Ottawa Trip

This past weekend Alberto and I made a trip to Ottawa. Friday we spent our time wandering around the city, to Ottawa U and downtown music stores in the off-chance we might meet a violinist interested in taking a look at one of the two new instruments we were lugging around with us. Generally, the day turned out to be a bit of a flop, though we did have the chance to explore the city. One point, however, really stood out in the day. As we were walking along MacLaren Street

Kun house

I glanced up at the sign on a large house. The name seemed familiar as I repeated it in my head before shouting out "Kun!" loud enough for passers-by to turn. We had stumbled across the company that makes very excellent shoulder rests, which we order from Maryland. We went inside and saw the small production team, including the receptionist who was carefully sticking Kun tags to every shoulder rest.

It was a bit exciting to visit Kun since it is so easy to forget that products have to be made somewhere by someone, when for us they just appear by magic through the mail. Unfortunately, Kun only sells in large amounts to its distributers, so I guess we'll have to keep ordering shoulder rests from Maryland.

The real highlight of the weekend was visiting the National Arts Centre Orchestra. A friend of a friend of a relative plays oboe in the orchestra and arranged for us to meet the string players backstage between the rehearsal and the performance. I was amazed at the friendliness of the musicians and how accepted we were amongst them. Alberto, who is much more used to gate crashing rehearsals than I am, was quite comfortable. I was a bit nervous about filling expectations but after a few musicians played the instruments and asked serious questions about the instruments and Alberto, I realized that perhaps we were in the right place. A big boost to our confidence was when Karoly Sziladi

Alberto outside the NAC (we forgot the camera earlier when we were at the rehearsal)

played one of Alberto's violins on stage during the concert.

Alberto and I would like to thank all the musicians at the NAC for giving us the time and the chance to show the instruments. Since we are new to the music scene here in Canada, we rely almost entirely on word-of-mouth and the kindness of musicians who take the time to take us seriously.

Some Photos of One Instrument for Sale

Please ignore the dates on the photos...not sure how they got there, but they are completely wrong.

Alberto's Education

One of the first questions Alberto is asked when we speak to musicians here in Canada is about his violin making education. The following is his story as to how he came to violin making and how he developed his talents as a luthier.

Alberto is originally from Ocoyoacac, which is about an hour drive south west of Mexico City and a half-hour drive from Toluca. When Alberto was 19-years-old he went to Xalapa, Veracruz to study music at the Universidad Veracruzana. While there, one of his instructors, David Estrada, often spoke of instruments and how they were made. Alberto was very curious and pestered David Estrada (also a luthier) with specific questions. Alberto asked David if he could be his student, but David refused. He did, however, give Alberto a list of luthiers who might take a student.

After exhausting the list, Alberto finally approached Arael Landa, who had recently returned from working in Europe. Arael Landa took Alberto on with the condition that Alberto prove his dedication to work and learning. From the beginning Alberto was given the task of making complete violins. His first being a relatively good instrument, Arael kept Alberto on teaching him by showing him once then expecting Alberto to produce, criticizing when the work wasn't up to par. With Arael, Alberto learned the basics of the Cremona style of instrument making.

When Arael had to return to Europe after a year he recommended Alberto to his brother Nahum Landa. While with Arael, Alberto learned precision and discipline, Nahum taught Alberto how to work quickly while repeating and perfecting specific tasks regarding the making of a violin. Nahum's techniques, often experimental, allowed Alberto to test the limits of violin making as well as understand the range from baroque to classical to contemporary instruments. During this time, Alberto also developed his varnishing technique that makes his instruments beautiful and distinct.

In 1998, Alberto won a prize from CONACULTA (a government foundation) for three 1/2 size violins made with Mexican wood as part of Jovenes Creadores Artisticos (young artistic creators).

