Membership was made official at the alliance’s fourth international congress, held last October in Beijing and Shanghai, and is the result of numerous initiatives promoted by the Liceu Conservatory Foundation as part of its internationalization and collaboration project with China.
The Liceo Conservatory Foundation participated in the fourth International Conference of the Belt and Road Music Education Alliance, which took place in Beijing and Shanghai from October 17 to 23, 2025. This conference, organized by the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing (CCOM) and held at the Central Conservatory itself and at the World Expo Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai, brought together representatives from universities and conservatories around the world to hold discussions on the development of music education, international exchange, and the promotion of talent across cultures, reaffirming their commitment to a dynamic global future in music education.
During the conference, the President of the Beijing Central Conservatory of Music, Hongmei Yu, and the Academic Director of the Conservatory signed an agreement at the World Expo Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai, making the Liceo Conservatory the first Spanish institution to become a member of the alliance. This membership is the result of numerous initiatives promoted by the Liceo Conservatory Foundation as part of its internationalization and cooperation project with China, which began in 1999 when students from the Liceo Conservatory performed an opera in Beijing. These initiatives intensified in 2018 with Barcelona 2020, the 2021 International Violin, Flute, and Clarinet Competition, and subsequently with visits to China and the signing of agreements by the Director General, Maria Serrat Martín, with various institutions in Beijing, Zhejiang, Shanghai, Tianjin, Hangzhou, Guangzhou, and Xi’An.
By joining the Belt and Road Music Education Alliance, the Fundació Conservatori Liceu is demonstrating its firm commitment to cultural exchange and musical excellence, strengthening ties between cultures and contributing to international cooperation through music. As part of this initiative, the Conservatory’s representatives at the congress, Víctor Estapé, Academic Director, Corrado Bolsi, Head of the String Department, and Christian Farroni, Head of the Wind Department, participated in several of the alliance’s latest international conferences, during which they presented the history and project of the Conservatori Liceu, accompanied by music from many different parts of the world. Corrado Bolsi and Christian Farroni performed Mirages for solo flute by Víctor Estapé and the Duo for flute and violin in G major BI 252 by Allessandro Rolla.
Other current collaborations with China include mobility programs for students and teachers, as well as musical activities in both China and Barcelona. Thanks to these new agreements, the Liceo Conservatory has received visits from the Xi’an Conservatory in 2024 and the Shanghai Conservatory in 2025, and several concerts and master classes have been organized. The Conservatory also participated in the Second Liangzhu International Forum in 2024.