Extracurricular activities

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Extracurricular Activities

Many of the extracurricular activities seek to provide the students with the professional experience required before entering the world of work. To make this experience more similar to real professional work, schedules, deadlines and programming are introduced according to the requirements of each event. It may also be necessary to plan activities on public holidays or free days, as well as to adjust the plans according to the accessibility of sufficient equipment and resources. These activities are mostly related to concerts and cultural projects developed outside CONSMUPA and in cooperation with other institutions.

The Development and Communication Department prepares an annual programme based on an analysis and evaluation of different proposals submitted by the various departments. It also coordinates the information on extracurricular and research activities enabling interdisciplinary actions. It promotes and plans formative and artistic events in and outside the conservatory, and supports students’ participation in activities connected with their major that would contribute to their personal artistic and creative development. The Department also provides access to telematic, bibliographic and other sources of scientific and artistic information, supporting research projects and improvement of the students’ skills.

The activities are approved by the Management Team upon request of the teaching departments and the Development and Communication Department. Either the centre’s propositions or those presented by other cooperating institutions shall comply with the following requirements:

The activities must not interfere with the correct development of the academic year
All agreements signed by the Management Team will be observed when it comes to assignment of materials and premises
The propositions must not have a commercial purpose
Their primary aims shall contribute to the development and promotion of scientific, cultural and human values represented by the universal cultural heritage
The propositions should complete the educational purposes of the conservatory and will be given to endorse culture in its highest forms of expression

The Conservatory also supports the professors’ presence in collective scientific, technical, professional, pedagogical, associative or professional promotional events, so that they can gather information that will improve their exercise of educational duties.

The general criteria for acceptance of the propositions are the feasibility of the projects and the principle that they shall not affect the professors’ educational duties. Supporting research activities among the professors’ community is an idea shared by all the management bodies, as it improves the institution’s dynamics and gives an example to the students, who are supposed to develop their own Final Research Projects.

CONSPUMA has a close relationship with the Symphony Orchestra of the Principality of Asturias (OSPA), the Oviedo Filarmonía Orchestra, the Prince of Asturias Foundation and the Fundación Municipal de Cultura of Oviedo, which permits the organization of Masterclasses at CONSMUPA given by collaborating professors, motivating the students in their willingness to study. Among the appreciated specialists in various musical domains who have already taught at our institution are, for example, Kristoff Penderecki, Teresa Berganza, Jorge Federico Osorio, Horacio Lavandera, Asier Polo, Kate Hill, Thomas Hampson, Aldo Ceccato, Manuel Ramada, Enrique Abargués, Ramon Sobrino, Jesse Levine, Luis González, Margarita Escarpa, Javier Balaguer, Marie Bernadette and Peter Schultorpe.

Throughout all the years of its activity, CONSMUPA has been particularly interested in the creation and development of ensembles: chamber music ensembles and orchestras, symphony orchestra and symphonic band. This is why it organizes extracurricular meetings with guest conductors –such as Josep Vicent, José Luis Temes, José Rafael Pascual-Vilaplana, Maximiano Valdés, Johan de Meij… They inspire our students and help them to see what their professional future could look like.

Institutional Programmes

The Development and Communication Department is in charge of signing cooperation agreements with various institutions and organizations that do important cultural work within the region and contribute to the promotion of music among all kinds of people. Until now, mutual agreements have been signed with the following organizations: Consejería de Cultura, University of Oviedo, Symphony Orchestra of the Principality of Asturias (OSPA), Oviedo Filarmonía Orchestra, Prince of Asturias Foundation, Asociación Amigos de la Ópera de Oviedo, Sociedad Filarmónica, Escuela Superior de Arte Dramático,Cabildo de la Catedral, Taller de Músicos de Gijón, Escuela Superior de Artes Plásticas y Diseño, Caja de Ahorros de Asturias, Caja Rural de Asturias, Coral Polifónica de Asturias, Asociación Apoyo a la Creación Musical, Fundación Alfredo Kraus, Asociación Arte Forum, Fundación Alimerka, Fundación Mª Cristina Masaveu Peterson, etc.

Below, a detailed description of some of the projects is given, as a sample of the extent of the agreements signed:

Theatres, concerts halls and school buildings are used for concert purposes thanks to the courtesy of the Oviedo City Council, CajaAstur and the Consejería de Educación y Universidades of the Principality of Asturias. The concerts take place during the entire academic year and are given mostly by students in their fourth year. This allows a better preparation for students who are about to face their final exams.
Connections with Youth Orchestras within the Principality of Asturias help the students to gain more professional experience. Due to this, the Conservatory collaborates with these institutions, so that the young artists who combine their academic and orchestral activities can receive a profound education.
The Conservatory participates in opening ceremonies of various institutions in the Principality of Asturias as well as in the promotion of classical music on a regional level in collaboration with the regional government (the “Obertura” project). This is how important work promoting classical music in the community is done, increasing the cultural offers in various places while provding notable formative work.
Thanks to an agreement signed between CONSPUMA and the University of Oviedo in order to extend the educational offer, the Conservatory students have been able to enrol in elective courses offered by the University since the 2007/2008 academic year.
The Prince of Asturias Foundation has initiated the activity of the International Music School with whom CONSMUPA collaborates for preparing summer courses, master classes, lectures and seminars. These are an important complement to what the consrvatories offer and represent one more effort in promoting the highest possible forms of cultural expression.
The Conservatory is one of the initiators of the innovative “Educa con Música” (‘Educate with Music’) programme for schoolchildren, coordinated by the Consejería de Educación y Universidades of the Principality of Asturias. Its main objective is to support the development of basic competences through a dynamic musical education (didactic concerts, musical tales).

Besides these agreements with other institutions, each year, CONSMUPA invites appreciated collaborating professors to give courses and master classes, so that the students can get to know different ideas and manners of working, as well as develop their musical conscience and positive self-criticism.

There are also two annual meetings dedicated to intensive practical training in symphonic band / orchestra in collaboration with different conductors.

Prizes

Taking part in various competitions has always been an incentive for the students. Thanks to prizes, the winners may give concerts with one of CONSMUPA’s orchestras and/or professional musicians. Likewise, the prizes help us estimate the educational results of the Conservatory and are, in some cases, an important launch into professional life.

Consequently, CONSMUPA has conceived various prizes to honour its exceptionally talented students:

The “Ángel Muñiz Toca” Prizes are granted each year to four students who have terminated their Bachelor degree in any of the performance majors and who have received an Excellent mark at the final exam, and who present the best performing abilities as solo musicians within specific auditions.
In the 2009/2010 academic year the “Victor Leoncio Diéguez Marcos” Composition Contest was started to guarantee the same possibilities of promotion and motivation to students of the Composition Department.
The “Premio de Música de Cámara – Fundación Caja Rural” (Chamber Music Prize – Fundación Caja Rural) was instituted in the 2010/2011 academic year for CONSMUPA student ensembles.

Publications

In order to keep the academic community well informed and support the dynamics of the institution’s works, the Development and Communication Department has been publishing an annual magazine called Resonancias since the 2004/2005 academic year. It gives information on the Conservatory’s achievements on a national and international level. The Development and Communication Department also develops the www.consmupa.es website.