The
Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico (Spanish:
Conservatorio de Música de Puerto Rico) is a public institution of
higher learning located in San Juan
, Puerto Rico. Its
focus is on "the harmonious development of musicians in the fields
of music interpretation and composition, jazz, and teaching." It
has hosted a number of internationally renowned musicians as
students as well as faculty, and has a longstanding relationship
with the classical music movement in Puerto Rico, including the
annual
Casals Festival and the
Puerto Rico Symphony
Orchestra (PRSO).
History
Following the success of the Casals Festival held in San Juan in
1957, state legislator
Ernesto
Ramos Antonini proposed several laws which would create the
Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra that same year, and the Conservatory
of Music in June 1959. The Conservatory was originally envisioned
as a school for preparing musicians for the PRSO and for preparing
music teachers for the state public education system. Throughout
the years, however, the Conservatory has become a musical landmark
in the Caribbean, providing advanced academic studies in various
music areas to local students as well as international
visitors.
Since its inception, the Conservatory has been under the
administration of several state government agencies, including the
Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company (
Compañía de Fomento
Económico), the Administration for the Encouragement of Arts
and Culture (
Administración para el Fomento de las Artes y
Cultura), and the Musical Arts Corporation (
Corporación de
las Artes Musicales, or CAM). It remained a part of the CAM
until 1995, when a state law granted it fiscal and administrative
autonomy. Since then, the Conservatory has been autonomously run by
a
board of trustees appointed by
the Governor and confirmed by the Senate.
Education Programs
The Conservatory offers a variety of post-secondary degrees in
music, including
bachelor's
degrees in musical composition, music education, voice,
classical guitar, symphony instruments, jazz, Caribbean music, and
piano; and a
master’s degree
in music education as well as continuing education programs and
teacher certifications. In addition to its regular academic
programs, it organizes various international student exchange
programs with music schools all around the world.
The Conservatory also offers programs for children, teenagers and
adults with the purpose of encouraging music appreciation within
the local community. These programs do not offer degrees or
certifications, but provide basic to near expert level teaching to
regular citizens who are not in its formal academic program.
Campus
Located in the
Hato Rey section of the
island capital opposite the
Telemundo Puerto Rico building, the
Conservatory is composed of three main buildings and two concert
halls. The main hall, Sala Jesús María Sanromá, has hosted a
variety of concerts for the nearby communities featuring students,
teachers, the PRSO, and famous international performers. Currently,
the Conservatory has plans to move its current campus to the
Miramar section of capital, close to the
historic
Old San Juan section.
Accreditation
The Conservatory is accredited by various federal and state
educational associations, including:
Affiliates
The
Conservatory is a participating member of various US
, Puerto
Rico, and international music and arts associations,
including:
References
External links
Wikis
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