Choron or Corun in the Middle Ages, Chicotén or Salterio in Aragon, Ttun ttun in the Basque Country, Tamborin in Gascony... The name doesn't matter.
A string drum lasts a life time... and longer. It's important to make a good choice, to keep in mind the reliability, sonority, aesthetics and functionality.
Many professional and amateur musicians have entrusted me with their instruments.
I invite you to benefit from more than 40 years of experience as luthier and professional musician.
I've always tried to give personality to my creations. All my instruments are unique and reflect the personality of their future owners in the best way. Musicians in my region have always expressed their identity by means of their instruments.
The aim of my job is to perpetuate this ancestral tradition.. I don't try to copy traditional designs from Gascony or other places. However, they are usually a source of inspiration for me.
Before building an instrument, I study the future owner's wishes. I make some suggestions or examine his proposals.
This way, I've researched the creation of "contemporary" instruments, far from traditional or classic models.
RÉSUMÉ
Expert in Gascon music.
I play and design:
-Three-holed flutes and string drum
-Boha (Gascon bagpipe)
-Hurdy gurdy
-Caremèra (rural Gascon clarinet)
-Gascon traditional percussion
LUTHERY and Research on Instruments
-String drum maker since 1977
-Many professional and amateur musicians have requested my services
-A range of studies on instrument construction:
oboes / simple reeds / string drums / traditional percussion instruments /
bohas / caremèras...
DIPLOMAS and TEACHING
-Teacher of traditional music and certificated musician: Diplômé d'Etat (1980) and Certificat aptitude (2000)
-Founder of the traditional music department of the conservatory of Pau / Pyrénées and of the traditional music classroom of the conservatory of Landes
-Lecturer
-Workshop organizer
-Sociocultural worker
-Promoter of courses in associations of traditional music: Lasseube, Monein, Valle de Aspe,
Tarbes (school and conservatory of Tarbes)
-I've researched traditional repertory
Artistic activities
-Founder and active member of Xarnege, a band which performs many concerts in France and outside (Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Switzerland, Canada, Mexico, Tunisia, Greece, Italy, Morocco...)
-Founder of many dance, song and concert bands, such as Canicula, Verd e
blu, Mesclam ....
-I've participated in and produced many albums
-I've carried out some educational projects and participated in many cultural and artistic performances.
Some other activities
-Sculpture
-Instalation of sound structures
