Interview with Paco Fernández. Flamenco Guitar Master class

Coming from a long line of flamenco performers and bullfighters, Francisco Fernández Vargas, “Paco Fernández” (Seville, 1967), has just presented his interactive guitar-teaching method with DVD from “La Sonanta”.

The official presentation took place January 31st at the Casa de la Provincia in Sevilla.

How long have you been teaching guitar?
I have to admit that teaching guitar was something that had never occurred to me.  It’s not that I don’t like it, but I just hadn’t considered it.  About ten years ago, at the Albuquerque flamenco festival along with Manolo Soler, I had to explain to the people attending, nearly all dance students, the rhythmic differences between the styles of Lebrija, Morón and Sevilla, something which got through to them and greatly improved the results of the guitarists and dancers in attendance.

That’s what got me started in teaching, I enjoyed making lessons so that people could understand flamenco better.  I’ve had students ever since then, and it’s been very rewarding teaching some of them, like right now, I have a Japanese girl who plays guitar like crazy.  And now I’ve got this DVD with original material of my own.

What would you highlight about this work?
It’s a DVD in High Definition, with simply spectacular sound and image.  There are four pieces from my record “Sastipén Talí”, siguiriya, bulería, soleá por bulería and the alegrias that give the album its title.  There’s also an interview, a family fiesta with unpublished material that doesn’t appear in the transcriptions, and a book of sheet music I consider very accurate for the four compositions.  Everything’s there, exactly the way I play it.

And something especially noteworthy?
I can only say it’s dead on, no ifs ands or buts.  Paco Lucía himself, when I told him about this new work, he asked me if the transcriptions were good, because he’d had bad experiences in that respect.  It often happens that what’s written and what you hear on the original recording have little to do with each other, but in this case the results are perfect.

I’m very grateful for the work done by “La Sonanta”, and especially Gerardo, the person in charge of all this.  A terrific flamenco connoisseur with a fabulous collection of guitars who does everything in his power to spread the flamenco word throughout the world.

What’s your target audience with this teaching DVD?
You might think it’s for advanced guitarists, since there are four complete pieces as I mentioned.  But there’s more than that, there are picado and arpeggio exercises, one which is titled “A Mi Aire” which is an excellent warm-up.  There’s also advice about positioning, technical details in general and the option of a divided screen to see clearly how to place each hand with precision.  In other words, it’s also useful for beginners.

For someone who doesn’t know you, who is Paco Fernández?
I’m a guitarist from a family with a long flamenco and bullfighting tradition, because on my father’s side are the Caganchos, Gitanillo de Triana…  I began playing guitar very young, in fact I remember always having played.  And singing, because at eleven I used to like to sing some siguiriyas…you might say I’m a frustrated singer.

My uncle Rafael Vargas was my first teacher, that’s where I began picking up material by ear.  My father saw I would be able to make a living this way, and he took me to a teacher, Miguel Pérez, whom I’m very fond of.  I was with him for a few years.  Then I went off on my own path, although I had a great deal of contact with Rafael Riqueni who also gave me classes, and with whom I played second guitar for a few years.

Some people say I have some elements close to rock music in my playing, it’s possible, because I’ve always had close contact with the Amador family, Raimundo and Rafael, good friends ever since the times of the Gitanillos tablao in Camas.

Paco Fernández is the second sibling of four, the oldest is my sister Esperanza, the singer, and then my younger brother and sister, José and Curra, all with flamenco running through their veins.  Generally speaking, I’ve played for dance companies, like Joaquín Cortés, with whom I spent three years and to whom I am profoundly grateful.  I’ve also composed…such as for my record “Sastipén Talí”.

Where is the future of Paco Fernández?
I’m playing guitar a lot thanks to the Instituto Cervantes.  Not long ago we were in Brazil and Algeria, and in a few months we’re going to Japan…Tokyo and Hiroshima.  I’d also like to record some new pieces I’ve been composing.  But the world of recording companies is very difficult, with little stimulus for guitarists, so we have to bear the entire cost of the process.  This is something we must try to change.