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