Je suis effondré car je viens d’apprendre la disparation de José Vasquez, un de mes premiers maîtres. J’ai énormément appris de lui et j’adorais participer aux stages de Thoiry où je buvais littéralement son archet car sa main droite était magique. Je lui serai éternellement reconnaissant de m’avoir laissé en tête à tête avec sa Stainer de 1671 le temps d’un repas, c’était la première fois que je posais mes doigts sur un instrument historique et j’ai passé un moment inoubliable. Avec lui, j’ai compris ce qu’était un maître de viole et le choc de nos personnalités a créé quelques étincelles notables, je pense à lui aujourd’hui avec un profond respect pour le musicien et une grande tendresse pour l’homme.
Saloperie de Covid.
I’m so sad to hear that the enigmatic, passionate and talented Jose Vasquez has left us. Attending the Orpheon Baroque school in Thoiry in 2008 is one of my most happy memories and the experience left me with some lifelong baroque friends and began my love affair with France.
Thank you Jose for your gifts to the world, including the beautiful Orpheon Collection and my sincere condolences to those who knew him better than I did. One light has gone out today.
Jose took this beautiful photo of me – possibly my favourite of all time with Jerome Chaboseau. I have photos of him, but they are taken by other people – I’ll let them share them.
Vale Jose Vasquez!
Erik wrote:
RIP José Vasquez. A great friend and a wonderful musician. In 2012 he took me along a tour of the Vatican, and when we got to the Sistine Chapel the tour guide took us into la stanza del pianto, the room of tears, where the Pope goes as soon as he is elected to change from his Cardinal robes to the Papal robes. Normally the room is off limits, but as usual José had connections and the guide took us in there, located to the left below Michelangelo’s The Last Judgement.
José told me one time he arrived at the Vatican early enough to be the first in line to enter, and once inside he ran through to the Sistine Chapel so he could have a moment inside alone. Now I imagine he can go there whenever he wants, with his friends Michelangelo and Palestrina.