"A Journey Through Time With the Hurdy- Gurdy" A lecture demonstration at Duquesne Univers

Tomas Lozano's "Journey Through Time with the Hurdy-Gurdy" was one of the most interesting lecture-demonstrations we have held at the university. I was truly impressed by his knowledge of the history behind the hurdy-gurdy and how he was able to interchange the playing and singing of specific chants, folk songs, ballads, and other pieces with a captivating slideshow presentation on the hurdy-gurdy's development. Tomas brought in two beautiful hurdy-gurdy instruments, so that students were able to see different constructions of the instrument through time. His explanations of the mechanics behind the instrument were clear and witty and his demonstrations were very skilled. He was witty and engaging, encouraging questions and group interaction. My students and I came away from this presentation with a better knowledge of not only the hurdy-gurdy, but also the socio-cultural situations within which it was created and developed. This is sure to be a presentation that none of us will forget, and I would highly recommend inviting Tomas to share his expertise as musician, singer and folklorist to anyone.