The event will bring together concerts, exhibitions, talks, round tables and training activities to showcase the timple and its role in Canarian musical identity
The Cabildo de Fuerteventura presented the programme for the 3rd National Timple Gathering (III Encuentro Nacional del Timple) on Monday, which will take place from 22 to 25 October with a wide range of activities centred on this instrument and the musical traditions of the Canary Islands. The presentation was attended by the island’s president, Lola García; the Councillor for Culture, Rayco León; timple player Domingo ‘El Colorao’, representing the Asociación Nacional del Timple (National Timple Association); and Marcos Hormiga, author of the publication linked to the gathering.
Organised by the Cabildo de Fuerteventura’s Department of Culture as part of the programme of the Palacio de Formación y Congresos de Fuerteventura (Fuerteventura’s Training and Conference Centre), and coordinated with the Asociación Nacional del Timple, the gathering aims to promote this instrument as a defining feature of Canarian music and popular culture, while also offering spaces for learning, the exchange of knowledge and the showcasing of new musical projects.
During the presentation, the president of the Cabildo, Lola García, highlighted the value of the timple as part of the Canary Islands’ collective memory and the importance of bringing it closer to younger generations. “There are instruments that make music, and others, like the timple, that tell the stories of a people—the stories of our people. Let’s keep making it sound, keep making it move people, so that new generations of majoreros and Canarians feel increasingly proud to be Canarian,” she said.
For his part, the Councillor for Culture, Rayco León, noted that “the timple is one of the most distinctive elements of traditional Canarian music and has a potential we are often unaware of. That’s why it’s important to create spaces for reflection, knowledge-sharing and outreach around this instrument.”
Timple player Domingo ‘El Colorao’ highlighted the variety of the programme and the aim of extending some of its activities beyond the four days of the gathering. “We’re approaching this edition with great enthusiasm and new challenges. We want the timple to reach new generations and for the gathering to continue throughout the year, with activities in schools and student participation,” he said.
Marcos Hormiga, meanwhile, highlighted the publication dedicated to the timple, which brings together contributions from people linked to its history, construction and performance. “It’s a unique experience in the Canary Islands, as no magazine had ever been dedicated exclusively to our region’s national instrument. This second issue charts its history and its future prospects,” he said.
Four days of activities centred on the timple
The programme, which can be viewed at https://culturafuerteventura.es/agenda-ftv/, will kick off on Thursday 22 October at 12.00pm with the opening of the gathering and the presentation of the second issue of ‘Cuaderno del Timple’, in the Sala Chillida at the Palacio de Formación y Congresos de Fuerteventura. That same afternoon, at 4.00pm, the exhibition ‘Timple, tradición y vanguardia’ (‘Timple, Tradition and Avant-Garde’) will open, featuring craftsman David Sánchez, showcasing the evolution of construction techniques for the instrument and the dialogue between traditional methods and new manufacturing trends.
Thursday’s programme will continue with a workshop on making timples from recycled materials, led by Adán Moreno, at 5.00pm at the Escuela Insular de Música (Island School of Music). The day’s events will close with a concert by Pino&Pino at 8.30pm in the Sala Sinfónica at the Palacio de Formación y Congresos, featuring a musical performance that incorporates the charango and connects Andean tradition with other repertoires.
Friday 23 October will open with the talk ‘El charango o guitarra barroca de los Andes’ (‘The charango, or baroque guitar of the Andes’), given by Andrés Pino, at 12.00pm. In the afternoon, David Sánchez will give a talk on instrument maintenance and care at 5.00pm, followed at 7.00pm by the presentation of the book ‘Duetos para timple y guitarra’ (‘Duets for Timple and Guitar’), followed by a performance by Chromatic Duo. The day will close with the show ‘Surco’, performed by Domingo ‘El Colorao’, at 9.00pm in the Sala Sinfónica at the Palacio de Formación y Congresos.
Saturday 24 October will feature further training activities and opportunities for reflection on the present and future of the instrument. At 10.00am, Derque Martín will give a beginners’ masterclass on timple playing, followed at 12.00pm by an improvisation session led by Pedro Ageno, both held at the Escuela Insular de Música.
In the afternoon, at 5.00pm, the Sala Chillida will host a round table with timple players and luthiers Benito Cabrera, David Sánchez, Adán Moreno, Domingo ‘El Colorao’ and Alberto González, who will share their views on the sound, technique and current state of the timple. At 7.00pm, the book ‘Historia del timple canario’ (‘History of the Canarian Timple’), by Víctor Landeira, will be presented in collaboration with the Museo Canario. The day will conclude at 9.00pm with a performance by Pedro Ageno and his project ‘Molinos de Paso’ in the Sala Sinfónica.
On Sunday 25 October, at 12.00pm, Manuel Cerpa will give the talk ‘Flamenco: raíz y libertad’ (‘Flamenco: Roots and Freedom’) in the Sala Chillida. In the afternoon, at 5.00pm, Domingo ‘El Colorao’ will lead a masterclass on traditional strumming at the Escuela Insular de Música. The musical closing will take place at 8.00pm with a performance by Trío de Raíz, featuring Alberto González on timple, Gabriel Rodríguez on flute and Manuel Cerpa on guitar, in the Sala Sinfónica at the Palacio de Formación y Congresos.
Registration now open for workshops
The gathering includes four workshops and masterclasses: making timples from recycled materials, led by Adán Moreno; beginners’ timple playing, with Derque Martín; improvisation, with Pedro Ageno; and traditional strumming, taught by Domingo ‘El Colorao’. Prior registration is required to take part, via the following form: https://forms.gle/XxULLiSqNXqeavGs5.
With this third edition, Fuerteventura is once again placing the timple at the heart of a cultural programme that recognises its heritage value and its capacity to keep evolving, embracing new forms of expression while maintaining its connection to the musical identity of the Canary Islands.
