On Solera Flamenca we are devastated to announce the sudden passing of our partner and friend Arcadio Marín, a tireless and hard-working guitar lover, with whom we were lucky to work and share many beautiful moments.

We met Arcadio through our friends Pau Figueras and Juan Antonio Moya, great artists and guitar lovers. Arcadio managed to develop a really successful guitar making system through the research and study of a guitar made by the firm Hermanos Conde in the 80s, which belonged to his good friend Pau Figueras. This making system led to his prolific second professional period, apart from awakening Solera Flamenca´s interest in his work.

He visited us plenty of times, lately. He was really interesting in seeing the very best guitars we had. Thanks to his thoroughness and devotion he succeeded in the development of a new guitar making system, inspired on the work of great craftsmen, such as Manuel Reyes and Miguel Rodríguez. As a result, a really complete instrument was created, which we did not hesitate to include in our guitar catalogue, arising many of our customers´ interest, who immediately valued the sound and making quality of these guitars.

In the last year we had some private meetings with guitarists (friends) in which we had the privilege of his presence. He always took part in these meetings actively, analyzing the sound of the guitars and always “learning” new concepts to develop or incorporate in their instruments. By saying it, you can imagine the kind of man Arcadio was, and the light he emitted, both as a luthier and as a person.

From Solera Flamenca, we would like to express our deepest condolences to Arcadio´s family and friends. A real artist has left us. However, his essence will last forever in his instruments and our thoughts.

GOD BLESS YOU, AND SEE YOU SOON, MY FRIEND.

As a biographic remark, Arcadio Marín was born in 1967 in Montreal, Canada. His parents were Spaniards, and he began studying classical guitar when he was 7. He did so in private schools first, and then at the local Conservatory.

Later, he would get in touch with Montreal´s flamenco circle, becoming more and more focused in a self-taught way. Aged 16, he was part of the flamenco troupe of the “tablao” Chateau Madrid, thus starting a professional career as a soloist, as well as accompanying the dancing and singing.

When he was 21, he was hired by Maria Benítez Spanish Dance Company, with which he worked for 6 years all along North, Central and South America.

In the early 90s, he founded the dance company Noche Flamenca, with its headquarters in New York, completely composed of Spanish artists.

In 1995 he decided to settle in Madrid, carrying on his career next to artists such as Belén Maya, Rafaela Carrasco, Joaquín Ruiz, José Antonio Galicia and Lola Greco, among others. He also collaborated in some recordings for Luis Eduardo Aute and Radio Tarifa. In June 2002, one of his compositions was awarded the Prize to the best original music at the XI Contest of Flamenco and Spanish Dance Coreography.

In the year 2000, already tired of travelling, and with a life full of collaborations with great leading figures of flamenco, and tours all around the world, he decided to start a hobby which had been part of his life since he was a kid: working with wood, thus devoting himself to the making of hand-made furniture, with great mastery.

In summer 2003 he met the luthier Arturo Sanzano, who would teach him the techniques for the making of classical and flamenco guitars. The rest… is HISTORY.