Chaconne Klaverenga was born in 1992, international classical guitar champion Chaconne Klaverenga began studying piano at age 2 and guitar at age 6. In 2007 she won the Society of American Musicians Classical Guitar Competition, senior division, in Chicago, IL; Rantucci International Classical Guitar Competition, youth division, in Buffalo, NY; and the East Carolina University Classical Guitar Competition, youth division, in Greenville, NC. In 2008 she finished 2nd in the Columbus State University Classical Guitar Competition, division 2, in Columbus, GA. Recently, she won the 2008 Division II competition for 15 to 18 year olds at the Appalachian State Guitarfest and Competition in Boone, NC. She studies privately with Denis Azabagic and Anne Waller in Chicago, IL. She lives in Lafayette, IN

Here are her comments on the Blackshear classical guitar:

I have tried many, many guitars in festivals and competitions, but none I have liked more than my Thomas Blackshear guitar. It has a wonderful, warm tone that sounds perfect for baroque, classical, Spanish, and modern eras. The strings are balanced--the deep, powerful basses are equal with the clear trebles. The problem with most guitars is that the G string sounds either too dull or tinny compared to the rest. The G string on my guitar is perfect, one of the things that makes it stand out from most guitars. Many players (even some big name performers) ask me who built my guitar. The powerful projection fills large concert halls and reaches the ears of the listeners up in the balconies. When I got this guitar in Chicago, I tried almost every guitar in the shop--some that even went up to $35,000 (and others to $50,000) and the Blackshear guitar exceeded those guitars' qualities greatly. It certainly has all the qualities that a concert level guitar requires and I highly recommend these guitars to anyone--students, competitors, teachers, performers, and masters!

Chaconne: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGlcOi0DVtM

Spruce Top flamenco, Sold

"Spanish Sound"

When Man ponders his past, he is made aware of the many influences that have shaped his destiny. In a similar way, the country of Spain has developed amid romanticism, war and religion. Cultural influences as diverse as Hebraic chant, Christian devoutness, and Islamic architecture have become embedded over many centuries in the Spanish culture and have forged Spain's proud tradition. Unique among its many remarkable masterpieces is the Spanish guitar. This instrument has truly stirred the very depths of emotion.

The intricate construction methods of this fine instrument have been handed down from father to son. Many of these proprietary methods were quietly kept in families of artisans for generations, only to slip into the hands of the few talented apprentices who acquired enough intuitive skills to possess it for themselves. In the hands of these capable and enterprising luthiers, the Spanish guitar was born. It still sounds, looks, and feels much like it did from the beginning, and very few non-Spaniards have been able to capture its essence. To this present day, some of the instruments of these master craftsmen are highly prized and sought after.

In the 40 years of my search for the unique voice in this instrument, I have come to the conclusion that the Spanish guitar builders appear to have reached a balance between tradition and design and are moving no further with it. Their understanding is that the traditional guitar is a completed work, and they deal with it in an appropriate manner, contenting themselves with making small adjustments on the inside to find ways to improve its tonal quality.

The practice of fine-tuning the sound has existed for centuries in Spain but has been overlooked by most American luthiers until just recently. Because of this, guitars closer to the traditional Spanish sound have been appearing from American workshops. This has brought the guitar to another level for the American luthier. Now, with new technology we can take a closer look at the work of the old Spanish masters and gain insight into what, at least according to some, were closely guarded fine-tuning secrets. Whether by using this technology, we can actually find the ultimate value of these secrets remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: It has widened the supply side of the market with some remarkable sounding guitars.

One wonders what the Spaniards may think of it. I doubt that they feel threatened, for they understand that technical efficiency is incomplete without certain intuitive skills. Science can create and assist the element of design but is incapable of the human touch. With practicing the art of fine-tuning, builders will sometimes think that they have arrived at perfection, only to find it to be elusive. I can recall times when I made an adjustment inside the top, and the sound would be next to perfect. I would attempt one last adjustment, reaching for a little more and lose it. I would have to spend days trying to find the sound again.

Just thinking how to gain clarity with "the perfect sound" drives us to search for a way to capture its essence. Sometimes clarity comes in unexpected moments and is lost in the same breath. This is what makes guitar building challenging. When the fan bracing of the top communicates in perfect sequence, the instrument responds in total harmony. But we must first gain exposure to the most valued examples of guitar sound before we can achieve this tonal purity. I have spent years experimenting with fine-tuning, and although there are alternate ways to tune a guitar, there is but one way to achieve greatness: poco a poco.

In this age of instant gratification, it's difficult to imagine spending so many hours learning rudimentary guitar building skills. But it is my belief that if guitar builders are thoroughly equipped in learning the basics of the historical luthier's standard designs, they can then move on to alternate designs with more proficiency. Understanding the past will help us gain clarity for the future. With each instrument that he builds, the luthier grows to understand more completely his calling.

With this information, I'm willing to share my techniques with others in the hopes of building a lasting impression of the necessity for the Spanish arts. Certainly we can go on to other things, but first let us learn from those who have set a foundation for excellence.

Tom Blackshear Email: tguitars@texas.net