The UNESCO Chair for the Promotion of Pau Casals in Music, Peace and Human Rights, a collaboration between the Pau Casals Foundation and the Open University of Catalonia (UOC), has launched the Chair Papers Collection — a digital publication dedicated to advancing academic research on Pau Casals’ artistic and humanistic contributions.
This initiative aims to enhance global awareness and foster knowledge transfer around Casals’ legacy, highlighting the crucial role of music, culture, and human rights in building peace.
Promoting Research on Pau Casals’ Values and Impact
Through scholarly publications, the Chair Papers Collection gives visibility to the figure of Pau Casals not only as a musician but as a defender of peace and human dignity. The initiative is part of a broader effort to encourage research, education, and international dialogue.
Explore the winning research projects from the 2023 edition on the UNESCO Pau Casals Chair’s official website.
Highlights from the 2023 Chair Papers
Paper 1 – “The Evolution of International Mechanisms for the Protection of Musicians at Risk: A Historical Perspective”
Author: Laurence Cuny, jurist and researcher in cultural rights and artistic freedom. This study explores whether Pau Casals received international support during his exile, and situates the historical development of global mechanisms to protect musicians at risk.
Paper 2 – “From Festívola to the Prelude El Pessebre: An Approach to Pau Casals’ Musical Catalogue through his Sardanas”
Authors: Albert Fontelles-Ramonet and Anna Costal i Fornells, PhDs in Musicology from the UAB. Their research offers a comprehensive review of Casals’ compositions, tracing manuscripts and editions, analyzing the historical context of the works, and examining interpretations and recordings that shaped their trajectory.
Upcoming Contributions: 2024 Research Projects
The 2024 research projects are currently in development and will soon be added to the collection, reinforcing the Chair’s role as a hub for music and human rights scholarship.
This project is supported by the Sociedad de Gestión de Artistas Intérpretes o Ejecutantes de España (AIE), ensuring continued support for artistic freedom, cultural memory, and academic exchange.