Juan de la Rubia, principal organist of the Sagrada Família Basilica in Barcelona, gave a solo recital in Yerevan on November 6, as part of the third International Vahagn Stamboltsyan Organ  Festival.

During  the evening, organ works by Johann Sebastian Bach and George Frideric Handel were performed, and Juan de la Rubia also presented Armenian audiences, for the first time, with Spanish organ music of the Baroque and Renaissance periods.

A beautiful tradition has taken been formed within the festival: guest organists from abroad conclude their performances with works by Armenian composers. Juan de la Rubia chose Komitas's "Khorurd Khorin," which received a warm reception from the audience.

This was the musician's first visit to Armenia. As Juan de la Rubia notes, it was a wonderful opportunity to get to know the country and its culture. However, he says the main and most fascinating reason for taking part in the festival was the instrument itself — the high-quality organ installed at the Komitas Chamber Music Hall, as well as the concert hall's excellent acoustics, which in some ways reminded him of the sound of the Sagrada Família Basilica in Barcelona. The musician notes that he designed the concert program specifically to suit the particular qualities of this instrument, including works from the Baroque and Renaissance periods.

The concert was held with the support of the Embassy of the Kingdom of Spain.