Randy Niere    26 May 2001 01:15:13 -0700
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Hi,
    My name is Randy Niere. I am a 45y/o computer consultant for Borland
Software. I live (when I'm not living out of a suitcase)in Kansas City
Kansas. I played rock guitar as a teenager, though my whole approach
changed as a teenager when my first formal teacher, John Mackey (a British
National working in the states in flight simulator software) played me an LP of
Regino Sainz De La Maza performing Rodrigo's Concierto Aranjuez.
Within a week, he was using Sanz dances to teach me classical.
    I have a particular love for the vihuelists. Narvaez is probably my
favorite, but I am fond of them all for different reasons. I also like
the English lutenists quite a bit.
 
I built my first lute from an English kit in the mid '70's. It suffered a
catastrophic accident and I went back to the guitar. Last year I built my
first vihuela... while not perfect, I did learn quite a bit (with near
boundless thanks to Clive Titmuss). In those few days this year I've been
home, I've started the second one.
    I'm still adapting to the instrument to a degree, but it's feeling
better. ( I am working on a case that will travel, and suspect I'll progress
faster at that point.
    My girlfriend actually bought me a 7 course Musickits lute (flat backed!).
It's big and heavy, but actually makes a decent instrument for madrigal and
consort work.
    Little by little, I'm working on a modern lute composition, the first
section is an homage to Bartok, the second will be Prokofiev, and I'm
considering Copeland for the last section...
     My technique has suffered one or two insults, mostly as the result of a
couple of major accidents. I'm certain that 25 years of SCA combat might be
a factor as well. I am kinda amazed that the pain goes away after about 15
minutes of playing and things feel pretty ok, except for the parts of my
Right Thumb they had to put back together... but I get a lot of enjoyment
and relaxation from playing. It's a counter to the very technical and hugely
wide ranging learning curve in my line of work.

Current instruments:
 
1890's Washburn parlor guitar.
7 co. Kit Lute (recently re-topped).
6 co. Vihula de Mano (scratch from measurements, with expert advice from Clive)
7 co. Musickits flat backed Lute.
Art et Luthierie 3/4 (with standard scale length) classical guitar. (My road
beast of Canadian hardwood, top and all. Sounds pretty good and has a
respectable tone. It sorta reminds me of an 19th. c. Parisian guitar in size
and shape.

That's about it...
 
Randy Niere.