E R N E S T O M O N S A L V E was born in Valladolid, where he began his professional studies of Music in the specialty of Piano, culminating with a degree of licentiate in Music Direction Symphonic Orchestra from the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music, with Ian Lowes, and his PhD in Musicology with the thesis Antonio Salieri: De la ficción a la realidad. He received master classes from Miguel Frechilla, Juan Mª Esteban, Francisco Navarro, Bruno Aprea or Pilar Alvira, and debuted as conductor at the age of 17, after which he founded and assumed ownership of the Joven Orquesta Sinfonica de Valladolid (JOSVa) in 2003 which, has been performing and combining with other activities.
At an international level, as a guest conductor, he has been in charge —occasionally under the emblem of “Marca España“— of the San Remo Symphony Orchestra (Italy); Lyceum Mozartiano Orchestra and the Choirs of the Cuban Institute of Radio and Television, Matanzas, Schola Cantorum Coralina, etc, of Havana (Cuba); the Wien-Accord und Kammerensemble of the Minoritenkirche of Vienna (Austria); the Gents Universitair Symfonisch Orkest (Belgium); the Bicentennial Youth Orchestra and the Lyric Orchestra of Buenos Aires (both from Argentina); the Choir and Orchestra of the Grand Opera Theatre of Rousse (Bulgaria); or the Symphonic Orchestra of the University of Cuenca (Ecuador).
Within our borders, he has conducted the Madrid Filarmonia Orchestra, the Orchestra of the Complutense University of Madrid, the Orchestra and Choir of the Rey Juan Carlos University (Madrid) or the Malaga Provincial Youth Orchestra, as well as almost all the choral groups of Valladolid, the Orfeon Burgales, the Chorus “Angel Barja” of Leon or the Chorus “Miguel de Cervantes” of Alcala de Henares, in many cases with his own works. In addition, and apart from the artists who have played with the JOSVa and the OFV in their careers, he has collaborated professionally with the composers David Rivas or Agustin Lazaro, the ethnologist Joaquin Díaz, the actors Juan Antonio Quintana or Lola Herrera, the dramatist Jose Luis Alonso de Santos, the academics Godofredo Garabito or Jose Delfín Val, and the poets Carlos Aganzo, Angel de Pablos or Jesus Fonseca.
In the field of teaching, he is a high school music teacher and is frequently invited to participate in colloquiums and conferences for cultural institutions, universities and conservatories around the world, as well as being part of various juries. As a composer, his works Las Mujeres de Baco for string trio and English horn, boosted by Jesus Lopez Cobos; Maestro: Ode to Miguel Delibes, with lyrics by Carlos Aganzo; the commemorative opera for the IX centennial of the death of the founder of Valladolid, Ansur, also with lyrics by Carlos Aganzo after an original poem by Dario Velao; the Concerto for Flute and Orchestra In Ghent, which he composed during his erasmus scholarship in that Belgian city; the symphonic poem Emprender for piano and orchestra, for the 125th anniversary of the Chamber of Commerce of Valladolid; the musical El Principe de las Estrellas or the Anthem of Medina de Rioseco, among others. He is also the author of the orchestration and critical edition of the Anthem of Valladolid, composed by Liebanas and Varona in 1935.
As cultural manager and president of the Cultural Association “Antonio Salieri” and the Foundation Eme, he has coordinated and directed nearly a hundred shows, television galas and recordings, as well as supported the dissemination of Music and the Arts in different media, highlighting his weekly program “El atril de la SER” (2011-13) on that radio station or his interventions in musical ‘experiments’ in the program “El Hormiguero” on Antena 3. In 2016 it promoted the premiere for Spain of the cantata “Per la ricuperata salute di Ofelia”, composed by Mozart and Salieri in the 18th century and considered lost until that year, when it was discovered by Timo J. Herrmann, who participated in the events organized by Monsalve in the Museo San Joaquin and Santa Ana in Valladolid.
He has been a cultural advisor to the Valladolid Provincial Council (an honorary post) since 2012 and a member of the Spanish Society of Musicology (SEdeM). Furthermore, he has a degree in Law and a Master in Cultural Management.