Handed Down - Nevada Arts Council

1993–1994
Argentinean Guitar:
Oscar Carrescia and Olga Carbia
We think of Argentina as a Hispanic country, but
it has a very complex and cosmopolitan history
that includes people from Italy, Germany, France and
many other countries and cultures. The blending and
interaction among these cultures makes for a fascinating
artistic environment. Oscar Carrescia was born in
Buenos Aires of Italian parents, and discovered an early
fascination with and aptitude for music. He recalls
hearing a violinist practicing while he and his friends
played soccer in the streets of a northern Argentinean
town, and when his father asked what he’d like as a gift,
a violin was what he wanted.
When the family moved back to Buenos Aires, Oscar
entered the music conservatory at age 12, and went
on to earn a master’s degree in performance on the
violin and the guitar. He played with the youth radio
orchestra, and then with the National Symphony for
about six years, before moving to the United States. In
Las Vegas, he played at the Dunes for many years, and
has been running a music store and school for the last
17 years, dedicating himself mainly to teaching and directing
the Las Vegas Youth Camerata Orchestra.
Olga Carbia is also from an Italian family in Argentina,
and also grew up with a love of music, but her
focus is different from Oscar’s. “Of course I do have
a great appreciation for classical music, because, like I
told you, my mom was from Italy and she played us the
opera and classical at an early age,” she explains. “But
then when I was born in my country, I developed very
nationalistic roots, and then I paid very close attention
to the music from the farm workers and the people that
are struggling, and this is what I identify with the most.
Of course I do appreciate the classic music as a soothing
and magnificent experience because I grew up in that,
but I identify myself with the music from my land, with
the people that struggle to survive, the simple people
that with the music they fight, the little simple things
of life, the treasure for nature and who they are. And in
those very simple songs, the lyrics are very deep, very
specific…with that I define myself.”
Olga performs South American and Caribbean music
with a group in Las Vegas called Amauta, which
means “teacher” in the Quechua Indian language. She
already knew how to sing many traditional songs, but
she wanted to be able to play them on the guitar as
well. In her apprenticeship with Oscar, she learned basic
chords and playing techniques used in traditional
music, and mastered several traditional songs including
a samba and the well-known “Malageña.” He’s a
great teacher,” Olga says of Oscar. “He tell you ‘Bravo!
Bravo!’ when you come up with one little simple thing,
make you feel good.”
Oscar Carrescia and Olga Carbia.
Olga Carbia (second from left) performing with Amauta.
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