Osimun Quartet lands in the Basque Country for the first time
In August 2026, Osimun Quartet made its first appearance in Euskadi, participating in the 19th International Music Festival/Course Vitoria-Gasteiz (FCIMV). For many years, this festival has brought together musical training and live performance, combining an intensive educational programme with a series of concerts held mainly throughout the region of Vitoria-Gasteiz and Álava. The festival provides a meeting point for students, teachers, established musicians and audiences, creating a vibrant environment for musical exchange and artistic development.
For the 2026 edition, Osimun Quartet was invited to participate as one of the festival’s performing ensembles, presenting a programme across four concerts in different locations throughout the region. The quartet performed in the churches of Araia, Lagrán and Vitoria-Gasteiz, bringing its music to audiences in different towns and creating a varied experience of the festival across Álava.
The quartet’s participation also extended beyond the traditional festival venues, performing as part of Aste Nagusia, Bilbao’s main annual festival and one of the most important cultural celebrations in the Basque Country. This concert offered the quartet the opportunity to reach a broader and more diverse audience, placing its music within the vibrant cultural atmosphere of Bilbao during one of the city's most significant festivities.
Osimun Reflections…
Ricard: Performing in Euskadi for the first time through the FCIMV has been a very enriching experience for me. There is something special about this land: the nature, the people, the food and the shared experiences; everything seems to fall and combine in a perfect balance being completely unique.
What I will take away from this festival is the diversity of experiences that these concerts offered us. Performing in different churches across Álava and Bilbao during Aste Nagusiaallowed us to experience very different contexts, each with its own atmosphere and energy reminding me that a performance is never exactly the same twice. This also made me reflect on the importance of bringing chamber music beyond the traditional concert hall. Playing in different towns and becoming part of the cultural life of each place created opportunities for genuine encounters with audiences who may experience our music in very different ways.
I am especially grateful to the FCIMV and Íñigo for giving us the opportunity to discover Euskadi through music and to share our project with its audiences. I finish this experience with new connections and the feeling that this first visit can be the beginning of a much longer musical relationship with the region.
