Barcelona pays tribute to Montserrat Torrent on her 100th birthday with a concert, exhibition and plaque at the Museu de la Música

Montserrat Torrent turns 100 and Barcelona is celebrating in style. Museu de la Música is dedicating a special tribute to her, with a concert, exhibition and commemorative plaque. The organist remains active and surprises people with her energy.

Barcelona has experienced a special moment with its tribute to Montserrat Torrent, the organist who has just turned 100 and remains a leading figure in classical music. Museu de la Música brought together admirers and pupils to celebrate her career, in an event that went far beyond the familiar and highlighted her connection with the city.

The day began with a private event in which Salvador Illa, president of the Govern, presented Torrent with a centenary medal on the occasion of her anniversary. Public recognition came later, with the unveiling of a commemorative plaque and a concert in which the honouree performed Antonio Cabezón's 'Pavana con su glosa' on the museum's Pérez Moreno organ.

The tribute is part of the highlights of the Montserrat Torrent Year, promoted by the Generalitat, which also includes concerts at Barcelona Cathedral and Palau de la Música Catalana. The exhibition 'Montserrat Torrent. A punt d’orgue', curated by Mònica Pagès i Santacana, can be visited until 11 October and traces the life and work of one of the most international figures in Catalan music through documents from her personal archive.

The exhibition allows visitors to discover key episodes in her career, such as her participation in the recording of the 'Antologia Històrica de la Música Catalana' for Edigsa under the direction of Oriol Martorell. It also highlights the breadth of her repertoire, from medieval to contemporary music, and her international reach on stages around the world.

The event concluded with Montserrat Torrent blowing out the candles for her centenary, showing remarkable humour and vitality. The organist is not slowing down her schedule: next week she will give concerts in Ávila and Madrid, and on 18 May she will inaugurate the organ bearing her name at the church of Sant Felip Neri, fulfilling a long-awaited dream.

Museu de la Música, located in the heart of Barcelona, is one of the city's most distinctive cultural spaces. Its collection of historical instruments and concert programme make it a meeting point for music lovers and curious visitors. Alongside temporary exhibitions, the museum promotes initiatives that bring music closer to all audiences and reinforce Barcelona's role as a European cultural capital.