“La Orden de la Terraza” (which in english means more or less “The Order of Vase”)
was the first Military Order of Knighthood, known in Spain. To
this order belonged the kings of Navarra, their descendants and
the more distinguished aristocracy in the Court.
According
to the legend, King García III, “the One From Nájera” (1.035-1.054),
went for hunting with his hawk in the morning, in the vicinity of
Nájera. Suddenly a partridge appeared, and being followed by the hawk, flew into a hidden cave. When García walked into the cave, he found there an altar, lighted
up by a candle. On the altar was an image of The Blessed Virgin
with Her Son, and at her feet laid hawk and partridge in perfect
harmony, behind a “terraza” (an older kind of vase) with white lilies.
Deeply
impressed with this vision, the King established the Knighthood
Order of The Vase ―la Orden de la Terraza―
in order to commemorate his encounter with the image of the Blessed
Virgin in the cave, where later was build the Monastery of Santa María La Real of Nájera, which
became the family vault of the kings of Navarra.
The
plucked-string orchestra "La Orden de la Terraza" established
in the city of Nájera (La Rioja-Spain) in 1974, with the goal
to show to the world the sonore qualities of music, when performed
with plucked-string instruments.
The
Orchestra has a large repertoire, covering from Middle Age up to Contemporary
music, including masterpieces of baroque, gallant, classical, and
romantic styles, and paying special attention to Spanish Music of
all times.
concerts in many places around Spain, taking part in important domestic
and internationalplectrum festivals and contests, such as Segorbe and Vila-Real (Castellón), "Bienal de música de plectro" (Madrid),Manzanares (Ciudad Real), La Rioja, Santander and Los Corrales de Buelna (Cantabria), El Campello (Alicante) or Valladolid. It takes an active part along with the
Government of La Rioja in the Cultural Program “
The Wine & The Five Senses”. "La Orden de La Terraza" is founder member of the Spanish Guitar and
Plucked Instruments Federation ― Federación Española de Guitarra e Instrumentos de Plectro (FEGIP).
Over
its first years the orchestra travelled all around the region of La
Rioja, offering a large amount of concerts, very well received by
the public wherever th
ey
performed. Five of its members took part
in the 9th & 10th edition of the “National
Plucked-Instrument Quintets Contest” taking place in Logroño (Spain). The full Orchestra (in those times made up only by ten musicians)
closed the Edition of this Contest –in this year becaming an international contest– in 1.978.
Starting again in 1.985 after a long interval,
the Orchestra bounced back with new impulse under the guidance of Ramón Hervías Baeza (at the moment honorary director). A new generation of young
musicians, then pupils of Hervías,
joined up at this time “La Orden De La Terraza”.
In 2003 took over
the conduction of the Orchestra Carlos
Blanco Ruiz, teacher of Upper Degree on Guitar in Logroño's
Music Conservatory, as well as member of the Orchestra since 1994.
In
may, 1.992 "La Orden de la Terraza" took part in the
"International Festival of Music"taking place in the city of Kobe (Japan).
Over july and august, 1.994 the group went on a tour around Europe,
performing in several places in France,
Luxembourg, Germany, Hungary, Austria, and Switzerland. In august, 1.995 toured again Europe, this time 
performing in France,
Italy, and Hungary.
In
march, 1.996, the Orchestra made its first record, which title was
"LAORDEN DE LA TERRAZA". This same year they participated
in august in the "III International Festival of Music" of
Kobe (Japan) and performed the closing concert of the "XXX Plectrum
Music Festival of La Rioja".
In december, 1.997, participated in
the II Biennal of Plectrum Music in Madrid.
In april, 1999 the Orchestra celebrated its 25th anniversary, in which took part the japanese composer & mandolin player Yasuo Kuwahara,
the Spanish Duet 
Chamorro-Muñoz, and the Duet Muñoz-Pavón from Luxembourg.
Over june & july, 2.000, “La Orden De La Terraza”
performed a series of concerts in Port Island, Maiko and Awaji (Japan)
covered by the prestigious "International Festival of Music".
In
august, 2001 it toured a new series of performances around Austria
and Hungary, recording its second disc, "HUNGRÍA",
this time at live, which has been wide broadcasted by Radio 2 Clásica of RNE(Spanish national radiobroadcasting
company). Onceagain in Spain, the Orchestra performed, along withthe japanese "Ensemble philmusica" in the premiere in Haro (La Rioja) of the piece "In
the fence in Haro",
dedicated by the composer, Yasuo Kuwaharato
this city.
It has taken part several times in the Composition contest "Ciudad
de Logroño", celebrated within the framework of La Rioja International Plectrum Music Festival, in which the Orchestra premiered the opuses: "La Senda De 
Los Elefantes" (2002), from Eduardo Maestre -which was awarded-;
"Náxara" (2003) from Pedro Chamorro -which won an
accésit-; "Udawálawe" (2004) from the German
Composer Oliver Kälberer, and "Música en DO"
(2006) from Carlos himself -both walked off with second prizes-; all
pieces are dedicated to "La Orden De La Terraza". Other
foreigner composers, such as Ariadna Amador, from Cuba, have also
composed pieces specially for this Orchestra.
In march, 2003, the Quintet of “La Orden” made their first record, "QUINTETO - LA ORDEN DE LA TERRAZA" in Zaragoza. This CD has been very well received by public and critics and has been wide broadcasted by Radio 2 Clásica of RNE too.
In september, 2004, “La Orden” performed a new series
of concerts
in the Russian 
Siberian
cities of Tomsk and Novosibirsk.
On May, 2007, Quintet "La Orden De La Terraza" presented their second work, "Músicas del Mundo"("Music from the World"). Moreover, on October they performed in Canada, called by the General Consulate of Spain in Montreal; the Quintet played concerts in this city and in Quebec as well.
This same year, the Orchestra made a collaboration with the argentinian guitarist and composer Jorge Cardoso, performing "Concierto del Vino" ("The Concert of the Wine"), for voice, guitar and string orchestra, along with the Soprano Guadalupe Larzábal. On June, 2008, they came together again to offer this same Concert.
Nowadays
the Orchestra is made up of 30 musicians with very different ages
and since 1996 has its own school of musicians, in which learn young
boys and girls who will be the future of the Orchestra. They play the instruments of the family of Spanish bandurria (e.g. bandurrias soprano, contralto, tenor, baríton, bass), guitar, bass guitar.
Sometimes they are even accompanied by light percussion instruments.
