Paloma O'Shea facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Most Illustrious
Paloma O'Shea
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Paloma O'Shea y Artiñano
19 February 1936 Guecho, Biscay, Spain
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| Occupation | President of the Albéniz Foundation |
| Spouse(s) | Emilio Botín |
| Children | 6, including Ana Patricia |
| Parent(s) | José O'Shea Sebastián María Asunción Artiñano Luzárraga |
Paloma O'Shea Artiñano (born 19 February 1936) is a Spanish pianist and a big supporter of the arts. She founded the Reina Sofía School of Music and the Albéniz Foundation. She also started the Paloma O'Shea Santander International Piano Competition in Santander. In 2008, the King of Spain gave her the special title of Marchioness of O'Shea.
Paloma O'Shea was born in Las Arenas, a town near Bilbao, Spain. Her family has roots in Ireland and the Basque Country. She started learning piano in 1941. When she was 15, she won a top piano prize and played with the Bilbao Symphony Orchestra. Later, she married Emilio Botín, a well-known banker. After that, she focused on helping classical music grow in Spain.
In 1972, she created the Santander Piano Competition, which was later named after her. In 1991, she founded the Reina Sofía School of Music. This private music school is now one of the best in Spain. She has six children and spends her time in Madrid and Santander.
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Paloma O'Shea's Work in Music
Paloma O'Shea has always been involved in the world of music. Since 1972, she has worked to make music more modern and popular in Spain.
Here are some of the projects she started:
- 1972: Paloma O'Shea Santander International Piano Competition
- 1987: Albéniz Foundation
- 1989: Isaac Albéniz Library and Research Centre (a library for music research)
- 1991: Reina Sofía School of Music
- 1998: Yehudi Menuhin Prize (an award for connecting arts and education)
- 2000: MagisterMusicae.com (a website for online music lessons)
- 2001: Encounter of Santander "Music and Academia" (a music festival and learning event)
- 2005: International Chamber Music Institute of Madrid (a school for small music groups)
- 2010: Classicalplanet.com (a website about classical music)
About the Albéniz Foundation
The Albéniz Foundation is a cultural group that has supported Paloma O'Shea's programs for over 20 years. It helps bring together private and public efforts to serve the community through music.
Many groups in Spain and other countries have recognized the foundation's work. Paloma O'Shea has received several awards for her efforts. These include the Picasso Medal from UNESCO in 1994. This award recognized her work in bringing cultures together and helping young artists. She also received the Golden Medal for Merit in Fine Arts from the King and Queen of Spain. In 2004, the French government made her a Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur. In 2006, she received an honorary title from the Royal Academy of Music in London.
Paloma O'Shea Santander International Piano Competition
Paloma O'Shea's work in music began in 1972 with the Santander Piano Competition. This competition quickly became famous around the world. It joined the International Competitions Federation in 1976. Today, it is a highly desired award for talented young pianists.
The competition showed Paloma O'Shea that Spanish musicians needed better training. Spanish pianists often struggled to reach the final rounds. This was not because they lacked talent, but because they had fewer chances for advanced education. This led her to offer piano masterclasses in Santander. These classes were taught by famous musicians and teachers. These lessons grew into regular Summer Courses, which included other instruments besides piano.
Santander Encounter "Music and Academia"
The music education in Santander grew even more in July 2001. This is when the Santander Encounter "Music and Academy" was founded. Every July, this event brings together important teachers and young musicians from top European schools. It combines classroom learning with performances. It fills Santander and Cantabria with music, offering 60 public concerts and over 500 hours of masterclasses.
Reina Sofía School of Music
After her experience with the competition, Paloma O'Shea saw the need for a permanent, world-class music school in Spain. To make this happen, she got support from famous artists like Alicia de Larrocha, Zubin Mehta, and Yehudi Menuhin. Queen Sofía of Spain also strongly supported the project. Today, the Reina Sofía School of Music has top professors for every instrument. It also attracts the most talented students from around the world.
For 20 years, the school was in a temporary location. In 2009, it moved to a new building in Madrid. This building is next to the Royal Palace and Royal Theater. It has all the modern facilities needed for a great music school. It also has a beautiful auditorium with 450 seats. This auditorium has become a key cultural spot in Madrid.
The Reina Sofía Music School always aims for international projects. This helps students and teachers learn from different music traditions. The school works with other famous schools in Europe on projects like the Encounter, the virtual music school Magister Musicae, and the Yehudi Menuhin Prize.
See also
In Spanish: Paloma O'Shea para niños
