Berklee Valencia and Il Divo Establish Scholarship in Honor of Carlos Marín

Berklee Valencia and the international chart-topping quartet Il Divo have established a new scholarship in memory of Carlos Marín, an original member of the quartet who passed away in late 2021. The Carlos Marín Endowed Scholarship will be awarded annually to one student vocalist studying at the campus in Valencia, Spain, beginning in fall 2023. 

Il Divo was first discovered and mentored by Simon Cowell in 2003 for his Sony Music Syco label. The quartet—Swiss tenor Urs Bühler, French tenor Sébastien Izambard, American tenor David Miller, and Spanish baritone Marín—debuted in 2004 to instantaneous success while pioneering a unique pop-opera sound. With songs in four languages, Il Divo's self-titled debut album became a top-four sensation in 19 countries, hitting no. 1 in eight and breaking Led Zeppelin’s 25-year record of being the only group to achieve a no. 1 album without a single release. 

“It’s an honor and a privilege to be able to set up this scholarship fund with Berklee College of Music in the name of Carlos Marín,” said Bühler, Izambard, and Miller, the group's remaining members, in a statement. “Carlos is one of the greatest singers and performers of our age, and we miss him deeply every day. We hope this scholarship fund will help support and nurture many aspiring singers for years to come.”

Approaching its 20th anniversary, Il Divo has sold more than 30 million records, achieved 160 gold and platinum records in more than 33 countries, and appeared on Broadway in the show Il Divo: A Musical Affair. The group has released 10 studio albums, two live records (An Evening with Il Divo: Live in Barcelona and Live in Japan), and one compilation album (The Greatest Hits), as well as numerous special edition recordings featuring collaborations with artists such as Celine Dion, Toni Braxton, and Kristin Chenoweth, among others. The group honored the music and artists of Motown Records with its 2021 release, For Once in My Life: A Celebration of Motown.

“We are extremely thankful to Il Divo and touched by this special gift. The Carlos Marín Endowed Scholarship will be a beautiful way to keep Carlos’s memory resonating in the students' voices that will carry this honor,” said María Martínez Iturriaga, Berklee’s senior vice president of international learning environments and executive director for Berklee Valencia. 

For information on how to donate to the Carlos Marín Endowed Scholarship fund, visit tribute.berklee.edu.

About Berklee Valencia

Berklee Valencia is the college’s first campus outside the United States and its only campus in Europe. Celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, the campus offers a unique curriculum through Berklee’s first graduate programs in music production, technology, and innovation; contemporary performance (production concentration); scoring for film, television, and video games; and global entertainment and music business; as well as study abroad opportunities for undergraduate students from Berklee’s Boston campus, and a summer program.

Through numerous collaborations with Valencian institutions, such as the City of Arts and Sciences, Berklee Valencia develops cultural and academic activities of public interest in the region. Since it opened its doors in 2012, more than 4,500 students from almost 100 countries have studied on the campus and come to the city of Valencia to complete their education.