The International Universitary Courses Música en Compostela were created in 1958, as an initiative of the maestro Andrés Segovia, supported by the diplomat José Miguel Ruiz Morales, then Director General of Cultural Relations in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (who impulsed Música en Compostela, and was its president from its inception until his untimely death in Bern in February 1974 where he held the post of Ambassador of Spain in Switzerland).

A casual and unexpectedly encounter, at the end of 1957, allowed to both of them to express their concern at the lack of Spanish music in concert and recital programs that were take place abroad.

Then they developed the idea of organizing courses, for which they had to find a place and a name. The man who will become Director of the Royal Academy of San Fernando, Francisco Javier Sánchez Cantón, proposed the city of Santiago and Nenina Fabrique de Ruiz Morales proposed the expression Música en Compostela.

Since then and until now, every summer, classes are held in the City of the Apostle, keeping unchanged its purpose to inform, interpret and cultivate the Spanish music. An ideal that is transmitted, each edition, to 120 students, from about twenty-odd nations on average, registered for courses each year.

The starting point of the courses is the concern felt by the unforgettable universal guitarist, to disregard and contempt that he observed in the world in relation to the Spanish music, which was invalidated in its true nature. Música en Compostela was created to “clean, repair and ennoble”, in academic terms, the Spanish musical impact, dedicating itself to the culture and distribution of our music.

Many teachers have taught in the classrooms, from Andrés Segovia himself to the most prestigious names: Oscar Esplá (the first director), Federico Mompou, Joaquín Rodrigo, Alicia de Larrocha, Xavier Montsalvatge, Victoria de los Angeles, Montserrat Caballé (student too), Conchita Badia, Gaspar Cassadó, Rosa Sabater, and, more recently, Carmelo Bernaola and Cristobal Halffter (ex-student too), Luis de Pablo and Antón García Abril. Among the ex-students, Jesús López Cobos, John Williams and Christopher Hodwood are famous examples among many other names.

The teaching, in addition to its contribution to the sharing of the authors knowledge and the Spanish music abroad, promotes the preservation, knowledge and distribution of our musical heritage.

Today, it’s interesting to note our group of teachers and teachings: Isabel Penagos (Vocals), José Luis Rodrigo (Guitar), José López Calo (Musicology), Montserrat Torrent (Organ), Josep Colom (Piano), Carmen Cruz Simó (Polyphony), Antón García Abril and Maximino Zumalave (Symphonic and Modern Music), Enrique Santiago (Viola and Chamber Music), Agustín León Ara (violin) and Asier Polo (cello).

Since 1968, Her Majesty the Queen - then Her Royal Highness Princess Sofía of Spain – is the Honorary President of Música en Compostela in an Executive Council which was chaired with great attention and interest by Margarita Pastor de Jessen, Carlos Romero de Lecea, Xerardo Estévez Fernández and actually Gerardo Fernández Albor. In addition to the University, the City Hall and the Council of Galicia, Montserrat Caballé, Enrique Jiménez, Agustín León Ara, Cristina Hazen and María Dobarro are personal advisers.

Most of the names mentioned above are members of the Real Academia de Bellas Artes from San Fernando. They ennoble and enrich the teaching of Música en Compostela with their expert lessons. They could illustrate their personal experiences with the work accomplished to develop Música en Composteladuring a half-century of existence, the continuous effort not to damage an ideal that benefits so much to the diffusion of our music around the world.

In addition to the classrooms work, The International Universitary Courses offer to its cosmopolitan students concerts, conferences, books and music sheets. Over time, these students have become teachers, soloists and musicologists interested in Spanish music in its true artistic expression.

In addition to the study atmosphere and the camaraderie generated in each of the courses held so far, that transcends our borders, we should mention the musical projection of the thousands of students since 1958, who followed courses. By interpreting the Spanish music abroad, they act as true cultural ambassadors of Spain, Galicia and Santiago.