José Escandell began his musical studies at the Alzira Musical Society under the direction of Maestro Hernández Guirado, later extending his studies at the «Joaquin Rodrigo» Conservatory of Music of Valencia, specialising in saxophone, harmony, counterpoint, composition, choir conducting and orchestra conducting. His facet as a musician focuses mainly on orchestral and opera conducting, a subject he has studied since 1992 with Maestros Cervera Collado and Cervera LLoret.
In 1987 he founded the Alzira Musical Society choir with which he obtained his first successes performing for several years all over Spain.
In 2005, he won the Composition Competition of L’Olleria (Valencia), winning both the jury’s and the public’s prize.
From 1998 to the present day, he has been guest conductor in numerous orchestras. As guest conductor, he has directed the Orchestra Philarmonic of Ploiesti (Romania), the Orchestra of Logroño (Spain), the Chamber Orchestra of Empordà (Spain) with which he collaborates regularly, the Philharmonic
Orchestra of Pleven (Bulgaria) with which he also collaborates regularly, the Studio Primo Orchestra (Bulgaria), The Symphony Orchestra and Opera of Russe, The Milano Classical Orchestra (Italy), The Cervera Lloret Orchestra
(Spain), The City of Valencia Orchestra with which he closed the International Music Festival of Llutxent for two consecutive years, The EAFIT Orchestra of Medellin (Colombia), The European Symphony Orchestra.
In the Opera world, he was assistant conductor to Maestro Collado for more than a decade, with whom he collaborated in the operas La Bohème, Un ballo maschera, La Traviata, La Flauta Mágica, Tosca, Turandot and Carmen, both in Sabadell and at the Teatro Liceo in Barcelona.
He worked with Montserat Caballé for several years on various musical projects.
In 2015, he collaborated with the prestigious opera director Maestro Guidarini at the International Festival de Bel Canto in Paris.
In 2021 he toured Spain with the operas TURANDOT AND TOSCA with the company L.G Artist Management, performing at the Teatro Principal in Ourense, Teatro Concha Espina in Torrelavega, Teatro de la Paz in Albacete…
He has directed on numerous occasions, zarzuelas and lyric galas among which the titles of: «La del manojo de Rosas», «La verbena de la Paloma», «La Gran Jota de la Dolores», «El gato de la Dolores»,»La verbena de la Paloma», «La Gran Jota de la Dolores», «El gato Montés», «Los Claveles»….
As a teacher, maestro Escandell has given CEFIRE courses for teachers on Harmony through history, as well as a course on Opera repertoire for instrumentalists and singers with the collaboration of prestigious teachers such as Anahi Carfi (concertmaster of La Scala in Milan).
Its repertoire covers all genres, periods and styles. From classical polyphony to the most contemporary music. Among the teachers with whom he has studied we can highlight: Mto Hernández Guirado, Mto Cervera Lloret, Mto. Cervera Collado, Mto.Marian Didú, Mto. Eduardo Cifre, Mto. Tomás Marco, Mta Zulema de la Cruz, Mto Marco Guidarini, Mto Marco Zuccarini…
He has conducted soloists such as: Anahí Carfi, Javier Agulló, Amparo Navarro, Javier Palacios, Esperanza Rumbau, Vicente Alós, Juan Ferrandis, José Ferrero, Mª José Martos, Svetla Anguelova Krasteva, Lello Narcisi, Ivaylo Deckoff… among others.
In 2020, he was a member of the jury of the «International Orchestra Auditions Awards» of the Samnium University of music.
In July 2020, he has been appointed honorary conductor of KClassic orchestras, a network of 60 orchestras in South Korea.
During the months of March-April 2022, he toured the main theatres in Spain (Madrid, Alicante, Valencia, Orense, Vigo, San Sebastian de los Reyes, Santander, Albacete, Toledo, Guadalajara, Valladolid…) with the opera AIDA, a production of LGAM in collaboration with the National Opera of Moldova. In November 2023, with the same company, he gave a tour of 15 performances throughout Spain with the opera TOSCA, and in March with the opera EL BARBERO DE SEVILLA, more than 20 performances.
In the coming months, he will conduct the Luis Potosí Symphony Orchestra (Mexico), the EAFIT Symphonic Orchestra of Medellín (Colombia), the Antofagasta Symfonic Orchestra, the European Symphony Orchestra and the Empordà Chamber Orchestra… and a tour with the NORMA Opera, OTELLO and TRAVIATA throughout Spain with the orchestra of the company L.G Artist Management and singers and choir of the National Opera of Moldova.