Nigüelas is a small town about 30 minutes from Granada where there seems to be quite a community of music-lovers.The 12-year-old FIAPMSE festival is based there but includes concerts in the surrounding areas. I attended a concert last night, the first of this year’s festival to be held in Nigüelas itself, and had the pleasure of hearing one of Spain’s better guitarists as well as hearing the brand new and beautiful Concerto Gentil composed by the guitarist himself. I have known Fernando since the days when he played on Rolf Eichinger’s guitars and performed and recorded together with Evaristo Valentí.

bdr

The concert was very enjoyable but the guitar pieces were limited to the afore-mentioned concerto and the encore: Piazzola’s Verano Porteño. However, it is very satifying to take someone who is unfamiliar with the guitar to a concert and have them enjoy it. Some guitarists seem to play only for the other guitarists in the audience. This was not the case as I took my brother along last night and he thoroughly enjoyed the music and Fernando’s playing.