Fuerteventura unveils programme for the 3rd National Timple Gathering, taking place from 22 to 25 October

Fuerteventura Island Council unveiled the programme for the 3rd National Timple Gathering this Monday. The event will take place from 22 to 25 October, with a wide range of activities centred on the instrument and the musical traditions of the Canary Islands. The presentation was attended by Island Council President Lola García; Culture Councillor Rayco León; timple player Domingo ‘El Colorao’, representing the National Timple Association; and Marcos Hormiga, author of the publication associated with the gathering.

Organised by the Fuerteventura Island Council’s Department of Culture as part of the programme at the Fuerteventura Conference and Training Centre, and coordinated by the National Timple Association, the gathering aims to promote the instrument as an emblem of Canarian music and popular culture. It will also provide opportunities to learn, exchange knowledge and showcase new musical ideas.

At the presentation, Island Council President Lola García highlighted the timple’s importance as part of the Canary Islands’ collective memory and the value of introducing it to younger generations. “Some instruments make music, while others, like the timple, tell the stories of a people — the stories of our people. Let’s keep making sure it is played, that it moves people, and that the younger generations of Fuerteventura and the Canary Islands feel increasingly proud to be Canarian,” she said.

Culture Councillor Rayco León said: “The timple is one of the most distinctive features of traditional Canarian music, and it has a potential that we are often unaware of. That is why it is important to create spaces for reflection, the sharing of knowledge and the promotion of 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 are approaching this edition with great enthusiasm and new challenges. We want the timple to reach younger generations and for the gathering to continue throughout the year, with activities in schools and students taking part,” he said.

Marcos Hormiga, meanwhile, highlighted the publication devoted to the timple, which brings together contributions from people connected with its history, making and performance. “It is a unique initiative in the Canary Islands, as no magazine had been devoted exclusively to our national instrument. This second issue traces its history and looks ahead to its future,” he said.

Four days of timple events

The programme can be viewed at https://culturafuerteventura.es/agenda-ftv/. The gathering will open on Thursday 22 October at 12:00 with an inauguration and the presentation of the 2nd Timple Notebook in the Chillida Room at the Fuerteventura Conference and Training Centre. That afternoon, at 16:00, craftsman David Sánchez will open the exhibition ‘Timple: Tradition and Avant-Garde’, exploring the development of the instrument’s construction techniques and the dialogue between traditional methods and new approaches to making it.

Thursday’s programme will continue at 17:00 with a workshop on making timples from recycled materials, led by Adán Moreno, at the Island School of Music. The day will conclude with a concert by Pino&Pino at 20:30 in the Conference Centre’s Symphony Hall. Their musical approach incorporates the charango and connects Andean traditions with other repertoires.

Friday 23 October will begin at 12:00 with a talk by Andrés Pino entitled ‘The Charango, or Baroque Guitar of the Andes’. In the afternoon, David Sánchez will give a talk on instrument maintenance and care at 17:00. At 19:00, the book ‘Duets for Timple and Guitar’ will be presented, followed by a performance by Chromatic Duo. The day will end at 21:00 with ‘SURCO’, a performance by Domingo ‘El Colorao’ in the Conference Centre’s Symphony Hall.

Saturday 24 October will feature further training activities and opportunities to discuss the instrument’s present and future. At 10:00, Derque Martín will lead an introductory masterclass in timple playing, followed at 12:00 by an improvisation session led by Pedro Ageno. Both events will take place at the Island School of Music.

In the afternoon, at 17:00, the Chillida Room will host a round-table discussion with timple players and luthiers Benito Cabrera, David Sánchez, Adán Moreno, Domingo ‘El Colorao’ and Alberto González. They will share their perspectives on the timple’s sound, technique and place in today’s music scene. At 19:00, Víctor Landeira’s book ‘History of the Canarian Timple’ will be presented, with the support of El Museo Canario. The day will conclude at 21:00 with a performance by Pedro Ageno and his project ‘Molinos de Paso’ in the Symphony Hall.

On Sunday 25 October, Manuel Cerpa will give the talk ‘Flamenco: Roots and Freedom’ at 12:00 in the Chillida Room. At 17:00, Domingo ‘El Colorao’ will lead a masterclass in traditional strumming at the Island School of Music. The musical finale will be a performance by Trío de Raíz at 20:00 in the Conference Centre’s Symphony Hall. The trio comprises Alberto González on timple, Gabriel Rodríguez on flute and Manuel Cerpa on guitar.

Registration open for workshops

The gathering includes four workshops and masterclasses: making timples from recycled materials, led by Adán Moreno; an introduction to timple playing with Derque Martín; improvisation with Pedro Ageno; and traditional strumming, taught by Domingo El Colorao. Advance registration is required via this 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 with the musical identity of the Canary Islands.