lyrics of Saúl Huenchúl, one of her referent payadors. In August of 2013, she was named payadora by Marta Suint (Argentinian payadora) and José Curbelo (Uruguayan payador). Currently, she is doing the Degree in Language and Literature at the University of Villa Maria.

Payada/paya ·Language: Spanish ·Region: Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, South Brazil and Chile ·Improvisator: Payador/a ·Description: Payada (in Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and South Brazil) and Paya (in Chile) it is an improvised verse singing expression in Spanish. Payadors can sing either individually or competing (contrapunto) and are generally accompanied with a guitar. Improvisators can use decima, sextilla, octavilla or verse metres and most of the times follow the rhythm of milongas; however, rhythms such as cielito, cifra, habanera, vidalita, estilo and vals are also common. Encounters and conferences among payadors are frequently held and they are striving for opening ways to hand it down to next generations. Likewise, the number of women improvisators is increasing.

AMETS ARZALLUS Hendaya, bertsolari Although he does not live there, he never strays too far from his native Hendaya. He studied at the ikastolas of Seaska (Federation of the schools in Basque) and then he landed in Leioa to study journalism. He devotes himself mostly to bertsolaritza, although from time to time he carries out journalistic works. As he is son of the bertsolari Jexux Arzallus, he was born in an environment plenty of bertsos and as a result, he began to sing when he was still very young. He won the 2013 National Bertsolaris Championship and was runner-up in the 2009 edition; besides, he has always been finalist since 2005. He also won the championship corresponding to the provinces of Lapurdi, Baxenabarre and Zuberoa in the years 2008, 2010 and 2012, and the four championships of between 2000 and 2003.

XABI IGOA Aramaio, bertsolari He started attending the bertso-eskola (bertsolaritza workshops) in 2004 with the bertsolari Manex Agirre as teacher; later, he worked teaching as well but nowadays he works in the communication agency AZK. Since 2018, he has been member of the team that presides the association Euskal Herriko Bertsozale Elkartea. He has been finalist in the championship of

[email protected] :: www.mintzola.eus :: (+34) 943 693 870 Araba in the years 2015 and 2017. Regarding the intercities championship, he won the editions of 2010 and 2018 with the team of Aramaio.

MAIALEN LUJANBIO Hernani, bertsolari In spite of being well-known for her work as bertsolari, she has also been involved in other artistic projects, usually related to the language. She is holder of a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts. Since 2018, she has been member of the team that presides the association of bertsolaris Euskal Herriko Bertsozale Elkartea. She took up bertsolaritza in the bertso-eskola (bertsolaritza workshops) at school, and by the age of 15, she was already singing in public. She is the current national champion of bertsolaritza, after obtaining the txapela (the which represents the victory) in 2017 as well as in 2009, and runner-up in 2001 and 2013. Besides, she was also proclaimed champion of in 2003.

JULIO SOTO Gorriti, bertsolari Trained in the bertso-eskola (bertsolaritza workshops) of Iruñea, he was champion of Navarre in the interschool championships of 2003, 2004 and 2005. He studied Agronomic Engineering and Basque Philology. He sang in the final of the Navarra Championship for the first time in 2006. In 2009, he was runner-up, and champion in the editions held in the years 2010, 2011, 2015 and 2017. He has participated in the Absolute Championship of Bertsolaris in 2009, 2013 and 2017.

JONE URIA Getxo, bertsolari Holder of a Bachelor’s Degree in Maths, she is working on her PhD at the University of the Basque Country. She is the spokesperson of Promotion Department, which is in charge of organizing the championships and performances promoted by the association Bertsozale Elkartea, as well as being a board member of the association. She became a fan of bertsolaritza at home. At the age of 9 she took up bertsolaritza as an extracurricular activity at school and when she was 12, at the bertso-eskola (bertsolaritza workshops) of Algorta, ALBE. In 2008, she participated for the first time in the championship of Bizkaia reaching the semifinals and since then she has sung in the finals of 2010, 2012, 2014 and 2016. She has also taken part in the National Bertsolaris Championship of 2009, 2013 and 2017.

Bertsolaritza ·Language: Basque ·Region: Basque Country ·Improvisator: Bertsolari

[email protected] :: www.mintzola.eus :: (+34) 943 693 870 ·Description: This is an improvised verse singing expression in Basque on the basis of rhymes, measures and patterns. The piece sung is called bertso and the person who sings it is called bertsolari. It comes from the Basque Country. Bertsolaritza plays a prominent role within the Basque-speaking community: there are many performances of bertsos and bertsolaris differ widely in terms of age, gender, origin and studies. Its projects for promotion and education are spread in the entire region and it also has great popularity in the Basque community.

COLLABORATORS, SPONSOR AND ORGANIZERS

COLLABORATORS City Council of Pamplona, City Council of Erandio, City Council of Hernani, City Council of Vitoria-Gasteiz, Euskal Kultur Erakundea, Haizebegi Festival, Donostia Festak and Donostia Kultura Erakundea.

SPONSOR Donostia 2016

ORGANIZERS Mintzola Ahozko Lantegia and Lanku Kultur Zerbitzuak

[email protected] :: www.mintzola.eus :: (+34) 943 693 870