On Saturday night, February 12, a crowd of 40 people at Restaurant Vista Del Paraiso welcomed David Coto with gracious applause, while the strong ocean breeze carried the melodies from Coto’s fingers to their ears.
Manuel Cordero, a friend of Coto’s since they were together at Castella’s Conservatory in San Jose provided a prelude. Then Coto took the stage to start his musical feast, which included flavors from Argentina, Mexico, Paraguay, and Brazil as well as his homeland, Costa Rica.
The 23 year-old musician saluted his Nosara audience for the 3rd time, playing Danza, the second movement of a piece called Paisaje Abierto by famous Costa Rican guitarist, Edín Solís. His first visit here was for an international guitar festival hosted by Vista del Paraiso three years ago.
Though he was very young, even then his performance was the highlight of the event.
At age five Coto began asking his father to teach him to play a guitar. His father was right-handed, whereas David is left-handed, and the difference is significant. Finally when David was 12, his father decided to teach him, but his own way. So today, David plays the guitar right-handed, in spite of being left-handed.
Although he is quite young, Coto has already gained international and national recognition in competitions. He won first places in the Central America Classical Guitar Competition in 2007 and the Costa Rica National Guitar Competition in 2008.
Concerning the variety of music he played on Saturday night, Coto commented that the most important thing in his choices for the concert repertoire is the contrast. “If you play a program of music that is similar, people will get bored. This happens to a lot of musicians,” he said.
In addition to teaching at an academy in San Jose and playing at private and public events currently, he has been working on his first album and trying to find sponsors for its release. “It is difficult in Costa Rica. It is possible but it is really difficult.” He added, “Development of classical guitar is really slow in Costa Rica”.
Traveling around the world to share Central American and Costa Rican music, entering several international competitions in Germany, Italy, Spain and Canada and finishing his album project are among his future plans. With the awareness of the high expenses of his plans, he commented, “I am working hard on my guitar and finding sponsors for my projects.” Coto is also the artistic director of Festival de Guitarra de San Jose (San Jose Guitar Festival) that will take place May 17-21, 2011.
Coto appreciates how his Nosara audience is “affectionate and respectful” and said, “It is a pleasure for me to play in Nosara,” Debra Bishop, 49, the owner of the venue, commented that, as an exceptional musician, Coto’s performance was beyond the expectations of the audience.
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David Coto
After the concert, Coto talked to some of his audience.
Manuel Cordero played the prelude, Flor En La Laguna by Julia César Oliva of Mexico.
David Coto
Coto is greeting his audience at the end of the concert.
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