Zarautz Abesbatza

It was created in 1983 under the direction of Joakin Iruretagoiena. In 1996, Jaione Eskudero was appointed conductor.

Over the years, the choir has given numerous concerts in the Basque Country and abroad, in various provinces of Spain, Catalonia, Germany, Israel, Italy, Switzerland, Argentina, the Czech Republic, Portugal, Belgium and France.

The choir has premiered and made known the works and biographies of composers and personalities of the town, such as Francisco Escudero, Angel Illarramendi, Imanol Urbieta, Antxon Sarasua, Mertxe Isasti, Angel Urcelay, J.J.N. Garmendia, the Bersolari Iñaki Eizmendi "Basarri", the poet and writer Salbatore Mitxelena and Xabier Agirre "Lizardi" among others, organising exceptional tribute concerts.

Zarautz Abesbatza organises and promotes interaction with other cultural groups from the town and from other towns and countries, with the Basque Country Orchestra, the Orchestra of the Donostia Conservatory, the Et Incarnatus string orchestra, Oreka TX, the Laguntza txistularis group, the Orfeón Donostiarra, the Belgian vocal group Contretemps, with many other choirs from Gipuzkoa and the provinces and with wellknown singer-songwriters.

In September 2017, Zarautz Abesbatza premiered Anjel Illarramendi's 7th Symphony together with the Orfeón Donostiarra and the Orquesta de Euskadi in a monographic concert, a tribute to the composer. In 2018, Karonte publishes the CD of this concert.

In 2021 it organised a monographic concert in the Lizardi auditorium in Zarautz with poems by Xabier Lizardi on his 125th birthday, together with Antton Valverde, a well-known singer-songwriter, and his group, among others.

In 2022, on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the death of Francisco Escudero, the choir held special events in several parishes in various provinces.

In 2023, on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the choir, they organised a trip to France, performing in 3 venues in Bordeaux and special concerts, together with the Zarautz Music Band, in the pavilion of the same town.