Students from Qatar Music Academy experience an inspiring educational journey at the Reina Sofía School of Music in Spain.
Doha, Qatar: For the young musicians of Qatar Music Academy, a one-week camp at the Reina Sofía School of Music in Madrid offered far more than intensive training – it was a transformative experience that boosted confidence, broadened horizons, and opened new pathways for the future.
In the month when Qatar celebrates its National Day, Qatar Music Academy (QMA), part of QF’s Pre University Education, is highlighting the nation’s dedication to nurturing young talent and promoting global cultural exchange, showing how music can bridge tradition, innovation, and the next generation of creative leaders.
And through QF’s partnership with the Reina Sofía School of Music, QMA provides students with advanced training and the opportunity to attend the annual Madrid camp – an experience that fosters growth, creativity, and confidence both on and off the stage.
The partnership includes advanced training programmes, student exchanges, and pathways for QMA graduates to pursue higher education programmes at the music school in Madrid. It also explores integrating the school’s Virtual Reality technologies into music education across QF schools. For Loujaien Sassi, a QMA violin student who participated in the Madrid camp, the experience was life changing. “I had an incredible time at the Reina Sofía camp,” she says. “As a violinist, I learned so much from exceptional teachers and performed with students from all over the world. “For a full week, we trained from 9am to 5pm, with daily sessions, collective work, and concerts that boosted my confidence and fueled my motivation to grow.”
Loujaien’s father Moez Sassi, who accompanied her to Spain, still recalls the moment he realised her talent was more than a hobby. “When Loujaien joined QMA, I discovered her true potential,” he says. “After submitting a short video of her performance, she was selected – among only five students – to travel to Spain. I never imagined I would witness such a rapid transformation in her character.
“In our generation, we never had opportunities like this. QF is opening real doors for young people. The experience strengthened her communication skills, broadened her horizons, and gave her the drive to continue.” Returning to Doha, Loujaien carried more than just memories with her. “I came back with greater confidence, a wider perspective, and determination to keep going,” she says.“In those spacious rehearsal halls, surrounded by instruments and students from around the globe, I realised that our shared language was music, a language I want to master and make part of my life journey.”
For Leo Fayyad, the programme was a natural continuation of a journey that began eight years earlier, when he first walked into QMA carrying a violin almost too big for him to hold. His father, Hadi Fayad, recalls every step of that growth, “Leo started as an enthusiastic beginner,” he says. “Today, he is a focused and disciplined violinist. Through years of training, performances, and orchestral projects, he has matured musically and emotionally, developing confidence on stage and a strong sense of responsibility.”
Leo’s talent secured him a place as one of the youngest members of the Orchestre des Écoles Françaises à l’Étranger (OCLFM), an international orchestra bringing together students from French schools around the world. This achievement, combined with a full scholarship from QMA, paved the way for his journey to Madrid.
