Interview with Javier Conde, Bordón Minero 2004

“Playing
guitar is the equivalent of having three professions”

In his twelve years playing guitar Javier Conde
Santos, only fifteen, has had many adjectives
applied to his playing that reveal his magical
affinity with the instrument: “young prodigy”,
“virtuoso”, “artistically mature”.
His most recent triumph, achieved just last Saturday,
is first prize at the 25th International Flamenco
Guitar Contest within the Festival de Cante de
las Minas where he carried off the coveted “Bordón
Minero” and a cash award of 3,600 euros.

With this, the young guitarist has a guaranteed
future and consolidates his artistic reputation,
because as his proud father says, “this
is the first time in history anyone so young has
been given first prize at this festival”.
But four years ago he already surprised a lot
of people when at the age of only eleven he made
it to the finals and carried off second prize
in a performance that was the harbinger of last
week’s success. Despite his youth, Javier
Conde is no longer a “young hopeful”
but a convincing reality in his own right, capable
of expressing with 6 strings everything his age
prevents him speaking with words.

“His phrasing
makes the music sing” Norberto
Torres, guitarist, musicologist and flamenco expert

How does it feel to
have won the Bordón Minero?
I’m thrilled with this prize because it’s
the contest’s highest honor, and I’m
the youngest person to receive it.

What pieces did you
play in the contest?
An obligatory taranta, and zapateado.

What do you like playing
most?
There are several things, the rhythmic forms,
bulerías…also granaínas…[“But
he plays everything” adds his father José
Antonio Conde, “because he’s still
in the formative stages”]

Who’s your role
model on the guitar?
There are several….I like Serranito, Sabicas,
Paco de Lucía… A number of people, mostly
straightforward classic flamenco. There are others
who play very well although they’re not
my favorites, like Vicente Amigo.

You’ve already
shared the stage with some of the greats…
Yeah, when I was 9 or 10 I played with Manolo
Sanlúcar, Manolete, Lebrijano…

Are you still in a formative
period?
I’m going to try keep studying flamenco,
to enhance my career and make some headway.

How
do you manage with your regular studies?
Not too well, because it’s a lot of hours,
I have to go to the conservatory…

Is there any time for
friends?
Not a great deal, practicing takes a lot of time.

How many hours do you
practice every day?
Between four and five hours, seven days a week.
[“He takes off Sunday sometimes” adds
his dad].

What does playing guitar
mean to you?
Playing the guitar is like a job, but it’s
the equivalent of having three professions, because
one field takes maybe six years at most to study,
but this goes on for your whole life, every day,
if you want to play professionally.

Is there any incentive
to help you prepare here in Cáceres?
The truth is, flamenco is not a prime objective
in Extremadura as much as other activities, all
we have is some peñas, nothing else.

Is being so young an
advantage, a disadvantage or neither?
It has its pros and cons. I’ve gone to contests
where people say “it’s not possible
for an eleven-year-old to play well” [he’s
referring to the year 2000 when he competed at
the Festival de Cante de las Minas for the first
time], but I came in second place, so they had
to think twice. People don’t understand
how at 15 I can play what I do [and the boy speaks
at length about society’s prejudice against
young people].

But they have to eat
their words when you pick up the guitar and play…
Yeah…[he smiles and nods]