Workshop - The art of creating instruments
Luthier - Leonardo Afonso
Saturday | 28th of May | 11:30H to 13:30H
“There is nothing more fascinating then transforming materials into something as noble and beautiful as a musical instrument. Starting with a tree, simple and raw, and ending up with such a delicate and capable work of art, is really extraordinary”, reveals Leonardo Afonso, luthier that will be present at the Festival Aqui e Acolá, to demonstrate how to build an instrument by hand.
Leonardo Afonso has been creating mandolins, portuguese guitars and classical guitars by hand for over 4 years. This means that the construction is not done in series, giving space for greater attention and care through all the process, achieving better finishing details, more uniformity in the various parts that make up an instrument and, consequently, better sound quality.
A fundamental part an instrument creation is its customization, because human diversity is immense and all musicians have their preferences. Leonardo Afonso seeks to discover the individual needs of each person and make the instrument as comfortable as possible, adapting it to its owner.
Leonardo Afonso decided to become a luthier about 4 years ago and began to take his first steps in the construction «like-guitar» instruments with Master Carlos Jorge, one of the most distinguished luthier in Madeira.
In Coimbra Leonardo became a student of luthier Eduardo Loio, where he perfected the art of building some Portuguese chordophones. Later, he went to Granada - Spain to better understand the artisanal manufacture of classical guitars, with the luthier Pavel Gavryushov, based for more than 16 years in the world’s capital of guitar construction.
He currently has his own studio and become a specialist in the construction of mandolin, portuguese guitar, classical guitar and cavaquinho.
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