UC receives valuable donation of 450 scores
“The fact that we can be custodians of this donation is something that excites us and commits us,” declared UC rector Ignacio Sánchez, thanking the interpreter who premiered 95 of the works in Chile for his confidence. This invaluable heritage will be available to the university system and will enrich the study and practice of chamber music, in addition to enriching the repertoire, since much of this legacy has not been performed until now.
A valuable donation, which brings together patrimonial attributes and also significant educational potential, was brought to the Central House of the Catholic University. The dermatologist and clarinetist Rubén Guarda, who taught at the UC School of Medicine for 17 years, donated his personal collection of more than 450 scores to the UC.
The ceremony was headed by UC Rector Ignacio Sánchez and participated, among others, Magdalena Amenábar, Vice Rector for Communications and Cultural Extension; José Miguel Burmeister Director of Legal Affairs; Marcela Rivera, deputy director of Library Resources, Training and Archives; Emilio de la Cerda, director of the Center for Heritage Collections and Aliocha Solovera, deputy academic director of the Institute of Music.
“The fact that we can be custodians of this donation is something that excites us and commits us”- Ignacio Sánchez, rector
Rector Ignacio Sánchez thanked Rubén Guarda “for placing his trust in the institution” and indicated that “the fact that we can be custodians of this donation is something that excites us and commits us.” He also highlighted the value of this legacy: “One dreams that students and new researchers can enrich themselves with what you cultivated for 40 or 50 years.”
Rubén Guarda was the first clarinetist to graduate from the Faculty of Arts of the University of Chile, in 1975, and between 1977 and 1979 he was assistant to the clarinet soloist of the National Symphony Orchestra of Chile, Luis Rossi. He then left the group to focus on his medical activity, but he nevertheless developed a musical career, for example, as a member of the Mistral Trio between 1982 and 1992. He closed his artistic career in 2018, and with Piotr Ilich Tchaikovsky’s Fourth Symphony, piece that exhibits a well-known showy clarinet solo, with the World Physicians Orchestra.
“This donation represents part of my life and I am very happy that this part of my life is received by the Catholic University, where I was also a teacher for 17 years”- Rubén Guarda, doctor and clarinetist
Guarda explained that he had decided on the Catholic University as custody of his more than 450 scores due to the coordination he saw at UC between the library, music and legal areas, “an assembly that makes it possible for you to receive the donation from Violeta Parra , by Juan Pablo Izquierdo, and many more”. He especially highlighted the diligence he witnessed after stating his intention to carry out this donation. “This donation represents part of my life and I am very happy that this part of my life is received by the Catholic University, where I was also a teacher for 17 years,” he stressed.
The collection received by the university consists of 450 original edition music scores for solo clarinet and various combinations with voice, piano, winds, strings and percussion and has a complete inventory prepared by Professor Guarda. The sheet music collection is already deposited in the East Campus Library and will be accessible to the entire university system, according to UC rector Ignacio Sánchez.
The rector also stressed that it is a particularly valuable heritage for several reasons. First, because it is about chamber music and therefore has enormous potential for the UC Institute of Music Chamber Season, which annually offers more than one hundred free concerts to the community; because some of the scores were dedicated by their authors to Dr. Guarda, who premiered them, which reinforces their unique heritage value. Third, for the most part, the works have not been performed, and now they will have a chance to finally be heard in concert.