On a gorgeous Sunday afternoon, I was invited to a cozy apartment in the NOPA district of San Francisco, nearby The Panhandle Park. Sun poured in through large windows, as the host made me and the small audience there feel right at home, offering hors d'oeuvres and drinks spread out over a solid wood table.
I often know what type of music to expect before I attend most home concerts but I didn’t have a clue walking into this one. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that the performance would be classical guitar! I’ve always loved the sound of classical guitar. It has the ability to express the human voice and an emotional range through six simple strings.
Nahuel Bronzini was the featured artist, an Argentinean classical guitarist with a strong passion for his home country. I heard it clearly in his music; he painted a picture of the peaceful yet nostalgic Argentinian landscape.
While he was playing the first piece “Septiembre”, composed by Máximo D. Pujol., he displayed a slideshow of the landscape. Nahuel revealed the piece was extra special to him because Septiembre (September) is spring in Argentina, and it's also his birth month.
Nahuel shared his childhood memories of Argentinian spring with the small audience and, even though it's on the other side of the globe, Nahuel and his guitar made me nostalgic about my own childhood growing up in Japan.
He continued his performance with some dance (Baila) and waltz (valses) music, proving that Nahuel is no average classical guitarist. There was something about him, or perhaps the way he spoke about his home country, that was mellow and gentle. I felt the kindness and beauty of human beings through his music.
Nahuel plans to expand his skills to jazz ensemble, new music, and chamber music, collaborating with other artists. He is also organizing music projects in Argentina.
For more information about Nahuel, visit his website at www.nahuelbronzini.com.