Saint Cecilia's Festival

At Saint Cecilia festival, our classmates try out and work hard for weeks to prepare songs that sing and dance in a incredible evening.

They sing two different songs:

The first is the popular one; it is older, classic, traditional and have to belong to our folklore.   

The second one, is more modern, until year 2000.

In the Saturday afternoon, the  photo exhibition 'Saint Cecilia' was inaugurated, which reviews the highlights of the history of the Saint Cecilia Festival.

After a rest day, Sunday is the big day, with the celebration of the Music Festival.

The different courses song two songs: a popular song and a modern one in the central auditorium of the huge school building.

After all, they are valued by a jury compossed by very important persons of the music world in Salamanca, and the Agustinian Community.

Moreover, this year is very special because the Saint Cecilia’s festival turns 50.

Many people have congratulated us, among them we can highlight: Raúl, former Real Madrid player, Arkano, famous rapper, who also dedicated a song to us; Raquel Martinez, television reporter, Carlo Baute, singer, Fernando Romy, former basketball player, and many other celebrities from all around the world.

The Rock Concert!!

On Thursday, during the last three classes, ESO and High School students attended a rock concert in which played four musicians: a very famous guitarist, (because he played with music stars such as Malú and David Bisbal), his brother, the singer , a great drummer and a another one who played the bass.

This concert not only tried us to listen to his great music but also they explained us the history of rock music and too, the history of each of those wonderful songs that they sang to us.

They sang very famous songs by Queen and AC/DC. They even taught us techniques to improve our guitar playing.

We realized that the great singer that we had the opportunity to listen, was participant in the famous contest known as "La Voz".

We loved the concert and we would like that next year they could repeat it.

One amazing thing done by this group, was that they gave to a teacher the possibility of going up on stage and even singing with them.

What happens in the music week?

During this important week for the school, we have carried out different activities:

-On days 13, 14 and 15 there were only activities and craftworks for the little ones.

-On Thursday the 16th, the elementary students performed the “chestnut party”  in which they do a gymcana with different tests and when they finish it’s given freshly roasted chestnuts by the teachers.

While the elementary students had fun in the castañada, the ESO and High School students attended a rock concert offered by the group called "LA BANDA".

-On Friday the 17th there were several activities such as:

--- A “CantaCuento” for the students of Infantile Education offered by the AMPA.

--- The “Musicolegial”, one of our favorite activities, elementary, ESO, and H.S. students, tried out and worked hard to act and make us enjoy their dances and the instruments they played; moreover, the coordination and organization of the festival is carried out by the teachers in their  free time with a lot of work and patience.

--- The concert by "El Escorial Children Choir", involved young children who sang songs of various themes and in different languages.

- On Saturday the 18th former students assisted a festival in the auditorium where they had a lot of fun.

- On Sunday different activities were carried out, such as:

    -The Eucharist in honor of Saint Cecilia in which we attend a large part of the school students.

    -The 50th Santa Cecilia festival in which our classmates acted phenomenal and we had a great time watching them.

What is the relationship between Saint Cecilia and the music?

Pope Gregory XIII declared Saint Patron of music and musicians in 1584 to Saint Cecilia, because of the great popularity that this martyr's association with music had acquired.

There are two reasons between myths and legends that lead to the relationship of the saint with music.

Some think because it is said that when she married by her father's wish, on the day of her wedding, while the musicians played, she sang to God in her heart.

Probably also, because from a young age and according to the customs and traditions of the Roman patrician families, Cecilia had to start and play some musical instrument, such as the lyre, the zither or some type of harp used by the ladies of the Roman society.

Beyond the bond that the saint may have with music, the most important thing in her is that she died defending her Christian faith like so many martyrs.

Who was Saint Cecilia?

Cecilia of Rome, known as Saint Cecilia, according to historians, was a Roman noblewoman, converted to Christianity and was martyr for her faith, between years 180 and 230.

Cecilia got her husband to respect her virginity and convert to Christianity. Valerio was baptized by Pope Urban, and, together with his brother Tiburcio, also converted. They buried the martyrs of the persecution of Almaquio the Turkish. Denounced by this practice, both brothers were beheaded.

Cecilia was also denounced and sentenced to be thrown into the fire, but she escaped unharmed. Turkish Almaquio ordered that she was beheaded. Cecilia, in the persecution, was injured three times with an axe, and died after three days. Pope Urban, helped by his deacons, buried the martyr and consecrated his house as a basilica.