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Sanlucar (Gerardo Nunez) and other flamenco guitar courses in Spain
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BarkellWH
Posts: 3459
Joined: Jul. 12 2009
From: Washington, DC
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 Sanlucar (Gerardo Nunez) and other f...
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I became a member of the forum about three months ago and have posted a couple of comments. For those who may have missed my introduction, I am a retired U.S. Foreign Service Officer( living in the Washington, DC area) who spent most of my career working in maritime Southeast Asia, but also had a couple of assignments in Latin America. I now do consulting gigs for the U.S. State Department and, occasionally, with a contractor. Since the age of 17, I have played simple, three-chord "folk" guitar but have always loved flamenco. For the past few years, I have been taking flamenco guitar lessons from Paco de Malaga here in Washington and would describe myself as being at the very low intermediate level (or high beginners level!). At my age, it does not come easily!!!
I have read many comments on the forum about the annual flamenco guitar course provided by Gerardo Nunez in Sanlucar. I am interested in taking a course in Spain, and wonder if that would be appropriate for me. Is it a substantial course? Judging from the comments, it sounds like a lot of fun (fine with me!), but would someone like me benefit from it? Are there other courses that anyone can suggest as well? How does one "sign up" for Gerardo Nunez's course in San Lucar? Finally, I am thinking about spending three months or so in Spain, taking guitar lessons and absorbing the local culture (I speak Spanish). Any courses designed for a longer-term student?
I would appreciate any advice and suggestions. Many thanks.
Cheers,
Bill
_____________________________
And the end of the fight is a tombstone white,
With the name of the late deceased,
And the epitaph drear, "A fool lies here,
Who tried to hustle the East."
--Rudyard Kipling
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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |
Date Nov. 15 2009 6:23:16
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Brendan
Posts: 355
Joined: Oct. 30 2010
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RE: Sanlucar (Gerardo Nunez) and oth... (in reply to Manitas de Lata)
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When I was there in 2013, with Stu, the advanced class was first, at ten (?) and the intermediate class was at noon (I think). But quite a few people who ought to have been in the advanced class came to the later, intermediate class because they’d been up all night jamming in Contratiempo (the bar). Well I’m guessing that was the reason. So the distinction between the classes got kinda smudged. Tino was doing the catch-up and consolidation class.
It was a week-long wallow in flamenco and there are a few bits I still play that I learned. But I didn’t play my guitar much that week because I didn’t have the chops to participate in the jam sessions, and in the classes, you mostly watch and film. There was quite definitely an inner circle of regulars and high-level players, and I came home knowing where I was located.
I also felt that in the final hour of his four-hour teaching stint (i.e. the second half of my class), Gerardo was visibly tired and losing concentration.
The really useful thing for me was the accompaniment class with Antonio Carrión. I would have preferred just to do that, and participate in the evening stuff.
It’s not a course. It’s a festival/conference with some demonstrations. I can see myself going again for the joy of being neck-deep in flamenco for a week, without setting any learning goals.
_____________________________
https://sites.google.com/site/obscureflamencology/
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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |
Date Jan. 27 2024 22:44:46
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Ricardo
Posts: 14828
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC
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RE: Sanlucar (Gerardo Nunez) and oth... (in reply to Manitas de Lata)
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Amigo, you go there and learn. Learn what? It is up to YOU what you need to learn. Most important for me was the first time I went, I had some chops already, but there were guys in class next to me that I could maybe out play, yet they were learning much much faster than me. This is what happened to Javier Conde. What we learn there is not just falsetas and compas, we learn HOW TO LEARN flamenco. It is a discipline and if you have not ever studied this art form in spain, it is something to get used to. After Gerardo’s accident, (loss of index finger control), the super advanced guitar technique thing was no longer part of the course as it had been. So why did I continue going? To be honest it is this same thing about learning flamenco, not just techniques. The inspiration is the main thing for me. I can’t get that in any other environment honestly. Gerardo opens that door to this exclusive, elite world of art and you are free to participate to whatever capacity you are able or desire. I am the one who started the Contratiempo thing, because I personal needed more than just the evening juerga. People started following me over to Raquel’s bar and we would continue the LEARNING process (and sharing or teaching to others). People who go to spain without a guitar, or don’t open their guitar case when the opportunity arises, are just afraid to learn the way I see it.
The truth is, it does get exhausting. So even myself, who wants every last drop of the lemon that Gerardo has to offer at such a low price, I try to go to every class, hungover or not, but there might be one day I miss, sleeping in. It is still worth it. In fact it is SO inspiring to me, that I used to go to both classes. He stopped allowing me to have a guitar in the second class because he does not like if some people learn too quick and push the class. That is what he wants only in the advanced class….fast learning. So he can teach his own pieces. The lower level class is traditional fundamental material. Ironically, I realized from that class that I had MUCH MORE to learn about fundamental material of the tradition, than advanced stuff. So I sit in that class and learn with out my guitar (mental air guitar if you want) and go back to my hotel and practice that stuff. 90% of that material I have found useful in practical applications back home. Of course there are students that are not yet ready for even that basic stuff yet, and that is OK too. Again, learning HOW to learn flamenco is the main point. If there is no repetition class from Tino anymore, there are people there that will have it and you can learn it and practice it with them. It is not a game to try and make your 300 bucks count the most. Everybody has something to gain.
_____________________________
CD's and transcriptions available here:
www.ricardomarlow.com
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Date Jan. 28 2024 16:21:42
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