During this month of January, on the 16th and 17th, the 5th Flamenco Guitar Convention City of Huelva in the Platero Room of the Cajasol FoundationThis convention was masterfully organized by Antonio Dovao Hidalgo, guitarist, composer, teacher and director of the La Cavaera Cultural Association and the online platform Flamenco Guitar CourseDovao has done excellent work for the benefit of the sonanta. He has recorded two albums, The legacy y The Disciple, with touches jondoThey are full of flamenco spirit and reminiscent of the guitar playing of great masters. He is currently immersed in a project called Sound Temples, in which he visits different religious sites and adds his own touch flamenco to a classical vision of the guitar. In addition, he has put together a very carefully curated and, in turn, simply extraordinary program for this event.
The guitar maker participated in the program Anna Espinosa along with the guitarists Antonia Jimenez, Alba Espert, Paola Hermosín y Davinia BallesterosAn event that is becoming increasingly established on the annual guitar calendar, both nationally and internationally. Proof of this is the attendance of guitar students and professionals from around the world. This year we are honored to have the presence of luthiers... Tato Rodriguez, Jose Antonio Gomez, Abraham Ortega, Alberto Pantoja or the teacher Andres Dominguezamong others. And, to everyone's surprise, the presence of Angels Cruzado, journalist and creator of the flamenco guitar series of the Peña Torres Macarena, Woman's Guitar.
Antonia Jiménez Arena, known as Antonia Jiménez, was born in El Puerto de Santa María in 1972. She is one of the most accomplished guitarists and composers on the current scene, considered a pioneer among female guitarists. Antonia began her guitar studies in her hometown at a very young age. She also took lessons from the maestro. Enrique VargasAnd soon he begins working professionally. As a guitarist, he performs in shows with Teresa nieto, the New Spanish Ballet of Rojas and Rodriguez, Chanta La Muí de Daniel Doña, Olga Pericet, Carmen Linares, Pastora Galvan, White of the King, Santiago Lara o Mercedes RuizAmong others. In his lecture, he details his career and the challenges of composing for different shows. In fact, he has composed music for shows such as The white goddess o De Flamenco de Flowers FrameShe gives us an overview of her time performing in flamenco venues like El Corral de la Morería, Casa Patas, and Las Carboneras. In this talk, she champions the role of women guitarists. She reveals the hardships of striving to succeed and speaks of the joy that comes from doing what helps you grow as a person. She concludes her presentation with a touch of authenticity and flamenco spirit.
"The Huelva City Flamenco Guitar Convention is establishing itself as a key event on the national and international guitar calendar. This is evidenced by the attendance of students and professionals from around the world. This year's attendees included luthiers Tato Rodríguez, Jose Antonio Gómez, Abraham Ortega, Alberto Pantoja, and maestro Andrés Domínguez, among others."
Next, Alba Espert offers us an intimate concert. A concert in which the guitar took center stage in the hands of a true guitarist. Alba cherishes every note, arpeggio, strum, or fingerpicking to convey its flamenco essence, demonstrating her passion for the instrument. From her native Jerez to her current home in Córdoba, she has trained with masters such as Manuel Lozano The Carbonero, Jose Luis Balao, José Ignacio Franco, Pura's Child, Manolo Franco, Peter Sierra, Paco Cortes, Rafael Riqueni o Manolo SanlucarIn addition to her proven academic background, she has also received significant awards throughout her career, such as the First Andalusia Young Award in 2022, the prize Vicente Friend of the Youth Competition Flamencoso the special prize in the International Competition Miguel BorrullIn turn, he accompanies leading artists on the scene flamencoAlba captivates us with her renditions of rondeña, granaína, soleá, and peteneras, her musical expression meticulously crafted. Rhythm, melody, and harmony converge on her guitar neck, delighting the audience. A play of timbral intensity, punctuated by guitar melismas, flows from hands that know their craft. And as a grand finale, Alba invites Antonia Jiménez to join her. Together, they perform a bulerías for two guitars, a performance that transports us to the very heart of the rhythm.