In the same year, Alberto moved with his first wife and baby daughter to Mexico City in order to be nearer to his sisters after the death of their mother. In Mexico City he started to look for work with the orchestras, but with little luck. Most musicians expected their luthiers to be older and in a city where so many pass themselves off as luthiers and mangle (or steal) instruments, they were unwilling to take a risk on him. Desperate for work, Alberto began with mariachis who hung out in Plaza Garibaldi like hookers waiting for work.

For those of you who don't know Plaza Garibaldi, it is only a few blocks from the beautiful Palacio Bellas Artes in an area that sells wedding and quinceañera dresses (big poofy dresses). At night the mariachis come out and hand out business cards to passersby. If you want you can just pick up a whole group and take them back for your party. Though Plaza Garibaldi is the centre of traditional mariachi music, those who hang out there are not very good--the good ones already have gigs.

In Garibaldi, Alberto did repair after repair, bridge after bridge, bow rehair after bow rehair, selling most of his instruments to young musicians in youth orchestras and those still studying music in university. Gradually, Alberto gained the trust of mariachis of better talent, including "El Vaquero" Roberto Lopez (director of Sonidos de America) and those who also played in orchestras who introduced him into the classical circle.

Though there are schools for luthiers in Mexico, Alberto's learning was one based on pure work (blood, sweat and tears) giving him a better understanding of what musicians want. Whereas in the school for luthiers he might have made only one instrument in his four years there, Alberto's education was about producing and improving on every single instrument he makes, which is why his early clients, up-and-coming students, return to him as each improves his art.

Some of the Orchestras whose musicians are amongst Alberto's client list:

Orquestra de la Universidad Nacional Autonama de Mexico (UNAM)
Orquestra del Politecnica
Orquestra del Ejercito
Orquestra Tipica de la Ciudad de Mexico
Orquestra Nacional de Bellas Artes
Orquestra de Camara de la Ciudad de Mexico
Orquestra de la Escuela Nacional de Musica
Orquestra de Bellas Artes Toluca
Orquestra Sinfonica Juvenil de Toluca
Orquestra Sinfonica Juvenil de FONCA
Orquestra Sinfonica Carlos Chavez

Recent Adventures in Musicland

The Bookstore Cafe, Camden East

On Friday Alberto and I were invited by my uncle Bob and aunt Patsy to accompany them to one of their favourite places--The Bookstore Cafe in Camden East. After a simple, but okay/good meal, we stayed for the Friday night show. Nudie and the Turks, an old-style country band, put on an amazing show to the small audience. Unlike anything Alberto

Nudie

had ever heard, he was especially taken with the fiddler's (Gordie

MacKeeman) unorthodox technique including behind the back and his ability to produce a variety of sounds from the instrument (including something sounding like a train).

Nudie and the Turks

Gordie played so intensely and vigorously, the hairs on his bow were flying with ever draw. We tried convincing him to let us rehair it that night, but I guess he was off to another city that night and was having a bow with synthetic fibre sent to him via mail.

All in all, the evening was incredibly fun and we were a bit reluctant to leave the cozy cafe and step back out into the cool and rainy night.

Cubafest Kingston was a week long event that brought the Latin American population of Kingston out of the woodwork and into the streets. No fiddlers or violinists here, Alberto volunteered and was assigned the task of helping the bands set up in Market Square. Being his naturally friendly self, he managed to immediately make friends with the percussionist (Cancan) and bring him home for dinner. Alberto also gave away our small TV and secondhand DVD player to Cancan who cannot get such things so easily at home.

Los Naranjos has what I guess must be a typical Cuban sound that is similar to

Cubafest band Los Naranjos play in Market Square, Kingston

the more familiar group, The Buenavista Social Club. The band from Cienfuegos was formed in 1926, though obviously does not have all the original players. That said, the singer is 95 years old and at least was alive when the group was formed.

Alberto and I spent Cubafest dancing amongst a crowd, some of which were better dancers and so many others who had the spirit to try Salsa or just move their bodies with the music.

So now, with contacts in Cuba, Alberto is planning a trip--more wishful thinking than reality.