Sabine Madriguera

Sabine was born to Armin and Brunehilde Rabe in Berlin, Germany January 28, 1970. Her education took place in Berlin. Sabine earned a master's degree in guitar performance and pedagogy from Hochshule fuer Music "Hanns Eisler" in Berlin, Germany. During her time of guitar studies she won first and special prize with Bettina Eisenman at the chamber music festival in Soumange Belgium.

Sabine met Enric Madriguera at a guitar festival in Richnov, Czech Republic in 1994, and was married in Dallas, Texas in 1996. That same year Duo Madriguera was formed and the couple performed at international festivals in Austria, the Czech Republic, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, and at the Chamber Art festival in Madrid, Spain. The duo performed in prestigious halls such as the Sala Manuel M. Ponce in Mexico City, at the Teatro Villa de Madrid for the Sociedad Espanola, the guitar society of Madrid, at the Royal Chapel of the Palacio Aranjuez, and at the Museo Romantico for the Chamber Art Festival of Madrid. The duo's recording Music for Two Guitars, was released on the Encore Label and has received critical acclaim in Europe and the United States.
As a professor of music Sabine has been described a "groundbreaking." She earned the first full time Director of Guitar Studies at Collin College, which she began in 1999. "Sabine's passing is a great loss to Collin College," said Cary Israel, district president. "She exemplified the caring, hard-working and scholarly standard that we hold true at Collin College for our professors. Her impact on the lives of her students, colleagues and anyone who heard her music is immeasurable." Sabine and her guitar ensembles from Collin College earned numerous awards and distinctions which from the Guitar Ensemble Festival at the University of Texas at Brownsville.

Sabine also taught briefly at Brookhaven and Eastfield Colleges of the Dallas Community College District, and at the University of Texas at Dallas. In 2005 Sabine became the first director of the Guitar Orchestra for Cross Timbers Youth Orchestra. The group is now known as the Blue House group, named for the Blue House Cultural Center of Allen where the city awarded Sabine's group rehearsal space. Her Blue House group has been active performing in Texas at cultural events and festivals statewide. Husband Enric will continue with the group to complete performances and festival appearances that are scheduled for the spring of 2012.

Sabine was on the Advisory Board for the Allegro Guitar Society of Dallas and Fort Worth. She instituted guitar competitions at Collin College, and in 2010 was named the first director of the Youth Competition held as a division of the Texas Competition at the University of Texas at Dallas.

Sabine was an incredibly dedicated and hard working instructor and this is reflected in the achievements and dedication of her students. She never stopped teaching and was with her students into the final week of her life. In addition to her accomplishments as teacher and performer she enjoyed travel, yoga, and expressing her creativity through crafting pottery and jewelry. She was a dedicated friend to many and always took time to spend with her family in the US and Germany. She was a devoted wife and partner to Enric and they maintained a house where they welcomed all, including their two rescue kittens Felix and Frida.

Sabine Madriguera, 42, passed away Feb. 22 after a six-year battle with cancer. In the United States, Sabine is survived by her husband Enric and members of the Madriguera family Christina, Juliana and Lalia, who reside in Texas and diverse parts of the country. In Germany, Sabine is survived by her parents Armin and Brunehilda, and her brother Michael, his wife Tatyana and their children Willy and Josefina who reside in Berlin. Sabine is also survived by many family members who live throughout her German homeland.

The first public memorial honoring Sabine's memory will be held at Collin College Conference Center - Spring Creek Campus on Wednesday, March 7, 2012 at 12:00 PM. The second public memorial will be at UT Dallas at The Jonsson Performance Hall on Saturday, March 10, 2012 at 2:00 PM followed by a reception.

If desired, the family requests that flowers be sent to Resurrection Lutheran Church, 1919 Independence Parkway Plano, Texas 75075 on or before Friday, March 9, 2012.