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Donostia-San Sebastian. Garikoitz Mendizabal, txistulari from Zestoa and director of the Municipal Band of Txistularis in Bilbao has now returned to Euskal Herria after touring and performing concerts in South Korea.  Accompanying him on the trip were Iñaki Letamendia and Jexux Mari Garmendia, both from Tolosa, in hopes of sharing the txistu and introducing it to that country.

Mendizabal recorded the album Txistu Symphonic three years ago with the Symphonic Orchestra of Bratislava.  It was a pioneer work that adapted traditional pieces for the txistu, to perform with orchestras.  The album also included new pieces by composer Xabier Zabala, Ondoan and Irribarrea.

Internationalizing the Txistu

“Without a doubt, Txistu Symphonic is the origin of all of this,” the musician explained to EuskalKultura.com.  “I think that this work has opened the door wide open for the txistu and this can help us introduce it to the world.  The txistu maintains its personality with the help of the orchestra, the result is very attractive.  It also shows different facets: there are two new pieces by Xabier Zabala, for example, that have another esthetic that is more serene, intimate and promotes reflection.

The management of the South Korean tour had a lot to do with a Basque that lives there: Unai Urrecho from Arrasate, director of the Hwaseong Festival Orchestra.  After hearing Txistu Symphonic got in touch with Mendizabal and they organized the tour together.  The trip began on March 14th and concluded on March 21st, with two concerts along with symphonic orchestras – the Chun Cheon Philharmonic Orchestra and the Gyongbook Philharmonic Orchestra as well as three other smaller performances.

Great reception in South Korea

Mendizabal is very happy with the reception they had in Korea; “Many people attended the concerts that included the orchestras, and the reception was very warm.  “At the performance with the Chun Cheon Philharmonic Orchestra 1,200 people attended and that was incredible.  At the one with the Gyonbook Philharmonic Orchestra some 500 attended but the atmosphere was the same, warm and very enjoyable.”

Basque living in South Korea also attended the performances.  “The musician Unai Urrecho, Ildefonso, a priest from Ikaztegieta that has been there for 45 years, and another one from Legazpi…it was very exciting.  I never thought about what it might mean to them,” he explained.

To Chile and Peru

Mendizabal learned of the passing of Iñaki Azkuna, Mayor of Bilbao, during the trip and all three txistularis transmitted a tribute to him, as he was the mayor of Bilbao for fifteen years via social networks (see video).

Now, back in the Basque Country the txistulari has returned to his everyday job as director of the Txistulari Band in Bilbao, but he continues to seek new ways to internationalize this instrument.  “There are possibilities to play, for example in Chile or Peru.  Next year I will play at the Liceo in Barcelona with the National Ballet of Spain and the Symphonic Orchestra of Madrid.  This means that little by little, the 'Txistu Symphonic' project is bearing fruit,” Mendizabal says.  The txistulari is also in touch with several txistularis in the Diaspora.  “They are hoping for us to come, and we are hoping the same thing,” he concluded.