Al Ayre Español
Al Ayre Español
Ensemble

Al Ayre Español was founded in 1988 by Eduardo López Banzo with the aim of challenging the clichés that, at the time, surrounded interpretations of Spanish Baroque music. The ensemble’s spirit has always been to counter these stereotypes with rigor, excellence in performance, and a commitment to breathing new life into the music of the past, making it accessible to contemporary audiences.

Over the years, Al Ayre Español has evolved not only into a prestigious ensemble but also into a unique philosophy of interpretation, carefully developed by Eduardo López Banzo alongside his musicians. Today, it is widely recognized, sought after, and acclaimed worldwide. In addition to its international prestige, it was honored with the National Music Award (Premio Nacional de Música) in 2004, granted by the Spanish Government.

With 36 years of performances at major festivals and theaters across Europe, 20 years as the resident orchestra at the Zaragoza Auditorium, 20 albums, and a continuously growing schedule of engagements and activities, Al Ayre Español has solidified its status as one of the leading ensembles in both the national and international music scene.

Prestigious Venues & Festivals

  • Throughout its history, Al Ayre Español has performed at some of the world’s most prestigious venues, including:
    Concertgebouw (Amsterdam)
  • Musikverein & Konzerthaus (Vienna)
  • Tonhalle Düsseldorf & Laeiszhalle Hamburg
  • Konzerthaus & Philharmonic Hall (Berlin)
  • Théâtre des Champs-Élysées & Cité de la Musique (Paris)
  • Teatro Real & Auditorio Nacional (Madrid)
  • Palau de la Música Catalana & Gran Teatre del Liceu (Barcelona)
  • Library of Congress (Washington)
  • Palais des Beaux-Arts (Brussels)
  • Arsenal de Metz, Warsaw Philharmonic, Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian (Lisbon)
  • Palacio Euskalduna (Bilbao), Teatro Olímpico (Rome), Teatro de la Maestranza (Seville), among others.
  • The ensemble has also been invited to some of the most prestigious international festivals, including:
  • Baden-Baden Easter Festival
  • Bachfest Leipzig
  • Utrecht Early Music Festival
  • Internationale Festtage Alter Musik (Stuttgart)
  • Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival
  • Dresdner Musikfestpiele
  • Toulouse les Orgues
  • Festival d’Ambronay
  • Handel Festival Halle
  • Festival International d’Opéra Baroque de Beaune
  • Festival de Saintes
  • Festival Internacional Cervantino (Mexico)
  • Monteverdi Festival (Cremona)
  • Authentica Festival (Israel)
  • Festival Antiquarium (Moscow)
  • Oslo Religious Music Festival
  • Prague Spring Festival
  • Festival Internacional en el Camino de Santiago
  • Festival de Santander
  • Quincena de San Sebastián
  • Hong Kong Arts Festival
  • Yong Siew Toh Hall (Singapore), among many others.

Discography & Sponsorships

The ensemble has recorded for several major labels, including Almaviva, Fidelio, Deutsche Harmonia Mundi, Harmonia Mundi France, Naïve-Ambroisie, and Challenge Records.

Al Ayre Español is sponsored by Industrias Químicas del Ebro and the Spanish Ministry of Culture, has maintained a residency agreement with the Zaragoza Auditorium since 2004, and has been an Ambassador of Zaragoza since 2011.
Eduardo López Banzo, Organist and Conductor

Born in Zaragoza in 1961, Eduardo López Banzo is one of Europe’s leading conductors who has most passionately embraced historicism as his musical philosophy. His goal is to bring the musicians he directs closer to the sources and spirit of each composition, ensuring that music—centuries later—feels fresh and innovative to contemporary audiences.

He studied organ and harpsichord in Zaragoza with José Luis González Uriol and later in Amsterdam with Jacques van Oortmersen and Gustav Leonhardt, the latter encouraging him to work in favor of Spanish Baroque music. In 2004, the ensemble he founded in 1988, Al Ayre Español, was awarded the National Music Award (Premio Nacional de Música), granted by the Ministry of Culture of the Spanish Government, in recognition of over twenty years of musicological rigor and excellence in performance. This achievement has established Al Ayre Español as a benchmark for historicist interpretation throughout Europe. Under his leadership, the ensemble has performed in the world’s most prestigious concert halls, while he has also been frequently invited to conduct renowned symphony orchestras and period-instrument ensembles.

Operatic Work & Pedagogy

In the field of opera, Eduardo López Banzo is considered one of today’s leading specialists in Handel’s dramatic works. He has participated in stage productions with:

  • Asociación de Amigos de la Ópera de Bilbao (ABAO/OLBE) with Al Ayre Español
  • Palau de les Arts in Valencia with the Orquesta de la Comunidad Valenciana
  • Kiel Opera House (Germany) with the Philharmonisches Orchester Kiel

As an educator, he is regularly invited to give masterclasses and specialized courses at various institutions, including:

  • Universities of Alcalá de Henares (Opera Studio), Zaragoza (Cursos de Jaca), and Salamanca
  • Escuela Superior de Canto de Madrid
  • Centro Nacional de Difusión Musical (Ministry of Culture of Spain)
  • Menéndez Pelayo International University
  • Fondazione Cini in Venice
  • Conservatory of Amsterdam

Recognition

In October 2010, Eduardo López Banzo was honored as an “Hijo Predilecto” (Favorite Son) of Zaragoza.

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