Education: toward a system that guarantees equal opportunities
Ferrer-Salat Music Foundation
Education is all about opportunities and possibilities to climb the social and economic ladder in society
In this context, music plays a fundamental role at an early age, since it actively contributes to the holistic development of young people.
We seek to promote the academic and personal development of children in situations of social exclusion through musical education by expanding the activities of the Ferrer-Salat Music Foundation to use music to make a greater impact on the development of groups of vulnerable people.
In 2022, the Ferrer-Salat Music Foundation celebrated its 40th anniversary: 40 years of promoting musical excellence and social change through music.
At a ceremony held in the Auditorium of the Liceu Conservatory, which featured several musical performances, the organisation recapped its four decades of activity, underscoring its contribution to social integration through formal musical education
The work of the Ferrer-Salat Music Foundation is based on 4 pillars:
Queen Sofia Prize
Every year since 1983, the Foundation has awarded the Queen Sofia Prize, which is aimed at stimulating musical composition for symphony orchestra in its different varieties.
Worth 100,000 euros, the prize offers the composer of the winning piece the opportunity to see their work premièred by the Spanish Radio and Television Symphony Orchestra in the presence of Her Majesty Queen Sofía.
Musical excellence
The Ferrer-Salat Music Foundation, together with the Liceu Conservatory, awards scholarships to pursue Higher Studies in Music at this latter institution, with the aim of promoting talent and underscoring the degree of commitment and dedication required to reach this level of studies.
The Ferrer-Salat Music Foundation has awarded more than 300 music scholarships.
Social integration
Social integration is the result of the Ferrer-Salat Music Foundation’s conviction that musical education fosters human development and strengthens cultural and emotional ties that help us advance as a society.
We work on this pillar through two different programmes:
Elementary Musical Programme: in collaboration with the Liceu Superior Conservatory, and in schools located in areas of Barcelona with a high risk of social exclusion, we have implemented a programme to promote musical learning throughout the primary stage of education.
Music therapy programme at the Nexe Foundation: the only nursery in Catalonia that cares for children with multiple disabilities. We provide support for their educational, health and psychosocial needs.
Research
We have initiated a collaboration with the Liceu Conservatory and the Sant Joan de Déu Hospital to conduct a ground-breaking international research project to study the correlation between neurodevelopmental dysfunctions, academic performance and musical learning.
This research is being led by Dr. Miquel Casas at the hospital’s psychiatry department, and involves a sample of more than 6,000 students.
