Marcus Toscano in La Capilla Gomerez

GomerezMarcus Toscano is a Brazillian guitarist who moved to Granada two or three years ago and has been filling the city with music since then. Recently he began performing at the Palacio de Gomerez near Plaza Nueva with a spanish repertoire and lately on a Marcelo Barbero guitar. In October he started an exciting series of concerts which he will play on guitars made by Granada makers. The first one was on a Juan Miguel Carmona in October and this month he will play on one of mine on December 10th. I have included a video which we recorded in my workshop earlier this year on a copy of Santos Hernández. Torre Bermeja by Albeniz.

José Ángel Chacón Tenllado

maestroIt’s one thing to be honored by the town hall, the provincial government or the powers that be but another thing entirely to have your peers recogise you and your work while you are still able to do it. The Spanish association of Luthiers and Bow-makers (AELAP) pays hommage to José Ángel Chacón Tenllado today. Chacón, in addition to being a great luthier, created a school of lutherie in Málaga and started many young people on the road to a successful career in lutherie. I was one of those eager students many years ago.placa

Over the years José Ángel Chacón has received awards such as the Silver medal of the Fine Arts from the spanish government, the first Master Artisan title  to a luthier from the regional andalusian government and was the first luthier to serve in the Andalusian Artisan Committee. He has taught at the University of Granada, has written several books about lutherie, has served as president of AELAP and is now honorary president. However, the true testament to his human quality is the number of great instruments, restauraciones, students, friends and pure passion that we see around him to this day. Thank you maestro.