Gala Dinner, Wednesday 6 Sept, Guggenheim Museum

Order of the evening

20:15 h Opening of the doors (Main entrance)
20:15 – 22:15 h
  • All galleries of the museum are exclusive for the delegates of the conference
  • Photocall in the entrance hall with lighting and carpet
  • Assembly of stage, lectern, screen and image equipment.
  • Atrium architectural lighting, in blue tones imitating the image of waves.
21:30 – 21:50 h Delegates visiting the galleries are called by the “Txalaparta (*)” to go down to the Atrium and begin to sit down with a cocktail served at each table.
21:50 – 22:00 h Welcome “Aurresku (**)” in front of the stage for the presidential table on behalf of all attendees
22:00 – 24:00 h
  • Dinner starts:
  • 1st song from the Choral begins.
  • First course served
  • 2nd and 3rd songs from the Choral
  • Second course served
  • Main course served
  • Dessert served
  • Coffees and liquours

Social events:

  • Tribute to Prof. Falcao (video, trophy and present) – chaired by Jesus M. Blanco
  • IMEJ prize giving – chaired by AbuBakr Bahaj
  • Trophies (EWTEC’23 and EWTEC’25 Chairpersons) – chaired by Eider Robles.
  • Thanks to Sponsors – chaired by Jesus M. Blanco
24:00 h End of the Gala Dinner – chaired by Jose L. Villate
(*) Txalaparta:
During the last 150 years, txalaparta has been attested as a communication device used for many celebrations and special events. The txalaparta today is a musical instrument used in Basque music. It is classified as an idiophone (a percussion instrument).

In its traditional construction, being made of a pair of long wooden boards held up horizontally on two ends and then beaten vertically with special, thick sticks held upright in the hands. Music is made using the txalaparta by having one or more performers (known as ‘txalaparta players’) produce differing rhythms, playing with wood knots and spots of the boards for different tones.
(***) Aurresku
Aurresku is a popular Basque dance, solemn and elegant, that is performed as a tribute or a way of honouring prominent figures of the society. As such, today it is performed in all types of formal events in the Basque Country: weddings, openings, congresses, etc. This is why it is one of the best-known expressions of traditional Basque culture.

In its modern form, the aurresku is performed by a dantzari (Basque word for ‘dancer’), accompanied by a txistulari, a musician who plays the txistu (traditional Basque wind instrument played with only one hand) and, with his free hand, the drum.