WEDDINGS - Anthony Garcia Flamenco Guitarist

Few days in a lifetime are as important as one’s wedding day – and I am always honored when asked to be a part of this special day. The artistic choices I play at weddings – while remaining true to the uniqueness of authentic flamenco song form – provide a rich and elegant atmosphere for you and your guests.

Include Flamenco in your Wedding Plans

I am available to meet with you to create a set of musical selections from my repertoire to fit your specific wishes. I continue to develop my repertoire; and so I am able to emphasize any one, or all of the following sets of flamenco song forms to create the ambience you are looking for:

Slow Tempo: Slower paced (non-rhythmic) song forms which lend themselves to a background setting like rondeña, taranta, granaína, malagueña, soleá, petenera, minera, or zamba

Medium Tempo: Relaxing and slowly rhythmic to slightly strong rhythmic (still soothing song forms) like soleá, serrana, guajira, fandangos, tientos, tanguillo, verdiales, colombiana or rumba

High Energy Tempo: Song forms which can be performed as higher energy, fast tempo to intense forms like bulerías, rumba, sevillanas, alegrías, guajira, colombiana, soleá por bulería, or tangos

You may also decide to leave it to me to choose musical selections – in which case I will vary the musical styles, providing a natural flow, varying the energy as I watch for cues from your guests.

I have found that most guests prefer variety and really enjoy the flow between slower and faster paced music – it gives them a chance to breathe between high and low energy pieces.

More About Flamenco

Flamenco and classical guitar are commonly referred to as Spanish guitar, but there are many differences that distinguish them, and a quick comparison should help you decide which you prefer. Each style approaches music with very different goals, each emphasizing different aspects of music.

Many flamenco song forms (but by no means all) are danceable, which means they are highly rhythmic. Classical music tends to emphasize rhythm much more subtly, even though some classical music was composed from dance music. Flamenco encourages improvisation within a song form, improvisation is very uncommon in classical guitar. Classical guitar is generally softer, emphasizes melodic and harmonic change. Flamenco generally (but not always) emphasizes rhythm, and secondarily melodic and harmonic change, although this is changing. Flamenco can be performed as a more background or a more foreground kind of music (it has that flexibility), classical is generally thought of as background music.

I have chosen to specialize in flamenco and have few intentions of playing classical even though I have enormous respect for classical music and musicians (in fact, I regularly use classical guitar studies because it is very well developed and teaches the hands to work efficiently). Choosing flamenco in my case is an artistic choice that gives me the time to focus in on the many details critical to playing flamenco well. It also gives me a lot of freedom to try new ideas and gives me a structure in which to actually compose or improvise my own music. The freedom to create my own music, rather than playing exactly what is written allows a more personal expression for my own individual experience and it allows your event to take on a unique feel. Although I play music from other flamenco guitarists, what I actually play is evolving into my own music, gradually, my own music is replacing theirs, using the song for as a shell. I also improvise, using their music as a basis for new ideas and recombine their short compositions in new ways, giving it a fresh feel each time I play.

Flamenco is not a kind of music one can wake up one day and decide they play, it takes many years of careful training, observation and study to create the appropriate feel (aire) for each song form. The rhythms and song forms present a world of musical possibility but must at the same time be present for the music to be called flamenco. It has logic and a structure that is foreign to anyone not growing up with it, and thus it takes many years for it to become natural to its students.

For more on the differences between classical and flamenco, please see the Classical versus Flamenco tab.

To give a quick idea of how classical and flamenco differ, please listen to the samples I have linked to by two of my favorite guitarists, one classical, one flamenco:

David Russell – Classical Guitarist

Vicente Amigo – Flamenco Guitarist

Click here for additional Links

The unique music I will play offers your guests the chance to experience a rare, honest and intimate musical style with exceptional depth, historical and cultural complexity. Your wedding will stand out in a tasteful way to your guests who will feel they have experienced something very special. Click on the tabs below to learn more.