Saturday, January 17th, begins with an interesting presentation by Ana Espinosa, a builder of flamenco and classical guitars in the town of Lanjarón, Granada. She works there with her husband. Rene BaarsalgShe began this journey in 1980. Initially, she was guided by the model of Antonio de TorresHowever, driven by her desire to evolve, she gradually developed her own guitar design. Her guitars embody the quality and elegance of pure craftsmanship. They possess a powerful and projecting sound that enhances the richness and vibrancy of each note. They offer comfort to the guitarist, which in turn facilitates playing. Built with a selection of the finest woods, the unique headstock and rosette are further testament to her refined style. Ana provides a detailed overview of the entire construction process, supported by photographic documentation and a series of guitar parts as examples. Her informative talk was a delight for any enthusiast who appreciates both the guitar itself and the process of its construction.
After a break, Paola Hermosín arrives: guitarist, singer, songwriter, and writer. Born in Alcalá de Guadaíra, she has studied music since the age of eight at various music schools and conservatories in Seville. From a young age, she earned excellent grades. At the Francisco Guerrero Professional Conservatory in Seville, she received the Honorary Prize, and she graduated from the Manuel Castillo Higher Conservatory of Seville with honors and an end-of-degree award. She completed her Bachelor's Degree in Primary Education with a specialization in music, achieving a brilliant academic record. In 2019, she earned a Master's Degree in Research and Analysis of FlamencoShe finishes with top marks. These studies do not detract from her achievements in obtaining various important awards in classical guitar. In addition to her work as a teacher at different institutions, her concerts at the national and international levels, her interviews and publications, Paola carries out a YouTube channel one of the most important figures in the guitar world. And as the crowning achievement of his research, he published his book in 2024. Flamenco Guitar and Classical Guitar: Two Different Worlds? Her presentation, brimming with joy, surprised us all with its wealth of information. She traced the lives of countless women who dedicated themselves to the guitar and who went largely unnoticed. And not only from the perspective of classical guitar: she also included flamenco guitarists. Through her research, she highlighted how women throughout history have been interested in musical culture, and the world of the guitar was no exception. With exquisite and elegant handling of the instrument, she provided examples of her points. She closed her masterful presentation with a sublime touch: a fantasy composed and arranged by her, in which classical and contemporary elements converge. flamenco in an extraordinary way.
The convention, before the gathering at the La Cavaera Cultural Association, was brought to a close in exceptional fashion by Davinia Ballesteros. Davinia is a guitarist from Malaga, now based in Jerez. And she comes from a truly remarkable flamenco family. She is the wife of Isaac Moreno and the teacher's daughter-in-law Fernando MorenoThe couple runs the Fernando Moreno Guitar School. His academic background is noteworthy, including a diploma in Music Education and degrees in Classical Guitar and Flamenco Guitar. His desire to grow as a guitarist has led him to take courses with the most prestigious classical and flamenco guitarists. flamencoas well as her collaborations and concerts worldwide. Davinia explores the roots of flamenco guitar in a superb presentation, full of visual examples presented in a superior and educational digital projection. The guitarist provided the sound examples majestically. Her presentation highlights Davinia's ability to adapt to interpreting both classical and flamenco works, as well as her explanations of the guitar's historical evolution. The evolutionary breakdown of the guitar over time was made engaging, interesting, and educational. It immersed us all in a magnificent historical and musical atmosphere. She concluded with a rendition of rondeñas in which the pellizco and the flamenco soul. Just like those fandangos in Torres MacarenaThrough its strings, it reveals a touch full of authenticity, without artifice. A language in which the flamenco through fingerpicking, thumb picking, strumming, tremolos, or arpeggios. Simply put, the true essence of flamenco on a woman's guitar. ♦
