Maria Rosa Calvo-Manzano
Encyclopedia
Maria Rosa Calvo-Manzano (born February 16, 1946 in Madrid
) is a harp
professor at the Royal Superior Music Conservatory of Madrid (Real Conservatorio Superior de Música de Madrid). She is also one of the founding members of the RTVE Orchestra. She has been credited with the creation of the Modern Spanish Harp School (Moderna Escuela Española de Arpa).
in Architecture
from the Department of Architectural Graphical Ideation at the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, and a second PhD in History
from the Department of History and Thought at the University San Pablo-CEU of Madrid.
in New York
was a resounding success, receiving positive reviews from critics, and the New York Times
recognized her as a ground-breaking harpist who was revolutionizing contemporary harp with her sound and technique. Following her debut concert, she was named by the City of New York
as the Best Young Foreign Artist of the Year.
Calvo-Manzano has written essays about pedagogy, historiography, and musicology. She has concentrated her efforts on the critical study of Spanish works, particularly on those written for harp, and has researched manuscripts with important paleographic contributions. Her books have been published by ARLU publications, a branch of Association Arpista Ludovido (Ludovido Harpist Association). She has published in specialized magazines and has collaborated in the publishing of music dictionaries and reference books on music history.
In addition, Calvo-Manzano has recorded several albums, mostly dealing with Spanish music
and a style known as "ludoviquiano". These albums were produced with the purpose of remembering the legendary figure of Ludovico, a harpist in the High Renaissance period and Chamber Musician to the Catholic Monarchs
. Calvo-Manzano has published editions of critical studies on works by Spanish composers included in her repertoire.
Calvo-Manzano created a didactic technique, known as the ARLU Technique, which is used in courses at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid
(Madrid Complutense University) and at the RCSM de Madrid. Many music school and conservatory professors in Spain are former students of Calvo-Manzano, and her foreign students have spread her harp and didactic theories. The method consists of understanding the instrument in more than simply musical terms
. Her search to equip the harp with a technique that is not only dynamic but also expressive in the application of musical effects with a purist approach, appropriate to the era's tendencies and aesthetics, has dubbed her a true innovator in harp technique. She is recognized as the founder of the modern Spanish school of harp. She has also been frequently visited by foreign students
who have been attracted by her achievements as a concert harpist and scholar. In many cases, her students pursue their PhD under her guidance.
In 1988, the Ludovico Harpist Association was founded to safeguard the Spanish harp heritage and to celebrate Ludovico. In 1993, the association began the Harpist Ludovico International Harp Competition (Concurso Internacional de Arpa Arpista Ludovico) with the objective of encouraging talented young harpists. This competition has become one of the most important in the world with a simultaneous multicultural festival taking place in association with the competition. The competition takes place at the royal site of "Real Sitio de San Lorenzo de El Escorial" every three years with Calvo-Manzano as the main patron.
In 2000, she donated her personal harp heritage collection, which included historical instruments and a library of specialized documents, to the foundation with the purpose of providing the coming generations with a document base of instrumental organology and assets with more than 10,000 volumes related to art, history, philosophy, and music.
She has also started the Spanish Chamber Music Group "Ludovico Harpist" which carries out the task of releasing works of Spanish chamber music, which are often dedicated to Calvo-Manzano, and published and recorded by ARLU Association.
She has been appointed a member of the Academy of Fines Arts and Historic Sciences of Spain. She has also been recognized with numerous national and international prizes and decorated by the King of Spain
with "El Lazo de Isabel la Católica" and "La Encomienda de Alfonso X el Sabio".
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
) is a harp
Harp
The harp is a multi-stringed instrument which has the plane of its strings positioned perpendicularly to the soundboard. Organologically, it is in the general category of chordophones and has its own sub category . All harps have a neck, resonator and strings...
professor at the Royal Superior Music Conservatory of Madrid (Real Conservatorio Superior de Música de Madrid). She is also one of the founding members of the RTVE Orchestra. She has been credited with the creation of the Modern Spanish Harp School (Moderna Escuela Española de Arpa).
Education
Calvo-Manzano graduated from the Royal Superior Music Conservatory of Madrid with an "Extraordinary Conservatory Degree Achievement" recognition. She has a Masters in Philosophy and Human Arts, a PhDPHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in Architecture
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
from the Department of Architectural Graphical Ideation at the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, and a second PhD in History
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
from the Department of History and Thought at the University San Pablo-CEU of Madrid.