	Weddings & Flamenco Few days in a lifetime are as important as one’s wedding day – and I am always honored when asked to be a part of this special day. The artistic choices I play at weddings – while remaining true to the uniqueness of authentic flamenco song form – provide a rich and elegant atmosphere for you and your guests. Include Flamenco in your Wedding Plans I am available to meet with you to create a set of musical selections from my repertoire to fit your specific wishes. I continue to develop my repertoire; and so I am able to emphasize any one, or all of the following sets of flamenco song forms to create the ambience you are looking for: Slow Tempo: Slower paced (non-rhythmic) song forms which lend themselves to a background setting like rondeña, taranta, granaína, malagueña, soleá, petenera, minera, or zamba Medium Tempo: Relaxing and slowly rhythmic to slightly strong rhythmic (still soothing song forms) like soleá, serrana, guajira, fandangos, tientos, tanguillo, verdiales, colombiana or rumba High Energy Tempo: Song forms which can be performed as higher energy, fast tempo to intense forms like bulerías, rumba, sevillanas, alegrías, guajira, colombiana, soleá por bulería, or tangos You may also decide to leave it to me to choose musical selections – in which case I will vary the musical styles, providing a natural flow, varying the energy as I watch for cues from your guests. I have found that most guests prefer variety and really enjoy the flow between slower and faster paced music – it gives them a chance to breathe between high and low energy pieces. More About Flamenco Flamenco and classical guitar are commonly referred to as Spanish guitar, but there are many differences that distinguish them, and a quick comparison should help you decide which you prefer. Each style approaches music with very different goals, each emphasizing different aspects of music. Many flamenco song forms (but by no means all) are danceable, which means they are highly rhythmic. Classical music tends to emphasize rhythm much more subtly, even though some classical music was composed from dance music. Flamenco encourages improvisation within a song form, improvisation is very uncommon in classical guitar. Classical guitar is generally softer, emphasizes melodic and harmonic change. Flamenco generally (but not always) emphasizes rhythm, and secondarily melodic and harmonic change, although this is changing. Flamenco can be performed as a more background or a more foreground kind of music (it has that flexibility), classical is generally thought of as background music. I have chosen to specialize in flamenco and have few intentions of playing classical even though I have enormous respect for classical music and musicians (in fact, I regularly use classical guitar studies because it is very well developed and teaches the hands to work efficiently). Choosing flamenco in my case is an artistic choice that gives me the time to focus in on the many details critical to playing flamenco well. It also gives me a lot of freedom to try new ideas and gives me a structure in which to actually compose or improvise my own music. The freedom to create my own music, rather than playing exactly what is written allows a more personal expression for my own individual experience and it allows your event to take on a unique feel. Although I play music from other flamenco guitarists, what I actually play is evolving into my own music, gradually, my own music is replacing theirs, using the song for as a shell. I also improvise, using their music as a basis for new ideas and recombine their short compositions in new ways, giving it a fresh feel each time I play. Flamenco is not a kind of music one can wake up one day and decide they play, it takes many years of careful training, observation and study to create the appropriate feel (aire) for each song form. The rhythms and song forms present a world of musical possibility but must at the same time be present for the music to be called flamenco. It has logic and a structure that is foreign to anyone not growing up with it, and thus it takes many years for it to become natural to its students. For more on the differences between classical and flamenco, please see the Classical versus Flamenco tab. To give a quick idea of how classical and flamenco differ, please listen to the samples I have linked to by two of my favorite guitarists, one classical, one flamenco: David Russell – Classical Guitarist Vicente Amigo – Flamenco Guitarist Click here for additional Links The unique music I will play offers your guests the chance to experience a rare, honest and intimate musical style with exceptional depth, historical and cultural complexity. Your wedding will stand out in a tasteful way to your guests who will feel they have experienced something very special. Click on the tabs below to learn more.
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