The Royal Conservatoire The Hague is located in Den Haag (The Hague), in the Netherlands. It is one of the most influential music conservatories in Europe, thanks to its innovative methodology and a faculty made up of high-level active musicians who prepare students from around the world for a profession that demands as much discipline as talent.
Currently, Aitor Gómez, who was born in Valencia 22 years ago and graduated from the Superior Conservatory of Music of Aragón, is pursuing his master’s degree here. In this interview, we review his musical journey, from choosing the bassoon as his preferred instrument to his decision to leave everything behind in search of a future that he is gradually seeing materialize before him.
When did your interest in music begin?
It all started because I am from Valencia, where there is a widespread tradition of bands. It was common for all the children in the village to sign up for the music school, but I took longer to start because I wanted to play the bassoon, and that school didn’t have a teacher.
What led you to choose the bassoon over other instruments?
I could give you a very profound reason, but the truth is that it was because of a car commercial I saw on TV. In the ad, there was a man playing the bassoon, and at the end, they said something like “buy a bassoon or buy a Polo.” Since I was also too young to drive, I bought the bassoon.
From the beginning, did you know you wanted to pursue music professionally?
No way, in fact, I was very far from that. I wanted to be an engineer, a physicist, a biochemist… but after I finished middle school, I started to become more interested in the arts and philosophy. In the end, since I couldn’t decide among so many things and had been playing for a few years, I ended up studying music.
You left Valencia and began your studies at the Superior Conservatory of Music of Zaragoza. What led you to choose that conservatory?
At that time, I had recently decided, a little over a year ago, that I wanted to pursue music. So I still didn’t feel mentally prepared to leave Spain. I did some research, and from Spain, the only teacher I liked based on what I discovered and what I had been told about him was one who taught in Zaragoza.
After graduating, you secured a place to study the master’s program in the Netherlands. What motivated your decision to continue your studies outside of Spain?
All musicians want to study abroad at some point. Since I already had the idea of wanting to continue my studies outside of Spain after finishing my degree, I started researching which professors taught at the conservatories that appealed to me the most, and that’s when I decided to apply to several. The most decisive factor was that the teacher was someone with whom I shared artistic vision and from whom I would like to learn. And the truth is that it has far exceeded my expectations.
What was the admission process like for the master’s program?
The process starts at the beginning of the course. In music, the relationship between teacher and student is very personal; all classes are individual, and the teacher not only teaches you to play, but also becomes your mentor. Therefore, there is an unwritten rule that if you want to study with a specific teacher, you must meet them first. Normally, you are the one who contacts the person teaching at that institution and arranges a lesson with them. This doesn’t fall within the official or bureaucratic procedures, but it’s the norm. Then I had to go through a first round of selection, which involved sending several videos playing different pieces along with an explanation of my future projects, development, and artistic goals. Once they evaluated both the practical and academic aspects of all candidates, they invited four of us to a second round, which is in person and consists of performing a full recital of pieces from different styles and having a brief interview about your aspirations. After all that, if they liked you, they would contact you to inform you that you have a place.
Regarding the financial aspect, have you encountered difficulties or did the conservatory offer you any type of assistance?
Life here is expensive; living on a salary from Spain would be impossible. The thing is, aside from the fact that salaries are much higher here, there are quite a few options to help students. Companies have a type of special contract that is very flexible, and the government has a service called DUO, which provides students who work a certain number of hours— in my case a minimum of eight per week— with benefits like health insurance since healthcare here is private.
Art is constantly present. It is impressive to be in the conservatory and see the professors in the hallway, who are very influential people with a lot of experience.
What differences do you notice between music education in Spain and in the Netherlands?
Not so much in the way music is taught, but in the way it is consumed. That is where I see the difference. In all conservatories, you are taught to play the bassoon, even though they understandably have their differences, but in Spain, there is much more emphasis placed on the artistic side and passion for the music itself, while in the Netherlands, it’s not that they don’t care about the artistic aspect, but they largely see it as a business, so they focus heavily on teaching you how to develop your projects and find a way to make a living from them.
With that in mind, are you considering returning to Spain to develop your career, or do you prefer to stay there and see what happens?
Well, that’s a good question because you really never know what the future will hold for you. Although I have always wanted to develop my professional career in Spain and live as close to my family as possible, I feel that I am likely going to end up staying here for my professional career. I am starting to receive many opportunities that would be much harder to achieve in Spain. Another significant difference I notice is that in Spain, you are always doing things only with people from the conservatory, and that’s it; the professional world feels like a dream that is very far away. However, here they give you many opportunities, both inside and outside the conservatory. For example, recently the conservatory, which has agreements with various orchestras, offered me the chance to play in a professional orchestra in Europe as part of my training. This ecosystem, I believe, supports my development in a more professional sense while looking toward my future as a musician.
Beyond the academic sphere, what personal lessons has this experience left you with?
I don’t want to generalize, but in my case, it has helped me wake up. I was very comfortable at my conservatory in Spain; I didn’t have to prove anything to anyone, so to speak. It’s not that there weren’t impressive people at my former conservatory, but here there are a lot of prodigies per square meter. It has helped me start doing things in a more logical way, with a real objective.
And on a musical level, do you feel that your interpretation of music has changed?
Yes, and actually for the same reason I mentioned before. I think that in these months I have greatly expanded my palette of colors. I have absorbed different viewpoints and styles from my peers and professors, not only musically. Art is constantly present. It is impressive to be in the conservatory and see…
