Music Conservatory

Santa Cruz de Tenerife · Category: Cultural spaces · Subcategory: Institutions · Year: 1931

The strong affection for music that has always existed in the city of Santa Cruz de Tenerife was reflected in the foundation of several musical societies throughout the 19th century. In 1892, within the Philharmonic Society “Santa Cecilia”, one of the first music schools in the city appeared, although it lasted a short time, since before the century ended, both the society and the school had disappeared. Later, at the beginning of the 20th century, the Music Academy was founded within the Circle of Fine Arts of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. The teaching staff of these educational entities served as the basis for the foundation of the Provincial Music Conservatory of Santa Cruz de Tenerife on 25 November 1931.

In these early years, the Music Conservatory was under the tutelage of the Inter-island Provincial Commonwealth, receiving from 1934 significant state aid, becoming known as the Regional Conservatory.

In 1936, official validity was granted to its elementary teachings and in 1942 to its professional studies, as it was the only official music teaching centre existing at that time in the Canary Islands archipelago. During these years, alongside an intense concert activity by both students and teachers, some groups emerged, such as the Conservatory Chamber Choir (1935) or the Conservatory Chamber Orchestra (1935), which after becoming independent in the same year, was renamed the Canary Islands Chamber Orchestra and later, the Tenerife Symphony Orchestra.

At that time, the Conservatory was housed in a building located on Ruiz de Padrón street, opposite Plaza del Príncipe, later moving to the building that today houses the Parliament of the Canary Islands on Teobaldo Power street, which was precisely built in 1886 by Manuel de Oraá as the headquarters of the Philharmonic Society “Santa Cecilia”.

In May 1971, it was agreed to carry out the appropriate procedure to request recognition of the Conservatory as a Higher Grade centre, from then on becoming entirely economically dependent on the Island Council.

With the great development experienced by the Conservatory in the late 1970s and early 1980s, the facilities of the building on Teobaldo Power street became insufficient, which is why in 1979 a new building began to be planned. The delay in its construction meant that in 1983 the transfer of the Conservatory to the former Colegio de la Asunción began. Finally, in the 1992-93 academic year, the building where it is currently located was inaugurated, in the surroundings of Vuelta de los Pájaros.

Coinciding with the move to this new headquarters, a new stage began for the Conservatory, since in addition to the implementation of the new regulations in musical matters, the transfer to the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports of the Government of the Canary Islands began, a process that was completed in 1998.

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