Manitoba Live Music Event

About

The Storyteller Guitar Project is redefining the relationship between musician and luthier.  Luthier Florian Vorreiter is undertaking extensive consultations with musicians Michael P Falk and Kerri (Woelke) Stephens - talking about family history, important personal events & the roots of their creativity.  And out of these stories he is designing an instrument that will tell their story in shape, acoustics, wood types and unique features - several of which have never been attempted by a luthier before.  This is a unique process.

The traditional demands of custom instruments must be met, including setup, voicing and model design. However, collaboration between the artists is allowing these instruments to grow beyond the average custom guitar build, and create instruments that stand alone as unique and meaningful works of art.  Integral design elements are being complemented by aesthetic and acoustic components that incorporate the the story and experiences of the musician into the guitar’s construction and design.

Florian wanted to undertake this project in the hopes that he could impact the creative lives of two working musicians and connect closer to the creative process and challenge the art of his craft.

They are also presenting a different approach to how musicians can afford instruments that are usually affordable only for a select few.  Most custom-built instruments are sold to guitar collectors & enthusiasts, hobbyists with professional income elsewhere, and every so often a musician who can scrape together the large fee for such an instrument.  

The trio are kicking off a crowd-funding IndieGoGo campaign with a concert & project exhibition at Florian’s store.

Thursday June 27    

@ Vorreiter Guitars (869 Westminster Ave)

Doors 7:15     Concert 8:00   

Sets by Kerri & Oshima (Mike solo)

Presentation by Florian

$15.00     (Avail @ Into The Music, Music Trader, headinthesand.ca, from the musicians & luthier)

 

Kerri (Woelke) Stephens is an accomplished musician, whose two solo albums have taken her across Canada and into the States numerous times and gave her 2 GMA nominations as well as a WCMA nomination.  She is now focused on her duo with Brent Warren 'Last Ditch On The Left' and hopes to release a record sometime in the next year.

 

Michael P Falk is a songwriter and performer with Les Jupes, the owner of Head In The Sand Records, a record producer, and former Artistic Director of the West End Cultural Centre - where he helped curate an art exhibit on Manitoba luthiers.  His songwriting alternates between gentle acoustic ballads (Oshima) and driving indie rock (Les Jupes), and his work to support and grow the local music community has had him dubbed "the patron-saint of the Winnipeg music scene" (Jaxon Haldane, d.Rangers)

 

Florian Vorreiter apprenticed in and studied lutherie at university for a total of 6 years. He opened his own workshop in Winnipeg in 2008, and a store/showroom in 2012. He is currently working with one apprentice.