Juan Daunesse

What made you want to apply to your MA course and to Leeds?

Music has been hugely important in my life as well as in my family, my four older brothers played piano and I inherited the musical tradition from my brothers. When I was deciding what to study next after my bachelors I decided to study abroad in England as I was familiar with the language. I wanted to study in a university as in my past years I had studied in a conservatoire in Spain. Finally, I decided to go to Leeds because of the opportunities that the cultural environment of the city could offer me and also because of the prominence of the university.

What aspects of the course did you enjoy the most?  

I enjoyed the freedom of choosing what I was going to perform in the different modules. The university offers performance opportunities too. I also enjoyed the feedback from my teachers before and after the examinations. Professors are very willing to help, especially in the first weeks where you have to design your course. 

The School of Music provided every student with facilities to study. The University also provided 24 hour clusters, which helped a lot during the stressful weeks of deadlines. 

What did you get up to outside of your studies?

I got to know my flatmates and made new friends at university. It was a great experience meeting so many different people. I attended the Catholic Chaplaincy every Sunday and I found a football team to play matches with.

What do you plan to do now you’ve finished your course, and how do you think the skills and knowledge you’ve developed at Leeds will help with these plans?

Currently, I am teaching in my country, Spain. I use some of the thoughtful teachings of my lecturers and try to use these teachings in order to transmit them to my students. I am thinking about doing a PhD, perhaps back in Leeds.