Last Friday, the music school of the Tarascon Valley and Vicdessos, based in Auzat, opened the weekend with a concert reserved for the piano students. There were thirteen performers, aged 7 to 17. It was an emotional moment where these young musicians could express their passion in front of their families.
Their teacher Marta Rubiralta, a Spanish native living in France for five years, accompanied them with kindness, passion, and humor. “Marta is a teacher who adapts to each student,” testifies a parent. “No matter the level of her students, she always manages to make them shine, to give them confidence.”
Each student chose the piece they wanted to play. This year, the only rule was “no classical music.” Some pieces were played as duets, with Marta, but also with parents, creating very intimate moments. Xavier, Marta’s partner, a violin and flute teacher, and former director of the music school in Barcelona, explains, “Everyone should learn while having fun. In Germany, for example, music theory is not always taught, we need to move away from this principle.”
And Marta adds, “Today, some students rely on new technologies, with tutorials where the notes scroll. I find that complicated, but if it works for them, then all the better!”
On Saturday, the second part of the weekend was for the adult students, in a very friendly Spanish brunch setting. The practices were varied: piano, cello, drums, saxophone, violin, guitar, with the present teachers guiding the students throughout the year: Sylvie, Jimmy, Pierre-Yves, Nicolas, and more. Everyone was free to play or not; some chose duos or trios.
The manager, who spoke, announced her resignation starting in early July, along with the secretary and president. “It is important to remember that this school is an association,” she emphasized. “It operates thanks to paid teachers, but also 50% thanks to volunteers who handle all the administration and finances.”
The association, celebrating its 10-year anniversary, was founded in 2015 by Marion Verbois, and since 2018, Pierre-Yves Meyer has been the pedagogical director, ensuring the continuity of the project. The school has grown from 20 students to over 120, a remarkable development that requires assistants at each position to better distribute tasks and not overload a single volunteer.
Marthe, Maria, and Aurélie took this opportunity to position themselves as potential volunteers to anticipate a handover with Amandine in the coming months, who reassured, “You don’t need to be a math whiz to take on the role!” More events will be announced soon for the anniversary and music festival celebrations.
