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I know there are a few posts about "schools" 'round the globe. I was wondering if anyone know of a university or college program that had flamenco as a curriculum.
I've got this money from serving in the military good for college degree programs, etc.. anyhow, would be nice to use on something fun.
"In 1981 he founded the Centro Flamenco Paco Peña in Cordoba , later becoming Artistic Director of the Córdoba International Guitar Festival. Plans are underway for a new educational initiative in Peña’s hometown, complementing his work as the world’s first Professor of Flamenco Guitar, a role established in 1985 at Rotterdam Conservatory in the Netherlands."
RE: Flamenco degree, diploma, certif... (in reply to pensoso)
Hello The University of WI Milwaukee offers a 4 year performance guitar degree with a speciality in flamenco. The professor who teaches flamenco is an awesome teacher, and an even better player. I am lucky to take private lessons with him. I have one friend who took the program and learned quite a lot. Hope this helps. John
Posts: 1812
Joined: Nov. 8 2010
From: London (living in the Bay Area)
RE: Flamenco degree, diploma, certif... (in reply to Richard Jernigan)
I know Paco’s publicity says that , but was he really the world’s first Professor of Flamenco Guitar? Manuel Cano was supposedly such a professor in Granada in the ’60s…
Posts: 15725
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC
RE: Flamenco degree, diploma, certif... (in reply to Paul Magnussen)
Juan Serrano also has an honorary Dr. Not sure from what institution. I think maybe Paco is first to get it from BERKLEY school of music which is a prestigious conservatory like Juliard for classical students. Vai and Dimeola both went to Berkley for example.
Anyway back to Juan Serrano, I was impressed that his course for getting a degree in guitar included a fair mix of both classical and flamenco, with emphasis on flamenco (Cal state Fresno CA.) Since he has retired Corey Whitehead took over the class and even though his level was or is not at Juan's, when I went there for a workshop in 2008, I was impressed with the level of the students and curriculm. Not sure how it's going now but for sure it's worth to check it out.
RE: Flamenco degree, diploma, certif... (in reply to Ricardo)
quote:
Anyway back to Juan Serrano, I was impressed that his course for getting a degree in guitar included a fair mix of both classical and flamenco, with emphasis on flamenco (Cal state Fresno CA.) Since he has retired Corey Whitehead took over the class and even though his level was or is not at Juan's, when I went there for a workshop in 2008, I was impressed with the level of the students and curriculm. Not sure how it's going now but for sure it's worth to check it out.
Last I heard there is a specialization in Flamenco - and they were trying to get a special section in the library set up for Manolo Sanlucar's works.
RE: Flamenco degree, diploma, certif... (in reply to pensoso)
The University of Cordoba has some sort of guitar qualification. I met an Italian music teacher who took it. Expect you would have to have good Spanish.
...and he answers a question I asked in a different thread:
"- El objetivo de bastantes jóvenes solo pasa por ser concertistas de guitarra. ¿Falta interés por el acompañamiento al cante y baile?
- El flamenco hay que mamarlo conviviendo, viviendo, experimentando. Esa situación se daba hace años... Yo aprendí a tocar jugando, sin ser consciente de cómo era el proceso.Teniamos tanta facilidad en el acceso a peñas, para acompañar a cantaores y aficionados, estábamos en el meollo, pero la realidad de hoy es diferente porque muchos de los que empiezan están más pendientes del resultado final de un disco de Paco de Lucía, Vicente Amigo o Tomatito, que son sus únicos referentes. No forma parte de su día a día el estar con el cante, el baile, acompañando en peñas, academias u otros lugares. El cante es esencial porque la guitarra flamenca es en principio de acompañamiento y posteriormente a lo largo de su evolución se hace solista. Es la culminación para quien pueda hacerlo y tenga talento para ello. Todos los grandes han sido excelentes guitarristas de acompañamiento antes de ser solistas."
RE: Flamenco degree, diploma, certif... (in reply to Ricardo)
PdL has an honorary doctorate from the Berklee College of Music in Boston. Berklee (yes, with two e's at the end) is primarily a jazz/contemporary/commercial music school and while good, it's hardly on par with Juilliard (and that's with an extra i and two l's btw). Berklee offers a bachelor's degree and a performance diploma program but they do not award real doctoral degrees.
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Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC
RE: Flamenco degree, diploma, certif... (in reply to C. Vega)
quote:
ORIGINAL: C. Vega
PdL has an honorary doctorate from the Berklee College of Music in Boston. Berklee (yes, with two e's at the end) is primarily a jazz/contemporary/commercial music school and while good, it's hardly on par with Juilliard (and that's with an extra i and two l's btw). Berklee offers a bachelor's degree and a performance diploma program but they do not award real doctoral degrees.
well, by "prestigious" I was refering to the types of graduates or students it attracks. Did you attend both schools to make the claim Juilliard is better? Or you assume because you feel classical music is superior to "jazz/commercial/contemporary"?
