Filipinos are known for producing great music and musicians. Moreover, aside from being a good musician Filipinos are also endowed with great talents for making musical instrument starting from a humble bamboo flute, guitar and even great sounding violins. Yes, Filipinos also have a violin making tradition. From late violin makers like Prudencio and son Alejando "Mang Diding" Cruz and others to the present masters like Amador Tamayo and Angel Gabute.
Among the present luthier, Angel Gabute stood as one of the most successful luthier in the country. He is one of the trusted luthier for the various needs of Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra, La Salle, U.P. and other schools. Even upstarting violinist and private individuals like myself witnessed the quality of workmanship of Mang Angel when he repaired my Strad copy violin.
While it is true that Angel Gabute possessed no certificate as a luthier from an international violin school he is a master in his own right. Angel Gabute was a former student of master luthier Amador Tamayo. Amador Tamayo was a German trained luthier who spent several years of training according German violin tradition. German violin making tradition is characterized by its adherence to precision and perfection. No wonder the work of these master luthier are excellent as well.
Among the present luthier, Angel Gabute stood as one of the most successful luthier in the country. He is one of the trusted luthier for the various needs of Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra, La Salle, U.P. and other schools. Even upstarting violinist and private individuals like myself witnessed the quality of workmanship of Mang Angel when he repaired my Strad copy violin.
While it is true that Angel Gabute possessed no certificate as a luthier from an international violin school he is a master in his own right. Angel Gabute was a former student of master luthier Amador Tamayo. Amador Tamayo was a German trained luthier who spent several years of training according German violin tradition. German violin making tradition is characterized by its adherence to precision and perfection. No wonder the work of these master luthier are excellent as well.
Through more than a decade of painstaking discipline and perseverance under the tutelage of Amador Tamayo, Angel Gabute had perfected all the intricacies of violin making. He has repaired various instrument from a "badly made" Chinese violin to precious Stradivarius.
However, his rise from obscurity to fame is without hardship. During my visit he recounted how as an upstarting luthier he experienced being discriminated simply because of his lowly origin as promdi(from the provice, He hailed from the province of Romblon). Ever humble Mang Angel never insisted to prove his skill but when he was given the opportunity of his lifetime everyone was left awestruck by the quality of his work. It was a sweet victory for Mang Angel. As the saying goes you should never judge a book by its cover.
All of his violin are entirely made by hand from start to finish. Normally, it would take several months to make one violin. Violin repairs and retouch like the one he did to my violin can take several days top depending on the job. He would never give a definite date when a particular project will finish but he would never fail to get in touch with his customer once it is done.
To those who would love to get in touch with Angel Gabute "Mang Angel" you can reach him at #15 San Isidro St. Tala, Caloocan City. Tel. 4966928. To get to his workshop simply follow this direction: From PHILCOA take a jeepney going to BAGONG SILANG PHASE 5. Tell the driver that you will be alighting at the TERMINAL END. When you see the Police Precint number 12 and Rhexan Academy you are not very far from his workshop.
However, his rise from obscurity to fame is without hardship. During my visit he recounted how as an upstarting luthier he experienced being discriminated simply because of his lowly origin as promdi(from the provice, He hailed from the province of Romblon). Ever humble Mang Angel never insisted to prove his skill but when he was given the opportunity of his lifetime everyone was left awestruck by the quality of his work. It was a sweet victory for Mang Angel. As the saying goes you should never judge a book by its cover.
All of his violin are entirely made by hand from start to finish. Normally, it would take several months to make one violin. Violin repairs and retouch like the one he did to my violin can take several days top depending on the job. He would never give a definite date when a particular project will finish but he would never fail to get in touch with his customer once it is done.
To those who would love to get in touch with Angel Gabute "Mang Angel" you can reach him at #15 San Isidro St. Tala, Caloocan City. Tel. 4966928. To get to his workshop simply follow this direction: From PHILCOA take a jeepney going to BAGONG SILANG PHASE 5. Tell the driver that you will be alighting at the TERMINAL END. When you see the Police Precint number 12 and Rhexan Academy you are not very far from his workshop.
4 comments:
I live in California and bought one of Mr. Gabute's violas from a music store in my area. I had never heard of him prior and many of my teachers and colleagues were skeptical of this unknown maker when I showed it to them. I love the smooth, full sound of my viola and am glad Mr. Gabute is finally starting to get some of the recognition he deserves. Hopefully this will spread to the states!
Mang Anghel nais ko po sanang magparepair ng violin. Lumang violin po ang meron ako, nakahiwalay po kasi ang neck nito noong nakuha ko sa uncle ko. Maaari ko po bang kunin ang cellphone number ninyo nang malaman ko kung magkano po ang repair?
Hi, Elisa. I'm glad to know that you liked Mr. Gabute's viola. I believed he is continuously selling his instrument to several instrument shop there in the states. He's a one man team so he does not churn a lot of intrument. I hope he can make more instruments. Please help spread his wonderful work to your colleagues, I'm sure it will help him a lot. If by any chance you visit Philippines, you can get in touch with him and visit his workshop.😄
Rodney, tawagan mo na lang sya sa phone number sa work shop nya. Nasa last part ng blog yung contact number nya. 😜
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