In March 2016, UPF students awoke to find several grand pianos dotting the campus, along with an express invitation for anyone who wished to do so to play them. The initiative, part of the Maria Canals Barcelona International Music Competition, has since become firmly established and is eagerly awaited by the university community each year.

For a few days each year, the Ciutadella, Poblenou and Mar campuses are transformed into large stages for admiring the often previously unknown piano skills of students, teachers and administrative staff, as well as people from outside the university community. The proposal thus fits seamlessly with the UPF Culture programme’s aim of bringing art and music to the university.

The international competition enjoys widespread support amongst civil society, and numerous foundations and public and private bodies collaborate on it. Founded in 1954, it is the doyen of music competitions in Spain and aims to break down the social, cultural and mental barriers that exist for much of the population with regard to music in general and the piano in particular.

UPF thus joins the ranks of other public cultural facilities, such as the MNAC, the MACBA, the Pedrera, the Biblioteca de Catalunya, the Filmoteca de Catalunya and the Gran Teatre de Liceu, that also play host to Maria Canals grand pianos.