Just wanted to pass along the news that Peter Kyvelos has passed away, after a long illness. Will post more information as it becomes available.
ARAKEL1 - 4-2-2017 at 08:13 AM
Peter was a great Guy, in 2001 he was he was awarded the National Heritage Fellowship, by the National Endowment For The Arts, he was a Master
Luthier, Oud Maker.Jonathan - 4-2-2017 at 05:43 PM
I am deeply saddened by this news
Peter Kyvelos was so much more than a brilliant luthier. He was a kind and decent man in a world that too often lacks kindness and decency.
He had such a love for his craft, and for the music. When you spoke to him, his joyful spirit was simply infectious.
He could talk to you for hours about ouds, or violins, or middle eastern music. He could talk to you for hours, and yet you would still want to talk
to him some more.
His knowledge was encyclopedic. I don't know if there's anybody on the planet that knew more about Manols than he did. But he knew so much
about just about any luthier that you could think of.
Walking into his shop was like stepping back in time. Ouds and assorted musical instruments everywhere. And yet he never rushed a job. He did
numerous repairs for me, and I was always amazed at how meticulous he was. He would spend hours just on the tiniest details. If a piece of unusual
purfling was missing, he would make sure he matched it perfectly. He was more than a craftsman. He was an artist.
And the ouds he created were nothing short of amazing. I will never forget walking into his shop, and seeing a beautiful piece of lacewood in the
corner, and asking him to use it for an oud that he was about to start building for me. The instrument that he made is brilliant in musicality, and
in form. I cherish it.
Sadly, I have not talked to him for quite a while. I knew he was sick, and I just did not feel comfortable calling him up during his convalescence.
But I will miss this man.
He was a prince.
Jonathan Varjabedian
Mike - 4-2-2017 at 07:07 PM
I never had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Kyvelos, but as I started getting into the oud, it was quickly evident that he was a legend. May he rest in
peace.
Thanks JV for sharing your heartfelt and kind words about the man. May God rest his soul and give him eternal peace and give comfort to his family.
Also, thanks in advance Lloyd for sharing any further details when you have them.SamirCanada - 4-3-2017 at 05:39 AM
Never met him but had the greatest admiration. Rest in peace.
just wanted to thank people for the kind words.
here are some thoughts of my own.
lloyd Thayer
Carlisle Mass.
I wanted to post some words about Peter Kyvelos here......I lived in the Belmont/Watertown Mass area for a little over 20 years, and took the bus by
Peter's shop "Unique Strings" countless times during that period. I was never quite
sure what went on in there, often it would be early in the morning, and it was
all closed up, and I would wonder if the store was still in business.
I had been playing music for over 20 years, and became interested in the oud,
through the playing of David Lindley. I sent Mr. Lindley an email, and he
was extremely kind and generous, and shared his knowledge of the instrument
with me............I was looking to buy a 'cheap' instrument on Ebay, to which
Mr. Lindley replied "stay off Ebay!!! You need to go see Peter Kyvelos in
Belmont!". It was quite a surprise to realize this was the very shop that I'd passed
so many times.......I made my way over there, and met Peter. Many people
talk about being intimidated by Peter, a large man, with a large presence.....
but I think Peter may have been a little taken aback by me, since I
may have looked a little different from his 'normal' customers.
I told him I wanted to buy and oud, and with raised eyebrow,
he asked: and what do you want to DO with it?". Which in retrospect
is hilarious, although it was not funny at the time. He showed me a couple
of ouds, which were all more expensive than I was able to afford.
We talked a little more, and I left. I returned a few weeks later with more money,
and I think he was very surprised to see me.......he then said "you need a teacher.
You can't learn on your own, or it will sound 'bad'. (the language was a little more
colorful....) and he gave me the names of Mal Barsamian, and John Berberian.
Mal lived much closer to me than John, so I began studying with Mal......
who is an incredible player.....and one of the kindest people I've ever met.
I am so grateful to him for his patience with me as I tried to learn......
I dont really have words to express how fortunate I feel to have made that
connection, and for all of the other information Peter shared with me over
the next few years. I knew that he was a link in a long chain of knowledge,
craftsmanship, skill, artistry......and painfully aware that he was not getting
any younger..........how would all of that knowledge be passed on?
I have a lot of funny stories and great memories of my visits to the shop....
Whenever I would stop in, he would stop whatever he was working on
and spend time with me.......I learned about so many many things. I made connections with Tev Stevig, Mac Ritchey, Amos Libby and the music of Alan
Shavarsh Bardezbanian (listening to Shet Turkish Peshrev right now, killing me) and many others. One day at a time, our friendship deepened, and sort
of took a turn that is a little too personal for me to share here. I also became friends with Peter's son Matt, whom Peter loved very much.
When Peter became ill several years ago, he lost a lot of the motor skills in his hands and was unable to work. I know that this was greater than any
pain he had suffered as a result
of his illnesses. One of the last times I saw Peter, was in the winter of 2015, I was on route 62 in Concord, and I knew that Peter lived
nearby.......I was thinking about him,
and I looked over in the opposite lane, and there was he was, being driven by his son Matt..........it was a cold day, but the sun was bright and
strong......and they were both
laughing intensely together.........which is how I hope to always remember them both. Andy - 4-3-2017 at 08:58 AM
So sad, Mal emailed me this morning. Peter suffered so much for too long. I will always remember all the times I would go in to his shop amazed
watching him and seeing his work and listening to him talking about ouds. Such a great loss for those who knew him and for those in the oud community.
Rest in peace Peter.ARAKEL1 - 4-3-2017 at 11:02 AM
Hi All
This is a vidio of Peter in his shop, Truely a great man.
This is a vidio of Peter in his shop, Truely a great man.
[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EU30YgD-8kA
[/url]
whoa! does anyone know the identity of the violin player in the opening music? what a good player!
I visited Peter and his shop many years ago when I was visiting Watertown and had wandered into Belmont and spied the shop and walked in. I played a
brand new oud he had just made. I was very impressed. He wanted $3000. I looked at him quizzically and I could see he thought I was going to say the
price was high. But instead I said what I was thinking. "So, that's what? seventy two cents an hour? " He smiled and said "something like that".
It was a memorable visit. He had a very large presence. Unforgettable, literally.maraoud108 - 7-13-2021 at 09:03 PM
Was doing a search for Manol ouds and came across this thread.
My dad grew up down the street from Peter and every time we drove into Boston, we would always drive through Belmont, first to get some lamajun and
then to go to Peter's
shop where they would talk for a bit.
I remember all the instruments and the smell of smoke. It was a magical spot, of another time.
