MANUEL GAINZA Y PLAZAOLA

Born in Tolosa (Guipúzcoa), he took Music Studies with Felipe Gorriti and later on with Eduardo Mokoroa at the Music Academy in San Sebastian, where he obtained a scholarship to broaden his knowledge.
He was a Conductor of Music Bands and conducted the ones in Sestao, Gorliz, Gernika and Getxo, the latest up until his death in 1943.
In Sestao, in 1906 and 1907 he simultaneously conducted the Band, played the organ in his Parish Church and also conducted the Choral Societies named “Trabajo y Cultura” (Work and Culture) and the extinct “Sociedad Coral de Portugalete” (Portugalete Choral Society).
Once in Getxo, where since 1919 he was in charge of the Municipal Music Band, he founded the “Sociedad Coral de Guecho” (Choral Society of Guecho), afterwards called “Coro Biotz Alai” (Biotz Alai Choir).
In spite of being very fond of choirs, amongst his compositions for txistu (typical Basque type of recorder), band and orchestra, there are no choral works.

ANGEL DE URIGÜEN

Born in Durango, he followed his religious vocation and when assigned at the Parish Church of San Nicolás de Bari in Algorta, he was in charge of playing the organ.
Along with some male members of the Choral Society of Guecho, he re-structured the choir of male voices, changing it into a mixed choir. Under his direction, its name was then changed to “Coro Biotz Alai”, which still remains.
Not only the choir met the musical needs of the Parish Church but also it held several concerts within the town, in some of which they sang along with the Municipal Music Band.

JUAN JOSE GAINZA REBOLLAR iconPic_20x20

Born in Getxo, he is the son of the founder of the“Sociedad Coral de Guecho”, predecessor of the actual Coro Biotz Alai. His father wanted him to follow his path so he took Music Studies with him: solmization, piano, harmony, counterpoint, instrumentation, etc.
The early death of his mentor forced him to change direction, but in 1966, caught up in his musical roots, he re-founded the Biotz Alai Choir as a male voice choir once again. He conducted it until 1988 when, due to health reasons, he had to pass the baton over to Javier Oyarzabal.
Under Juan José Gainza’s direction the choir obtained great success not only in the whole country but also abroad, becoming winner of numerous choral contests and obtaining big awards in shows and festivals throughout Europe.
Nowadays he is the conductor of the female voice choir of the Parish Church of San Nicolás de Bari, in Algorta, where he plays the organ, too.


Javier OyarzabaliconPic_20x20

Born in Algorta (Getxo) on 3rd  December 1962 to a family with deep musical tradition. He was led to the world of music by his mother, a highly qualified pianist, he started his musical studies at Conservatorio Vizcaino de Música “Juan Crisóstomo Arriaga” at 6, studying solfege, piano, guitar, harmony, with outsanding qualifications.
         In 1983, when he was 21, after a brief lapse, owing to his engineering studies, he resumed his musical career, this time materialized through his many piano concerts, having accompanied great voices of his native land like Santos Ariño, Jose Antonio Urdiain, to name a few.
         He joined the choir Biotz-Alai in 1980, as a vocalist member, and became its conductor in 1988 taking over from the former one D. Juan José Gainza, who had been its conductor since 1966.