New Arrangement of Catalan Anthem Premieres
On Saturday 26 September, the Banda Municipal de Barcelona will give the world premiere of a new arrangement of Els segadors, Catalonia’s national anthem. Composed by Bernat Vivancos specifically for band, the performance takes place at 20.45 h in Plaça Major de Nou Barris during the La Mercè festival.
The concert highlights both heritage and innovation in Catalan music, placing local identity at the heart of the celebration.
The event forms part of Lletres al vent, a curated series within La Mercè 2026. Under the direction of José R. Pascual-Vilaplana, the programme pairs the premiere with works linked to Pau Casals, including Yasuhide Ito’s Peace, Peace, so Sing the Birds (Pau, pau, així canten els ocells).
Also featured are Marc Migó’s Suite Furera and Joaquín Rodrigo’s Per la flor del lliri blau. Two sardanas conclude the evening: Sant Martí del Canigó by Pau Casals and Heroica by his brother Enric Casals.
OBC Brings Symphonic Repertoire to Nou Barris
The night before, on Friday 25 September at 20.45 h, the Orquestra Simfònica de Barcelona i Nacional de Catalunya (OBC) performs in the same square. Led by Portuguese conductor Miguel Sepúlveda, the concert opens with Borodín’s Danzas polovtsianas from El príncipe Ígor.
This is followed by Béla Bartók’s Danzas rumanas, inspired by Transylvanian folk melodies, and selections from Chaikovsky’s El lago de los cisnes. The performance continues the festival’s aim of bringing high-calibre symphonic music to neighbourhoods beyond central venues like L’Auditori.
Museu de la Música Expands Festival Offer
Alongside outdoor concerts, the Museu de la Música contributes a full day of free cultural activities on Thursday 24 September. From 10 to 21 h, visitors can access the permanent collection and temporary exhibitions without charge.
Guided tours are scheduled for 11 h, 12.30 h and 17 h. At 10.30 h and 12 h, children over five can join Els colors del so, a workshop led by Jordi Casadevall exploring sound through the Baschet brothers’ educational instruments.
On Saturday, the museum hosts the study day Ricard Viñes i el seu temps, marking the 150th anniversary of the pianist’s birth. Events include a lecture on Érard pianos in the museum’s collection, a round table, and a concert-lecture by Luca Chiantore.
At 19 h, pianist Pedro López Salas performs works by Soler, Chopin, Haydn and Liszt in collaboration with AIE-Clásicos en Ruta. This complements the ongoing exhibition Ricard Viñes a París. Diari d’un pianista, open until 11 October.
La Mercè Reinforces Citywide Cultural Access
La Mercè 2026 runs from 23 to 27 September and features 235 cultural events across Barcelona’s ten districts, including 109 free concerts, 55 popular culture performances and 180 street shows.
Nou Barris has emerged as a key musical hub this year. In addition to the OBC and Banda Municipal, the Cor del Gran Teatre del Liceu performs in Plaça Major on 24 September, and Vozes with Marco Mezquida closes the series on 27 September.
All concerts in the square are free and outdoors, offering residents direct access to major ensembles and premieres without cost or travel into the city centre. Full schedules and details are available via the Ajuntament de Barcelona’s official La Mercè website.
Reported by russpain.com.
