Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico facts for kids
Façade of the historic building of the Conservatory
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| Type | Public conservatory |
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| Established | June 12, 1959 |
| Principal | Manuel Calzada Delgado |
| Students | 520 (2016) |
| Location | , |
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Former Colegio de las Madres del Sagrado Corazon
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| NRHP reference No. | 85002908 |
| Designated | November 21, 1985 |
The Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music (also known as Spanish: Conservatorio de Música de Puerto Rico) is a special public school in San Juan, Puerto Rico. It is a place where people can study music at a high level. Many talented musicians from Puerto Rico and other countries have studied or taught here. The Conservatory has a strong connection to classical music in Puerto Rico. It is involved with the yearly Casals Festival and the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra.
Contents
History of the Conservatory
After the successful Casals Festival in San Juan in 1957, a lawmaker named Ernesto Ramos Antonini had a great idea. He suggested creating the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra that same year. Then, in June 1959, he proposed starting the Conservatory of Music.
The Conservatory was first planned to train musicians for the Symphony Orchestra. It also aimed to prepare music teachers for public schools. Over the years, however, it grew into a very important music school in the Caribbean. It now offers advanced music studies to students from Puerto Rico and around the world.
Since it began, the Conservatory has been managed by different government groups. These included the Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company and the Musical Arts Corporation. In 1995, a new law gave the Conservatory more freedom. It could then manage its own money and operations. Now, a board of trustees runs the Conservatory. These trustees are chosen by the Governor and approved by the Senate.
What You Can Study at the Conservatory
The Conservatory offers many different music programs for students after high school. These programs help students earn degrees in music.
College-Level Programs
Students can earn a bachelor's degree in several areas, including:
- Musical composition (creating music)
- Music education (teaching music)
- Voice (singing)
- Classical guitar
- Symphony instruments (like violins, flutes, trumpets)
- Jazz music
- Caribbean music
- Piano
Advanced Programs
For those who want to study even more, there are master's degrees in:
- Music education
- Voice
- Classical guitar
- Symphony instruments
- Piano
The Conservatory also offers special artist diplomas. These are for students who want to become professional performers in:
- Voice
- Classical guitar
- Symphony instruments
- Jazz
- Caribbean music
- Piano
Besides these main programs, the Conservatory has other options. It offers classes for people who want to keep learning music. It also helps teachers get special certifications in music. The school also has programs that let students study music in other countries.
Music for Everyone
The Conservatory has a Preparatory School too. This school offers music programs for children, teenagers, and adults. Its goal is to help everyone in the community enjoy music. These programs do not give degrees. However, they teach music from basic to advanced levels. They are perfect for people who love music but are not in the main degree programs.
Official Approvals
The Conservatory is approved by several important education groups. These groups make sure the school offers good quality education. Some of them include:
- National Association of Schools of Music
- Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
- National Guild for Community Arts Education
- Puerto Rico Education Council
The Conservatory Campus
From 1960 to 2008, the Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music was in Hato Rey. It was in an old factory building. In 2009, the school moved to its new home. This new campus is in the Miramar area of San Juan.
The campus has three main buildings:
The Historic Building
This building used to be called the Mothers of the Sacred Heart Private School. It was also known as Miramar's Old Refuge for Girls. This building is now listed on the United States National Register of Historic Places. It was rebuilt from 2001 to 2008 and opened in 2009.
This building holds the main offices and computer labs. It also has piano labs, classrooms, and practice rooms. You can find two beautiful courtyards here: the Luis A. Ferré Patio (north) and the Pablo Casals Patio (south).
The Parking Lot and Green Roof
This area has a parking lot and a special green-roof. A green roof is a roof covered with plants. It is the biggest green roof in Puerto Rico. This area also has the Rafael Hernández Amphitheater. There is also the Laguna Plaza, which offers amazing views of the Condado lagoon.
The Academic Building
This building opened in August 2012. It has many important facilities for students.
First Floor Facilities
- The Amaury Veray Library: This is part of the Ángel Ramos Foundation Center for Learning Resources.
- The Cecilia Negrón de Talavera wing.
- Practice and rehearsal rooms.
Second Floor Facilities
- The Bertita & Guillermo L. Martínez Theater: This includes concert and rehearsal halls. These are the Jesús María Sanromá Concert Hall, the Anthony "Junior" Soto Hall, and the José "Pepito" Figueroa Hall.
- Individual classrooms.
- Practice cubicles.
- Lockers for students.
Third Floor Facilities
- More individual classrooms.
- More practice cubicles.
- More lockers.
The Conservatory's buildings often host many concerts. Students, teachers, the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra, and famous musicians from around the world perform here.
Partnerships and Connections
The Conservatory is part of many music and arts groups. These groups are in the US, Puerto Rico, and other countries. Some of these include:
- American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admission Officers
- Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities
- Puerto Rico Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators
- American Library Association
- Music Library Association
- Puerto Rico Librarians Society
- International Association of Music Libraries
- ARCHIRED of Puerto Rico
- Caribbean University Research and Institutional Libraries Association
- MENC: The National Association for Music Education
- Suzuki Association of the Americas
- Kindermusik International
- Association of Fund-Raising Professionals
- International Personnel Management Association
- Steinway and Sons
See also
In Spanish: Conservatorio de Música de Puerto Rico para niños
