Madrid, Jun 21 (EFE).- Spain’s Reina Sofía (Queen Sofia) School of Music and the Qatar Foundation have joined forces to bring cross-cultural opportunities to budding musicians, the foundation announced on Wednesday.
The new project will explore and reinforce connections between Arab, Islamic and Spanish cultures and will be cemented by the establishment of a Chair of Arabic and Eastern Music at the Reina Sofía School of Music, working with Qatar Music Academy (QMA).
The partnership will include masterclasses, student exchanges, and other academic collaborations.
“Music has the capacity to open windows to the world, and enhance pathways to knowledge – broadening our perspectives, and building bridges between cultures,” Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani, Vice Chairperson and CEO of Qatar Foundation said during an event in Madrid to announce the agreement.
“At Qatar Foundation, we invest in, promote, provide access to, and educate our youth about music – and the wider world of arts – because it inspires creativity, curiosity, and understanding,” she added.
The foundation said that the current opportunities it offers to young people in Qatar “will be significantly enhanced through this collaboration with the Reina Sofía School of Music.”
“Spain and the Arab world have a shared history, and this agreement reflects both our intertwined past and the ties between us that endure to this day,” the CEO continued. “Together, we aim to strengthen cross-cultural ties, and enrich lives, through the power of music and partnership.”
Paloma O’Shea, Founding President of the Reina Sofía School of Music, welcomed the agreement which she said would “open great opportunities for both institutions.”
“We are truly looking forward to collaborating with Qatar Foundation on academic and artistic projects that will help grow and expand the reach of our School,” O’Shea added.
The Reina Sofía School of Music will provide an annual masterclass to QMA students, with students from both schools participating in exchange programs to expand their cross-cultural musical horizons, a joint statement read.
The refurbished and expanded school building in downtown Madrid is expected to open by 2026 and will include a new auditorium, classrooms, and multi-purpose spaces, as well as innovation spaces that incorporate technology into musical education and performances, the statement added.
Qatar Foundation will support the expansion of the school and be granted naming rights for its building in the Spanish capital.EFE
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