MADRID – After more than 17 years of life in the suburbs, Madrid's Escuela Superior de Música Reina Sofía (The Reina Sofía School of Music) celebrated its coming of age on 2 November with a concert conducted by Zubin Mehta at its new, state-of-the-art installations close to the capital's Royal Opera House.
Founded in 1991 by arts benefactor Paloma O'Shea, the wife of Banco Santander's Emilio Botín, the school has won a reputation as one of the leading music institutions in Europe.
But as its international fame has spread, the school has ended up occupying several buildings in the Madrid suburb of Pozuelo de Alarcón.
Its goal has always been simple: to train first-rate musicians, both Spanish and from overseas, and it offers individually tailored instruction to ensure that each student gets the tutoring that he or she needs.
The school's new campus has more than 30 teaching and rehearsal rooms, offices, a library and a large concert hall.
"This school in the heart of the city is a dream come true," says O'Shea, as she tours the granite and glass edifice. "Our approach to teaching has always been innovative."
O'Shea, who is also president of the Albeniz Foundation which largely funds the school, says that the idea for the institution was prompted by what she called Spain's "dismal" training of string players - more than half of the string sections of Spain's orchestras come from abroad.
From the outset, O'Shea says she realised if Spain was to match the United States and the rest of Europe, the school would need to be an independent, autonomous entity, which to all practical purposes means that it should become a private, non-governmental establishment.
Married to one of the most influential bankers in the country, she felt that private enterprise would support such an idea, and she proved to be right. All students at Reina Sofia receive financial help, be it a quarter, half, three-quarter or full scholarship.
No student pays the complete fees, because admission to the school implies that a scholarship has been granted. But if a student does not fulfil expectations, their scholarship will be rescinded, which automatically means that somebody else will occupy their place next year.
The emphasis remains on string education, and on quality rather than quantity. O'Shea says that one of her goals has been to prove that young Spaniards, suitably trained, could compete internationally. This is why around half the student body is Spanish with the remainder coming from Latin America and Eastern Europe.
While the school does not award academic degrees, artistic director Zakhar Bron says that all of its 300 graduates are professional musicians.
"Each year we have about 500 applicants, and only about 8 percent make it in," says academic director Fabián Panisello. "The only requirement for entry is talent."
Among the faculty and advisors are Yehudi Menuhin, Daniel Barenboim, Zubin Mehta, Lorin Maazel, and Alicia de Larrocha.
The classes are small, sometimes one-on-one. "We look for the best teachers in the world. And our quest for excellence means that the training our students receive is very thorough," says Panisello.
Students are taught not just how to become virtuoso soloists, but also receive instruction in working as part of an orchestra or in smaller units. At the same time, they attend classes in singing, listening skills, languages, history of art and music, improvisation, and musical analysis.
The school will also add to the capital's music venues. Its new concert hall seats 450, and admission to performances by students is free.
Aside from their instruments, pupils also carry a flash drive with them to digitally record pieces in the schools rehearsal and recording studios, many of which are posted on www.magistermusicae.com. As the entire facilities are equipped with Wi-Fi, rehearsal rooms and recording studios can be booked online.
Students can also film their performances on a closed circuit video system to study their technique or post them on the school's intranet.
Access to the school's impressive array of electronic technology, as well as the building and its different facilities, is via a magnetic identity card.
"The system was designed by the Fundación Albéniz and has been adapted from sports stadiums and training facilities," says Antonio González, head of technology.
"This place is incredible, and not just for the facilities here, but also the level of the students, and the approach to teaching," says piano teacher Ofelia Montalbán.
Zakhar Bron says that the school has raised standards of playing in Spain, notably improving its string performers.
"The teaching methodology has much to be said for it. Up until a few years ago, levels here were low by international standards. There has been a huge improvement, and this can be seen in the success of our students at home and abroad," he says.
27 November 2008
text: Rosa Rivas / El Pais / Expatica
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The school’s move to the new campus located in the heart of the city is a dream come true.
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