Masterclass: Flamenco violin

I first discovered Flamenco when I moved to Spain in 1999. I immediately realised that the style wasn’t just about music or dancing, but instead about instinct and what is known as duende, a uniquely Spanish idea that equates to ‘soul’. I hung around in tablaos (flamenco clubs) and tried to play along, but it was very frustrating – although I was classically trained, I couldn’t understand the structure of flamenco rhythm and nobody was able to explain it to me because flamenco musicians don’t read music. So I started to play along with guitarists, dancers and singers without trying to understand what I was doing – the main thing was to enjoy it. As I had no frame of reference for flamenco violin, I had to feel my way – I decided not to try to imitate the guitar or the voice, but to use the technical and expressive possibilities that the violin offers to try to invent my own flamenco sound.

To read the full article subscribe to The Strad Click here to subscribe