I have a degree from a music school, but honestly the only two "diplomas" I value are my Budweiser Beer school diploma I got from Busch Gardens theme park, and my first Diploma from Gerardo's Curso back in 1999. Got em both framed.
Seriously when it comes to guitar, the only "school" I would have loved to attend was GIT part of MI in Hollywood, where the amazing Paul Gilbert graduated and taught with his fellow bandmates from Racer-X. Really seemed amazing, even if to the nerds of academia feel it is a "joke". AS it turns out I learned that Jose Tanaka came to hollywood for that exact reason, to study with the likes of Paul Gilbert etc.....later returning to his "roots" which are flamenco and has made quite a success with music since then. I feel some truly high level acedmic type course schooling for music drives the graduates not to success as musicians so much as recycling the idea of teaching. So you feel at the time you get your "degree" you need to find a job and that means teaching music, not playing necessarily.
I am now curious which successful guitarists are Jewel eee yard grads vs the other mentioned "looked down upon" conservatories or simply self taught? I am sure despite the importance or supposed level of such shool programs, the later has a higher % of top pros.
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Joined: Aug. 30 2008
From: Boston, MA, U.S.A
RE: Flamenco degree, diploma, certif... (in reply to Doitsujin)
quote:
sure dude...flamenco diploma...(shaking head)
LOL! that's doit for you.
quote:
the only two "diplomas" I value are my Budweiser Beer school diploma I got from Busch Gardens theme park, and my first Diploma from Gerardo's Curso back in 1999.
Posts: 15725
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC
RE: Flamenco degree, diploma, certif... (in reply to C. Vega)
quote:
ORIGINAL: C. Vega
....the types of graduates or students it attracks? Good grief.
Good grief? Not all students graduate before becoming successful in music. You think the best musicians only come out of the BEST school? Good grief officer SPEL CHEQUE
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Joined: Jan. 20 2004
From: Austin, Texas USA
RE: Flamenco degree, diploma, certif... (in reply to Ricardo)
Well. from Juilliard there's Kevin Gallagher, a really great classical guitarist and......er, um,......Leo Brouwer? But he studied composition under Persichetti, not guitar, and then there's........um, let's see.....anyone else?
Posts: 15725
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC
RE: Flamenco degree, diploma, certif... (in reply to Richard Jernigan)
quote:
ORIGINAL: Richard Jernigan
Well. from Juilliard there's Kevin Gallagher, a really great classical guitarist and......er, um,......Leo Brouwer? But he studied composition under Persichetti, not guitar, and then there's........um, let's see.....anyone else?
RNJ
Well, I am sure GREAT guitarists have come out of there, but I refered to SUCCESSFUL guitarists. Kathrine Thomas AKA "the great Kat" comes from Jewel EEEE yard, but don't feel she was as successful as , Paul Gilbert , Vinnie Moore, Al Di Meola, Frank Gambale or Steve VAI.
Posts: 4530
Joined: Aug. 9 2006
From: Iran (living in Germany)
RE: Flamenco degree, diploma, certif... (in reply to Ricardo)
quote:
ORIGINAL: Ricardo
Not all students graduate before becoming successful in music. You think the best musicians only come out of the BEST school? Good grief officer SPEL CHEQUE
I don't know if this is true in General but what i have observed is that most of these "professors" ( i say most, not all!) know a lot about theory. But when you tell them "wow you know a lot , great, now please play some bulerias", then they can't play a simple falsetta in compas. Again, i am not talking about c. vega or anybody here, just what my personal experience is with two "music professors" i met
But then again, some gypsies who were not even in normal school (not to speak of special music schools) just play something and you are like "wow, holy crap".
So i think school is good, but has nothing to do with being a good player
Posts: 2008
Joined: Jul. 12 2004
From: San Francisco
RE: Flamenco degree, diploma, certif... (in reply to Ricardo)
If your talking strickly guitarists with commercial success, then I think you do have to give the nod to berkelee or GIT, but if your talking musicians in general who went on to careers in music that include classical performance and teaching, I'd put my money of Jeweleard :-)
As far as a degree in flamenco.................I'm all for learning anyway you can, but it doesn't seem like the way to go IMO.
quote:
ORIGINAL: Ricardo
quote:
ORIGINAL: Richard Jernigan
Well. from Juilliard there's Kevin Gallagher, a really great classical guitarist and......er, um,......Leo Brouwer? But he studied composition under Persichetti, not guitar, and then there's........um, let's see.....anyone else?
RNJ
Well, I am sure GREAT guitarists have come out of there, but I refered to SUCCESSFUL guitarists. Kathrine Thomas AKA "the great Kat" comes from Jewel EEEE yard, but don't feel she was as successful as , Paul Gilbert , Vinnie Moore, Al Di Meola, Frank Gambale or Steve VAI.
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Good grief officer SPEL CHEQUE 
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