Maker of guitars and citterns (Corsican Cetera)

I had a passion for the classical guitar when I was quite young, and I studied it for five years. It was in fact while practicing that I first had the idea, then the project, to become a luthier. I started an internship in 1982, and the same year was awarded the CAP (Certificat d'Aptitudes Professionnelles) in woodworking, waiting to realize my dream. This dream finally became a reality in 1985 after two years' training in the workshop of guitar maker Bruno Perrin.

Back in Bastia, in the workshop that I opened in 1991 in the heart of the old "citadella," I designed and built my first instruments, mixing intuition and reflection, to put the sonority I was looking for into physical form. I am still very passionate for the classical guitar - nylon strung guitars are my main instrument - and I have developed several different classical, electro-acoustics and jazz models.

At the same time, I have also explored different ways of advancing the technical evolution of a traditional Corsican instrument - “a cetera” (the cittern) - which disappeared at the beginning of the 20th century and which was re-born in the 70s through the work of the association “Voce di u Cumunu”. I wanted to create my own modern version of this instrument, to contribute to the renaissance of the 17th-century Corsican cittern in contemporary music, both in Corsica and outside the island.

In partnership with the Museum of Corsica, I have realized several different orgnaological and historical works concerning the cetera. I regularly participate in the restoration of the instrument collection of the Museum. I have also attempted to catalogue all the dimensions of the original citterns to produce a precise database, to continue research into the instrument and, to share this with people who are interested in it.