Concord Conservatory of MusicConcord Conservatory of Music
Manuel has quite an eclectic background and finds there are things to like in all styles of music. He usually starts with classical repertoire for beginner students as it’s an easier way to achieve the technical rudiments but he encourages all students to bring pieces they’d like to play. As a composer, Manuel confesses to loving music theory but he understands that the learning has to start from an aural perspective. You first need to hear things and then you can start trying to explain them with words. That’s why he focuses more on listening and singing at the beginning and only when the student is ready does he move into more theoretical concepts.
In addition to teaching piano, Manuel has a career as a composer for film and media and also a Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy. “I’d like to think that my varied background gives me a unique perspective on the art of making music.” He also teaches composition and music production at Berklee College of Music. He received a Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy from Universidad Pontifica Comillas, a Bachelor’s in Music with a dual major in Contemporary Writing and Production and Film Scoring from Berklee College of Music, and studied classical composition at the Real Conservatorio Superior de Musica de Madrid, Spain.
As a good Spaniard, Manuel is obsessed with soccer, especially Real Madrid (the best team in history, you know…) and he also likes cooking, reading, and spending time with his four kids and wife.