Andorran Claret Brothers Receive Orde de Carlemany for Musical Legacy

Gerard and Lluís Claret, renowned Andorran classical musicians born in 1951, received the Orde de Carlemany on Monday from Head of Government Xavier Espot during a ceremony at the Foyer of the Auditori Nacional d’Andorra in Ordino.

Espot praised the brothers for their nearly six-decade artistic careers, decisive contributions to Andorra’s musical institutions, and role in promoting the Principality abroad. He highlighted their status as leading figures in classical music, their success in passing on the legacy of 20th-century masters to younger performers, and their close ties to the Festival Internacional Narciso Yepes.

The award recognises their efforts in building Andorra’s cultural framework, including co-founding the Institut de Música d’Andorra la Vella in 1980 and Gerard’s leadership of the Orquestra Nacional Clàssica d’Andorra (ONCA) from 1993 to 2020. The brothers began their musical paths under Pau Casals’s influence—their father Andreu worked as his secretary, driver and concert organiser—before training with top European teachers and performing on major international stages.

The ceremony featured several pieces: the brothers played Beethoven’s Allegro sostenuto from Duo III in B-flat major and Albert Gumí’s Les tres ninetes d’Ordino, which they had previously performed at the United Nations for Andorra’s 30th anniversary of membership. Gerard also performed Astor Piazzolla’s Oblivion with sons Jordi and Sergi, while Lluís offered Beethoven’s Adagio Cantabile from Trio in C major, Op. 87, joined by wife Anna Mora and son Daniel.

Now 75, the Clarets turned professional in 1968 at Barcelona’s Palau de la Música Catalana with the Orquestra Ciutat de Barcelona under Antoni Ros Marbà. Highlights include Lluís’s 1977 Rostropovich Prize, the Trio de Barcelona with pianist Albert Attenelle, and performances such as Lluís at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics closing ceremony alongside Alicia de Larrocha and others, plus Sir Yehudi Menuhin conducting ONCA for his 80th birthday in 1996 at the Narciso Yepes Festival.

They have taught widely, including at Barcelona’s Liceu Conservatory, Escola de Música de Barcelona, Escola Superior de Música de Catalunya (where Gerard was initial director), the Andorra la Vella Conservatory and, since 2016, Boston’s New England Conservatory, where Lluís leads the strings department. Gerard called ONCA “the work of my life,” adding their biggest reward has been elevating Andorra’s music scene and inspiring its young people.

The brothers, who built much of their careers overseas, serve as cultural ambassadors for Andorra and previously earned Catalonia’s Creu de Sant Jordi in 1996. This honour continues the government’s recognition of cultural contributors, such as recent awards to Sergi Mas and mossèn Ramon Rossell, a pending distinction for cellist Daniel Areny, and posthumous tributes to Francesc Galobardes and Josep Viladomat.

The event at Ordino’s premier musical venue affirmed the Clarets’ lasting impact on Andorran string music.