Aitor Biain Bidarte

1983

He began his studies at the Music School in Oñati (Gipuzkoa), learning clarinet, saxophone and singing. He also studied a Degree in Computer Science Engineering by Mondragon University. Additionally, he studied singing in the Jesus Guridi Music Conservatory in Vitoria-Gasteiz, under the guidance of Idoia Garmendia and Miren Urbieta-Vega. Later, he completed Pedagogy of Music studies in the Higher School of Music Education of the Basque Country, Musikene. To finish with, he studied conducting with Gabriel Baltés and Basilio Astulez (Choral Conducting) and Arturo Tamayo (Orchestra Conducting) in the same centre.He is currently completing a Master's Degree in Musical Research (UNIR). He has participated in several conducting courses thanks to the Choral Association of the Basque Country, with prestigious teachers such as Werner Pfaff, Tamara Brooks, Carlo Pavese, Roland Berger, Johan Duijck, Laszlo Heltay,Juan Luis Martínez, Vasco Negreiros and Basilio Astulez. He has also participated in courses and seminars with many other conductors (J. Casas, G. Graden, E. Carrasco, V. Miskinis, M. Guinand, N. Faran, J. Busto,…).

He is the conductor of the Choir of the University of the Basque Country (UPV-EHU), the Choral Society of Bergara, Ganbara Abesbatza, Hots Abesbatza, and Ganbara Kantu Eskola, with which he has performed a wide variety of national and European tours, as well as performing concerts at the most prestigious concert halls within the Basque Country (Baluarte, Kursaal, Euskalduna), as well as theatres abroad. He has won many awards not only as a choir but also as a conductor. It is worth highlighting the ones obtained as Best Conductor, in May 2017 at the International Choral Competition “Florilège Vocal” in Tours (France) and in August 2015 at the International Choral Competition “Fondazione Guido d’Arezzo” (Italy). He is specialized in the a cappella repertoire, as well as in choral-orchestralliterature from all the different musical epoques. He has conducted and edited 5 cd recordings and has released more than30 choral works by J.Busto, J.Elberdin D.Azurza, J.Guerrero, E.Ugalde, X.Sarasola, among others.

He quite often offers workshops and seminars. He was the assistant conductor at the Cathedral Choir of Vitoria-Gasteiz, conducted by Carlos Mena.

In addition to conducting, he is also a member of the choir KUP Taldea conducted by Gabriel Baltés and Suhar, conducted by Esteban Urzelai. As a clarinet player, he is a member of the Music Band of his town.

In this 2019-21 season he will be conducting EHGA choir (Euskal Herriko GazteAbesbatza- Youth Choir of the Basque Country) with Basilio Astulez.

© 2022 Aitor Biain Bidarte. All Rights Reserved.
Photos by Nagore Goñi