Hours of sweet melodies will waft from the grounds of the Centro Cultural González Gallo on Wednesday, June 3, as the 24th edition of Chapala’s annual Encuentro de Arpas, Salterios y Más is underway.
English speakers may refer to the event as the Harp Music Fest, but the Spanish title “encuentro” more accurately describes its essence. It is an “encounter” among the dozens of performers, and an encounter between the musicians and the large audience of music lovers in attendance.
The Encuentro originated in 2007, when a small group of folk harp players gathered in San Miguel Cuyutlán near Lake Cajititlán for an informal and convivial exchange of knowledge and techniques. It was hosted by Gustavo Sánchez Ramírez and his son Gustavo Sánchez Bautista, the singular harp duo called Los Centenarios. The driving force behind that original encounter was Californian William Faulkner, a folk harp enthusiast keen to hone his repertoire and plucking skills through interaction with other masters of the genre.
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