Hello Rafael,
I saw you lecture a couple of years ago in Richard Ross' Magic Art Center in Holland. Beautiful elegant magic!!!
Some time ago you noticed that you have a musical background as well as a magical one.
I am curious what your thoughts are on the combination of live music and magic. I'm shure that you must "feel" the power music can have in a magical act.
Also curious what exactly do you play and does being a musician have an advantage on being a magician for you?

Dan LeFay

I see, you were there at that lecture? Well, I also was there at FISM when you did the wonderful thing with the coins and the guitar. Enjoyed it so much.

Live music and magic? I think there's a world of possibilities there. However, I think it takes a different approach than recorded music. Maybe it should feel more like an interaction, a bit of a duet, I don't know... whereas recorded music should feel as if the performer didn't hear it. As if you did a movie and someone wrote the score afterwards.

I began playing some electric guitar as a teenager in Caracas, Venezuela, which is where I'm from. I soon discovered the Classical guitar (wow! sounds like two guitars - so typical). Soon I was studying at the conservatory under the great guitarist composer Antonio Lauro.

Having an interest in lute music that was often transcribed for the guitar, lutenist Oscar Ohlsen from Chile (now an amaterur magician!) gave some courses and I learned that the lute could actually be played today. I went to London to study the lute and was the first lute player to get a degree at the Guildhall. During that time I began to read magic boks and learn stuff. Then I pursued further studies in Basle, Switzerland (where I met Roberto Giobbi) and also learned several other early plucked instruments: Baroque lute, Renaissance lute, Baroque guitar, Renaissance guitar, Theorbo, vihuela.

Although all of this consumes a great deal of time, I honestly think I am a better magician because I am a musician and a better musician because I am a magician. And this probably applies to other combinations of skills. Whatever you are. The first thing was the discipline of practice. It takes some time to a beginner in magic to learn that something that appears impossible can be accomplished through practice. Many people never even get to try it out.

Wow!!!! I'm deadjealous Rafael. You have actually done what I always dreamt of!

Your analogy for recorded music and filmmusic is very interesting. I'll keep that in mind...

By the way, the Conservatory of Den Haag has one of the very best Early Music Departments in the world. I once played there, accompanying my Venezuelan friend Aldo Abreu in his recorder exam. That School is best known for recorder and harpsichord, while the Schola Cantorum basiliensis, in Switzerland, is the best known place for lute.

First of all, Welcome Rafael. It is a pleasure to see such an artist as our special guest.

I had the pleasure of having Rafael spend an afternoon at Dean's Shoppe. He did some killer magic and then really blew me away with his guitar playing. I had no idea he was that accomplished. He played a piece that was so beautiful and artistic that everyone there was speechless. Especially me. I have played for many years myself but not like this man. Great job Rafael. You are my new hero. I think the Ultimate performance would be Rafael playing and Dan Lefay performing magic to the music.

Anyway have a great time on the forum this week. Hope to see you again soon. And by the way you are a true gentleman.

Dean Dill

Thank you Dean. I thought I had answered this message and just realized it's not there. I loved your guitar playing, too, and you totally blew me away with your coin magic and ideas. Your Shoppe is a wonderful place. Well, it's about time to get another haircut. Nice while it lasted.

It is very interesting how much of the top rating magicians have strong interests in music! Probably the knowledge how much practcise a performance needs before a show, or the rhytem and timing for breaks, slowdown and speedup?

The practice thing you mention is right on. The rest of it also counts, but in a less direct way.