Singing stereotypes

Don Juan and serenading Spaniards are two of the most overused stereotypes applied to Spanish men. But as two visiting musicians in town this week indicate such labelling is well-deserved. Representatives of 20-member group Tuna Universitaria De Barcelona, Carlos Sendros Madrono and David Garcia Vasquez, are travelling across Asia performing traditional Spanish music, and for more than the love of the music. 'It helps us meet women,' Madrono said. 'We sing about women, about wine. We like it when there are many girls going crazy.' Luring women with music, which they say works 'sometimes', is part of the group's history. Dating back to 1898, members were well known for their prowess in serenading young women standing on their balconies. And as proof of their charm, the crooners would have the women design badges for their capes, a tradition that continues today, as the capes of this pair clearly indicate. Madrono and Vasquez do not often sing to damsel-draped balconies. Instead they can be found at weddings and restaurants, as is the case this week where they are strumming their Spanish rhythms at Portuguese and Cuban eateries Casa Lisboa and Cubana. The former consists of slower, more seductive songs for the dinner crowd. Cubana, however, is proving to be more entertaining. 'The people there are younger, more energetic, they get up and dance, so we can do some faster music,' Madrono said. Performing as a duo is common for the pair, who only play with the remaining Tuna members a few times a year, mostly for Tuna competitions. 'Not the fish,' they stress. Tuna, short for estudiantiana (groups of students), refers to male-student singing and guitar-playing groups that exist in many universities across Spain. The earliest references to such chorales date back to the 13th century, and were actually banned in their early days. According to Madrono and Vasquez, the groups have a rather interesting history. Initially made up of poor students trying to make money for college and get a meal at the same time, the Tunas were first called Sopistas, meaning 'soup drinkers'. These days, young men are more likely to join a Tuna for life experience rather than work experience. Travel is an important component of the group, as is socialising. The Spanish institution encourages its members to be as charming and amiable as possible. 'In Spain people think we are crazy,' Madrono said. 'You must like nightlife, you must like going out.' Theoretically one is supposed to leave the group when one graduates, but these two, like many others they say, have opted to stay on. Madrono has been with Tuna Universitaria De Barcelona for six years and Vasquez, almost nine. Their prime motivation is their love of traditional Spanish music, which they say is deeply grounded in Spanish culture. 'It's the music we love - it's not electric,' Vasquez said. 'It is traditional music, it comes from our grandfathers and their grandfathers. Spanish culture is very rich, there are lots of different types of music. People listen to flamenco and say, 'Oh it's Spanish,' but that is more so in the southern parts of Spain. In the north it's different. In Barcelona it's [a style called] Sardanas.' The historical context is emphasised frequently by Madrono and Vasquez. The group's debut album, Romances Del Mediterreneo, a collection of songs performed over the years, features a multimedia presentation of the Tuna's history. The pair uses only an acoustic guitar and a bandurria, a small guitar resembling the mandolin that is a staple of Spanish music. The bandurria is so important, one was handed to Vasquez when he first joined the Tuna and he was asked to learn how to play it immediately. They incorporate various forms of Latin American music into their repertoire, but both emphasise the importance of differentiating between Spanish and Latin-American rhythms. 'Sometimes people confuse Latin music and Spanish music, and it is not the same,' Vasquez said. 'They are very different,' continued Madrono. 'Spanish typical rhythms are like the bolero, the bullfighting sound.' With some table drum beating and guitar strums, the pair were able to play the difference. 'It's not faster, just more beats,' Madrono said. The Tuna tradition thrives in Spain, though Spanish pop is developing well and is the preferred genre for many students. Madrono and Vasquez are excited by the new trends in Spanish music, particularly the fusion of flamenco and samba and flamenco and jazz, but they have no plans to alter their style. 'I don't mind singing someone else's compositions,' Vasquez said. They aim to continue travelling across Asia; they have already performed in the Philippines and future stops include Japan and Thailand. But in very Spanish fashion, 'we have no plan,' Vasquez said, 'we'll see what happens.' As is part of the Tuna mentality, Madrono and Vasquez are winging it. 'We are single,' Madrono said. Tuna Universitaria De Barcelona, tonight and tomorrow night. 8.15pm to 9.30pm at Casa Lisboa, 21 Elgin Street, Central. 10pm till late at Cubana, 47B Elgin Street, Central. Call 2869-1218