Morris County Library: Learn About the Guitar-Building Capital of the World for Cinco de Mayo

Published on April 25, 2019

HECHO EN MEXICO! Saturday, May 4.

Alex and Darren O'Neill play guitar.

Mexico €“ our friendly neighbor to the south: Her main exports are agricultural products and crude oil. But a tiny town in the state of Michoacán can claim the title of "guitar-building capital of the world."

This 90-minute family program will explore the centuries-old tradition of luthiere, or guitar building, in Paracho. Paracho's population is roughly 35,000 people. By some estimates, it produces as many as 80,000 guitars a year which are shipped all over the world. The Disney-Pixar movie, Coco, was inspired by the great luthiers (guitar builders) in Paracho.

Guitar Is Their Song movie imageGuest Librarian, Alex D'Yan (Conversaciones en Español), will help read Hecho en Mexico (Made in Mexico) by Peter Laufer and Susan Roth. Assistant Library Director, Darren O'Neill, and his son, Alexander, will perform traditional Mexican folk songs on guitars made by Francisco Navarro Garcia. Maestro Garcia is one of the finest luthiers in Paracho.

Also part of the program will be a showing of the rare documentary, The Guitar is Their Song, by Charlie Williams, son of the legendary guitarist John Williams. This documentary chronicles the tradition of lutherie in Paracho.

This program will take place on Saturday, May 4, from 2-3:30 p.m. in the Public Meeting Room of Morris County Library as part of the library's Cinco de Mayo celebration. Attendance is free and registration is not required.

Morris County Library logoMorris County Library is located at 30 E. Hanover Ave, Whippany. For more information, call 973-285-6930 or visit mclib.info.

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