Cristo Barrios
Mentoring
"After a year of mentoring, I secured a position as Sub-Principal Clarinet of the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra at the age of 22" - JAVIER ZAMORA (former mentee)
Alongside his performances and teaching commitments, Cristo Barrios dedicates a significant part of his professional life to mentoring emerging musicians. Drawing on his extensive stage experience and academic background, he has developed a distinctive approach that provides mentees with the practical tools, strategic insights and personal support they need to navigate the complexities of a modern music career.
Mentorships are a valuable source of personalised guidance and one-to-one advice, designed to support young performers in their professional and artistic development. In this context, Cristo Barrios provides mentees with the necessary tools to achieve their career goals. All this mentoring takes place through online meetings.
Benefits
➤ Goal-setting and clear direction in their musical career.
➤ Enhanced communication skills and the creation of a strong professional network.
➤ Development of strategies to overcome challenges and setbacks on the path towards professional objectives.
➤ Practical advice, encouragement, and support, tailored to their specific needs.
➤ Greater confidence in making important decisions about the direction of their career.
➤ Refinement of advanced performance skills that underpin a more roFullFull Width Widthbust professional progression.
Short-term programme
8 hours spread over 1–2 months.
➤ Focus on specific objectives, like one competition.
➤ Example: María, who had just completed her Master’s degree in musical performance, set herself a short-term goal of preparing for an international violin competition. With this aim in mind, she sought guidance from Cristo Barrios. An intensive mentorship provided María with the direction and focus needed to achieve significant progress in a short period of time.
Medium-term
15 hours spread over
3–4 months.
➤ Mentees pursue multiple medium-term objectives, like a series of concerts.
➤ Example: Pablo, a saxophonist with three concerts scheduled in a three-month period (one as a soloist with orchestra, one for solo saxophone, and one for saxophone and piano), sought guidance from Cristo Barrios to ensure a successful preparation, including the time management of practice in relation to the different repertoire for each concert. During their mentorship sessions, they addressed strategic aspects related to the concerts, such as repertoire selection, rehearsal planning, time management. As a result, Pablo acquired the skills and confidence needed to tackle each concert successfully.
Long-term Mentorship
30 sessions over 8–9 months.
➤ The mentee may set one or two long-term, main goals, broken down into narrower, specific objectives, or several long-term goals of varying scope, like auditioning for orchestras.
➤ Example: Javier, a Master’s student in clarinet performance whose long-term objective was to secure a position in an orchestra, sought guidance from Cristo Barrios to prepare effectively for the auditions. Throughout the mentorship sessions, Barrios offered guidance on strategic decisions such as selecting appropriate auditions. Through this mentorship, Javier acquired the necessary skills to successfully participate at orchestral auditions. Being 22 years old, he got a position as sub-principal clarinet at the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra.
