Asociación de Guitarreros de Granada

California State University is for the second year in a row holding their Guitarra Española course (part of Summer Arts) here in Granada. This year twenty-four students have come to study the guitar in a wonderful setting with guitarists of international repute. This morning classes were cancelled and the Granada Guitar-makers Association was asked to invite the guitar-makers to show their guitars to these students. This was, for all intents and purposes, the public presentation of the Association. The students were thrilled to have us come to them and to meet the people behind their favorite instrument.

IMG_0688The guitar-makers association is made up of a group of makers who wish to have Granada recognized as an international centre for guitar-making, support one another and to convince the different levels of government that the guitar in general and specifically this craft is worth promoting. For this reason we support Summer Arts and Vicente Coves and his Festival Internacional de la Guitarra de Granada. Not all guitar-makers in Granada are members of the association and the reasons include the following. Some are not full-time, professional makers, some sell guitars made by others instead of their own work, and others can’t see the benefit of working towards common goals. We hope to convince a larger number of makers as time goes on.

Mabel Millán

Last night’s concert included some of the most expressive playing I have heard in a long time. Mabel and Celia Millán are sisters from Cordoba, the first plays the guitar and the second the piano. I have never been a big fan of the piano and certainly never imagined enjoying a concert including duets of guitar and piano. Last night proved me wrong and the programme, while very popular was beautifully played. Some pieces were a dialogue between the two, in others the piano was limited to a basso continuo or an orchestral type accompaniment and one (Sevilla) even gave the piano complete centre stage while the guitar acompanied. The pianist played everything with a perfect sensitivity to the guitarist’s needs and only in Sevilla did it mask the sound of the guitar at some points. At 24 years old, these two excellent musicians have an unlimited future ahead of them. My only regret is that I didn’t know anything about these two players and did not bring my family along to enjoy the music. Congratulations to Vicente Coves for bringing us these two jewels.

Bernd Martin

Today the Granada guitar-makers said good-bye to one of the greats of the Granada school. Bernd Martin passed away on Wednesday July 18 after an exhausting battle with cancer. He leaves behind his wife Matilde and his son Lucas. He was a much a part of this community as any of the old guard and was a master in every sense. For those of you who wish to know more about Bernd, this article tells of his importance in the granada school, his son Lucas is his direct disciple and this short film made by DC Chavez includes some interview footage.

Last Day

So this time it really is the last day to register for the Antonio Marin Montero Guitar-making Competition. A great opportunity to visit Granada, meet some young american guitarists and hear some great guitar music. And who knows, if you win it is great publicity. IMG_1467