From 23 July to 2 August 2026, the sixth edition of Protofest – Tortosa Music Festival will fill buildings and venues in the capital of the Terres de l’Ebre with instrumental, symphonic, vocal and chamber concerts, as well as interpretation masterclasses led by nationally and internationally renowned artists.
The festival was created with the aim of showcasing music, established artists and emerging talent, with small and medium-scale performances. Since its first edition, we have also focused on music forgotten by history and on the recovery of historical and musical heritage, through the discovery and performance of previously unperformed works, especially by composers from the cultural crossroads between Catalonia, the Valencian Community and Aragon. In this way, Proto-fest has become a benchmark for innovative and distinctive projects. At Proto-fest – Tortosa Music Festival, we live and breathe music, and we want the festival to move us all. We aim for every attendee to enjoy the shared pleasure of music.
The festival is organised by the Festival de Música de Tortosa Association, a non-profit organisation led by soprano Cecília Aymí and violist David Matheu, who serve as co-directors of the festival. The project is supported by various public institutions and private organisations, including Tortosa City Council, the Baix Ebre County Council, the Provincial Council of Tarragona, the Government of Catalonia, and the Ministry of Culture, among others.
Co-director
Cecília Aymí is the daughter of composer, teacher and organist Rossend Aymí Escolà. She studied at the Tarragona Professional Conservatory of Music, specialising in singing, with mezzo-soprano Mercè Obiol and répétiteur Alan Branch. She later obtained a Higher Degree in Singing at the Conservatori Superior de Música del Liceu in Barcelona, under the guidance of Enriqueta Tarrés. After completing her higher studies, she was awarded a scholarship by the Duran Martí private foundation to further her vocal training in Munich (Germany).
Throughout her career, she has performed in prestigious theatres and concert halls such as the Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona, the Palau de la Música, the Auditori de Barcelona, Teatre Fortuny in Reus, La Faràndula in Sabadell, the Wiener Saal and Schloss Mirabell in Salzburg. In 2022 she obtained a Master’s in Early Music Performance from ESMUC. She is the founder of ARTS – School of Performing Arts in Tortosa, and currently teaches singing and choral singing at the Escola i Conservatori de Música de la Diputació de Tarragona in Tortosa, as well as at ARTS.
Co-director
David Matheu began his musical studies at the Tortosa Conservatory, where he first encountered the violin in the class of Joan Carles Bonfill.
He soon also became interested in the viola, which led him to study both instruments in parallel: violin at advanced level with Evelio Tieles and viola at postgraduate level with Rivka Golani.
His musical interests cover a wide range of areas, including orchestral performance, chamber music, solo repertoire, teaching, and musicological research, among others.
He is a founding member of the Tortosa Chamber Orchestra (OCTO) and the Symphony Orchestra of the Terres de l’Ebre (OSTE). He teaches viola and violin at the Escola i Conservatori de Música de la Diputació de Tarragona in Tortosa.
The festival is made possible thanks to a whole team of people, both volunteers and professionals, who through their work, enthusiasm, friendship and creativity ensure that the spirit of Proto-fest becomes a unique experience, a success, and a benchmark for the city and the region.
What can I do during my stay in Tortosa?
What can I do during my stay in Tortosa?
Tortosa Tourism:
www.tortosaturisme.cat
Routes around Tortosa:
terraenlla.com
