Most guitarists would prefer the term ‘collaboration’ to describe their partnership with a gifted singer. Indeed, the guitarist has a creative role equal to the singer’s. When a singer and a guitarist perform together, it becomes a dialogue, one in which the performance of each artist complements the other, making the sum of their combined talents greater than all of its parts. Guitarists, therefore, must be able to improvise, having the ability to be flexible in their toques, so that they can provide the perfect complement to their partner without becoming intrusive, or worse, making the performance a competition between the two artists. In order to truly have a feel for the Cante, the guitarist must have an intimate knowledge of the coplas as well as a profound identification with their aire. A good ear for the music’s harmonies is a must, in order to anticipate the singer’s movement through the music. Even more of a challenge is to accompany the Baile Accompanying a dance requires a thorough command of the compas, as well as the guitarist being able to respond in an instant to the dancer’s tempo changes. If a guitarist wants to become a true virtuoso in the art of Flamenco, learning to collaborate with artists of other disciplines is essential to his or her musical formation. Accompaniment is a subtle art, perhaps the most difficult achievement for a guitarist to attain. Certainly, it is more difficult than playing solo, due to the depth of communication and knowledge that collaboration requires. Unfortunately, to most concert-goers outside of Spain, such talents often go unappreciated.
