The School Educational Project (PEC) is the document that gives coherence to every educational and management decision at the Music School of Societat Unió Musical Santa Cecília de Barx. It is a living document, reviewed and updated every year from the teaching staff’s improvement proposals.
Download: Full School Educational Project (PDF, in Valencian)
School details
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Name | Music School of SUM Santa Cecília de Barx |
| Ownership | Private school run by Societat Unió Musical Santa Cecília de Barx |
| School registration code | 46023717 (registered with the Valencian Ministry of Education) |
| Address | C/ Muntanya, 11 — 46758 Barx (Valencia), inside the Casa de Cultura |
| Facilities | Large rehearsal room, four classrooms and the Casa de Cultura assembly hall |
| Funding | Family fees, Generalitat Valenciana, Diputació de València and the music society itself |
Legal framework
- Valencian Music Act 2/1998, of 12 May
- Decree 91/2013, of 5 July, regulating Music and Performing Arts Schools in the Valencian Community
- Decree 2/2022, regulating non-formal artistic education schools for music and performing arts
Governance
- Management team: the head of the music school, the president of the society and the board member in charge of the school.
- Teaching staff: the teachers of every specialism. See the teaching staff.
- Administration: handled by the person in charge of the school, with an external firm for payroll and employment contracts.
Purpose and objectives
The school was created to supply musicians to the society’s band, but its purpose has grown: to offer non-formal music education to students of all ages, from 3 years old to over 70. The training is amateur in nature but can also prepare students for professional studies.
The general objectives are set by Decree 2/2022:
- Develop, at a basic level, the knowledge and skills that allow a person to express themselves artistically.
- Practise art in a group and learn to interact within it.
- Learn the basics of technology applied to music and the performing arts.
- Learn the basics of stage construction and stage practice.
- Acquire complementary artistic training.
- Acquire enough artistic awareness to develop critical thinking, encouraging attendance at concerts and performances.
Objectives for this year: consolidate the subjects added in recent years, especially piano and guitar. Long term: bring back the French horn, add oboe and, later, include Valencian traditional music and string specialisms.
Structure of the courses
Teaching is organised in three stages:
| Stage | Age | Content |
|---|---|---|
| Early music training (fasolet) | From 3 to 8 years | Introduction using the IEM method: creativity and ear training |
| Elementary level | From 8 years, no upper age limit | Music theory and an instrument specialism |
| Beyond elementary level | Depending on the student’s path | Deeper study, support for formal intermediate or higher studies, keeping up existing skills, or exploring other styles |
Specialisms taught: music theory, choir, instrumental ensemble, flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, tuba, percussion, piano and guitar. See the courses page for timetables and fees.
Teaching principles
The aim of music education is to develop vocal, rhythmic, motor, listening and expressive skills so that musical notation becomes a useful means of communication. Students differ widely in aptitude and motivation, so the school works on motivation, self-esteem and open participation without any discrimination. The method combines:
- Written exercises: rhythmic and melodic dictation, worksheets and research tasks.
- Rhythm work: rhythm lessons and note reading, with small or body percussion.
- Melodic work: singing lessons and folk melodies, solo or in several parts.
- Listening work: attentive listening and basic analysis.
- Movement work: movement and relaxation techniques.
Inclusion and support
Individual lessons and small groups already guarantee personal attention. In addition, students with specific educational support needs are taught according to the principles of diversity, inclusion, normality, flexibility, contextualisation, multiple perspective, positive expectations and validation by results. Measures range from reinforcing particular content to individual curricular adaptations, with smaller ratios, more learning time, specific materials and ongoing dialogue with families.
Tutorials and assessment
- Tutorials: for instrument specialisms they take place during the student’s lesson time; for group subjects there is a set time for families, with at least one scheduled meeting per term.
- Continuous, inclusive assessment: daily review of the student’s work and, at the end of each term, an individual assessment with tests announced in advance.
- Termly report for families with progress and absences (see the school rules).
Complementary activities
- Demonstrations at the infant and primary school at the start of the year.
- Taking part in school activities such as carnival or the Fallas.
- Santa Cecília week in November: instrument-building workshops, traditional games, street decoration and drawing and story competitions.
- At least two student recitals a year in the Casa de Cultura assembly hall.
- About two concerts a year by the youth band, including performances at the local Montduver care home.
- Exchanges with ensembles from other music schools.
Institutional relations
- Barx Town Council: provides the Casa de Cultura premises and covers maintenance and cleaning.
- Generalitat Valenciana and Diputació de València: provide a significant share of the funding (see public grants and subsidies).
- Barx state school (CRA): the infant and primary school right across the street, with joint activities.
- FSMCV: advice on dealings with the regional government and contact with other music schools.
- Josep Climent Conservatory in Oliva and Grau de Gandia Music School: where students who choose formal music education continue.
Staff training and review of the project
The school is small and has no training plan of its own, but teachers train independently on pedagogy courses, many run by the FSMCV and by the Joventuts Musicals school in Vall d’Albaida. The project is reviewed together with the annual plan and annual report, written by the head of the school and the teaching staff, which record each year’s changes and improvement proposals.