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The Maria Canals Competition goes down to the metro again

When: 13.03.2026 to 25.03.2026

Where: Diagonal metro station

Access: Access by validating the transport ticket

The 71st edition of the Maria Canals International Music Competition, which will hold its official section from 15 to 26 March, once again brings music into public transport with the installation of a baby grand piano in the lobby of Diagonal metro station on Line 5 (Rambla Catalunya or Rosselló / FGC entrances).

The instrument will be available for anyone who wishes to play it, and every afternoon the station will host one-hour recitals featuring local choirs and students from nearby music schools. In total, 27 performances will take place, designed to bring music closer to metro users and fill the space with a unique cultural atmosphere.

The TMB Foundation, through the TMB Culture project, renews once again its long-standing collaboration with the OFF Competition El Maria Canals porta cua, an initiative that installs more than one hundred grand pianos in public spaces across the territory to encourage citizen participation and bring music into everyday life.

Concert programme

  • Saturday, 14 March
    • 11 am - 1 pm: Conservatori de Badalona
    • 7 - 8 pm: Cor La Nau

 

  • Sunday, 15 March
    • 6 - 7 pm: Associació Musical Músics de Gràcia i Giravolt

 

  • Monday, 16 March
    • 6 - 7 pm: Escola de Música Alegrededalt

 

  • Tuesday, 17 March
    • 2 - 3 pm: Joan Carles (Música al Metro)
    • 4 -5 pm: Conservatori Superior el Liceu

 

  • Wednesday, 18 March
    • 4 - 5 pm: Conservatori Superior del Liceu
    • 6 - 7 pm: Estudi Musical 143

 

  • Thursday, 19 March
    • 4 - 5 pm: Conservatori Superior del Liceu
    • 6 - 7 pm: EM Vibrant Barcelona
    • 8 - 9 pm: Cor Roig Korai

 

  • Friday, 20 March
    • 2.30 - 3.30 pm: Cor Facultat Geografia i Història de la UB
    • 4 - 5 pm: Conservatori Superior del Liceu
    • 7 - 8 pm: Cor Gospel Optometrist

 

  • Saturday, 21 March
    • 6 - 7 pm: Acadèmia Marshall

 

  • Sunday, 22 March
    • 6 - 7 pm: Em Ritme i So
    • 7 - 8 pm: Cor Coral·lí

 

  • Monday, 23 March
    • 4 - 5 pm: Conservatori Superior del Liceu
    • 6 - 7 pm EM Acadèmia Tort
    • 7 - 8 pm: Cor Somos Voces

 

  • Tuesday, 24 March
    • 11- 12 am: Joan Carles (Música al Metro)
    • 4 - 5 pm: Conservatori Superio del Liceu
    • 8.30 - 9.30 pm: Cor Twocats

 

  • Wednesday, 25 March
    • 4 - 5 pm: Conservatori Superior del Liceu
    • 6 - 7 pm: Cor Koralia BCN
    • 7 - 8 pm: Cor Més enllà de la veu

Two pianos at the station for two weeks

The baby grand piano featured in this 2026 edition joins the one already installed permanently in the same station since the 2025 edition, inviting passengers to take on the challenge of stopping, sitting down, and playing its keys 365 days a year.

Find out more.

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Come and play piano in Diagonal!

We host a piano permanently and bring music closer to the users.

When: From 23.03.2025

Where: Diagonal Station

Access: Access valdating the transport ticket

Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB), through its Foundation, collaborates annually with the prestigious Maria Canals Piano Competition.

In the 2025 edition, the 70th anniversary of the competition was celebrated with an exhibition titled Maria Canals, a competition with soul and the Metro Centenary. Taking advantage of both celebrations, the two entities launched the initiative of placing a piano in the lobby of Line 5 at Diagonal station.

In front of the Espai Mercè Sala, an upright piano was installed, which has been kept there permanently.

We bring music closer to all users.

The piano invites passengers to accept the challenge of stopping, sitting down, and playing its keys.

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An immersive journey through 100 years of the metro

Live the present, the past, and the future of the metro’s history in virtual reality.

When: 30.12.2025 to 31.03.2026

Where: Espai Mercè Sala

Access: Validating the transport ticket

To commemorate the centenary of the Barcelona Metro, we invite you to enjoy a multi-user virtual reality experience that will take you through the history, present, and future of the subway network.

Wearing virtual reality glasses and in groups of up to 10 people, you will relive one hundred years of metro, discover the strengths of today’s service, and imagine what the metro of the future will look like.

This activity is free of charge and intended for people aged 10 and over.

Before you start your journey, you should know...

Location:

Espai Mercè Sala, at Diagonal station.

Dates:

The experience will be available from December 30 to March 31, 2026. 

Opening hours:

Monday to Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Important information:

  • The activity lasts 10 minutes, with sessions every twenty minutes in groups of 10 people.
  • A single booking can include tickets for up to 5 people.
  • Requesting a new date will cancel the previous booking.
  • Access to the experience will not be allowed once it has started, and a new booking will need to be made.

What will you learn from this experience?

  • You will witness the importance of developing collective metro transport for the evolution of a city like Barcelona and its metropolitan area.
  • You will connect with the collective memory of the people and the most significant milestones that have taken place in the city over the past hundred years.
  • You will discover the link between the metro network and the city’s growth in terms of urban planning and population, as well as the active role of the metro in the cohesion of the metropolitan area.
  • You will learn more about the quality of a service that has been a pioneer since its beginnings.
Book your journey now!

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