Career
Her debut at Carnegie HallCarnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
in New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
was a resounding success, receiving positive reviews from critics, and the New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
recognized her as a ground-breaking harpist who was revolutionizing contemporary harp with her sound and technique. Following her debut concert, she was named by the City of New York
Government of New York City
The government of New York City is organized under the City Charter and provides for a "strong" mayor-council system. The government of New York is more centralized than that of most other U.S...
as the Best Young Foreign Artist of the Year.
Calvo-Manzano has written essays about pedagogy, historiography, and musicology. She has concentrated her efforts on the critical study of Spanish works, particularly on those written for harp, and has researched manuscripts with important paleographic contributions. Her books have been published by ARLU publications, a branch of Association Arpista Ludovido (Ludovido Harpist Association). She has published in specialized magazines and has collaborated in the publishing of music dictionaries and reference books on music history.
In addition, Calvo-Manzano has recorded several albums, mostly dealing with Spanish music
Music of Spain
The Music of Spain has a long history and has played an important part in the development of western music. It has had a particularly strong influence upon Latin American music. The music of Spain is often associated abroad with traditions like flamenco and the classical guitar but Spanish music...
and a style known as "ludoviquiano". These albums were produced with the purpose of remembering the legendary figure of Ludovico, a harpist in the High Renaissance period and Chamber Musician to the Catholic Monarchs
Catholic Monarchs
The Catholic Monarchs is the collective title used in history for Queen Isabella I of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon. They were both from the House of Trastámara and were second cousins, being both descended from John I of Castile; they were given a papal dispensation to deal with...
. Calvo-Manzano has published editions of critical studies on works by Spanish composers included in her repertoire.
Calvo-Manzano created a didactic technique, known as the ARLU Technique, which is used in courses at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid
Complutense University of Madrid
The Complutense University of Madrid is a university in Madrid, and one of the oldest universities in the world. It is located on a sprawling campus that occupies the entirety of the Ciudad Universitaria district of Madrid, with annexes in the district of Somosaguas in the neighboring city of...
(Madrid Complutense University) and at the RCSM de Madrid. Many music school and conservatory professors in Spain are former students of Calvo-Manzano, and her foreign students have spread her harp and didactic theories. The method consists of understanding the instrument in more than simply musical terms
Musical terminology
This is a list of musical terms that are likely to be encountered in printed scores, music reviews, and program notes. Most of the terms are Italian , in accordance with the Italian origins of many European musical conventions. Sometimes, the special musical meanings of these phrases differ from...
. Her search to equip the harp with a technique that is not only dynamic but also expressive in the application of musical effects with a purist approach, appropriate to the era's tendencies and aesthetics, has dubbed her a true innovator in harp technique. She is recognized as the founder of the modern Spanish school of harp. She has also been frequently visited by foreign students
International student
According to Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development , international students are those who travel to a country different from their own for the purpose of tertiary study. Despite that, the definition of international students varies in each country in accordance to their own national...
who have been attracted by her achievements as a concert harpist and scholar. In many cases, her students pursue their PhD under her guidance.
In 1988, the Ludovico Harpist Association was founded to safeguard the Spanish harp heritage and to celebrate Ludovico. In 1993, the association began the Harpist Ludovico International Harp Competition (Concurso Internacional de Arpa Arpista Ludovico) with the objective of encouraging talented young harpists. This competition has become one of the most important in the world with a simultaneous multicultural festival taking place in association with the competition. The competition takes place at the royal site of "Real Sitio de San Lorenzo de El Escorial" every three years with Calvo-Manzano as the main patron.
In 2000, she donated her personal harp heritage collection, which included historical instruments and a library of specialized documents, to the foundation with the purpose of providing the coming generations with a document base of instrumental organology and assets with more than 10,000 volumes related to art, history, philosophy, and music.
She has also started the Spanish Chamber Music Group "Ludovico Harpist" which carries out the task of releasing works of Spanish chamber music, which are often dedicated to Calvo-Manzano, and published and recorded by ARLU Association.
She has been appointed a member of the Academy of Fines Arts and Historic Sciences of Spain. She has also been recognized with numerous national and international prizes and decorated by the King of Spain
Juan Carlos I of Spain
Juan Carlos I |Italy]]) is the reigning King of Spain.On 22 November 1975, two days after the death of General Francisco Franco, Juan Carlos was designated king according to the law of succession promulgated by Franco. Spain had no monarch for 38 years in 1969 when Franco named Juan Carlos as the...
with "El Lazo de Isabel la Católica" and "La Encomienda de Alfonso X el Sabio".
External links
- CV (in Spanish)
- Asociación Arpista Ludovico