Berklee and Endesa Agree to Support Latin American Musicians

Berklee College of Music and the Endesa Foundation signed an agreement that will make it possible for Latin American music students to be awarded scholarships to study for a master’s degree at Berklee’s Valencia campus during the next two academic years. The Endesa Foundation Scholarship promotes and supports talented musicians from Latin America, giving them the opportunity to study and build their future at one of the most prestigious contemporary music colleges in the world.

Rafael Miranda, President of the Endesa Foundation, pointed out that this is the Endesa Foundation’s first initiative in the field of music. The decision by Berklee College of Music to open up a campus in Valencia, is a reason for both the city and the autonomous region to feel proud.

Miranda is one of the most influential professionals in the top management at Endesa – energy company – of which he was the Chief Executive Officer from February 1997 to July 2009 and Managing Director from 1987 to 2009. During his speech, he also expressed his appreciation for the fundamental role played by the President of Berklee’s Advisory Board in Spain, Ann Kreis, in getting this agreement signed.

Students from Latin America will be eligible for the Endesa Foundation Scholarship if they have completed an advanced degree, university degree or studies at an official conservatory. The multinational company’s foundation will subsidize the studies of the selected Latin American musicians who study during the academic years of 2012-2013 and 2013-2014.

This agreement fits in perfectly with the philosophy of Berklee College of Music. “In order to remain in our worldwide position as a leading institution in contemporary music education, we also have to offer scholarships at our new Valencia campus so that the musicians with the greatest talent from all over the world have the means to receive a higher education,” explained Berklee’s President, Roger Brown. “Quincy Jones is a former Berklee student who would not have had the chance to continue studying without the support of a scholarship, and he is an excellent example of how important and successful this practice is.”

Thanks to this spirit, the agreement with the Endesa Foundation is the second signed by those responsible for the Valencia campus, which is part of the designed complementary aid projects for its new Master’s degree programs.

Endesa is also notable for its work to promote culture and the arts through its Foundation, which has made such contributions as providing scholarships for projects to protect cultural heritage, language and the arts. By signing this agreement, modern music and the fusion between Latin American and Mediterranean musical traditions will be added to the range of fields which it promotes.