Raimundo Leonardes marks Viola da Terra Day with practical session and new website

Raimundo Leonardes's Oficina de Violas da Terra de São Jorge marked Viola da Terra Day on 2 October 2026 with a practical session devoted to stringing, tuning and maintaining this traditional Azorean string instrument. Held in São Pedro, Vila do Topo, the initiative also included the launch of www.violadaterra.pt.

Entitled ‘Encordoamento da Viola da Terra’ (‘Stringing the Viola da Terra’), the session covered essential procedures for preparing and caring for the instrument. It demonstrated the basics of fitting strings and setting up the instrument, addressed tuning stability, and explained cleaning, maintenance and playing comfort.

The initiative aimed to bring musicians closer to the technical knowledge and craftsmanship involved in building and preparing a Viola da Terra, highlighting skills developed through experience, practice and the sharing of knowledge.

A new website dedicated to the Viola da Terra

The celebration included the launch of www.violadaterra.pt, a platform dedicated to promoting the instrument, its musicians and Raimundo Leonardes's work as a certified Viola da Terra maker.

The website aims to bring together information about the instrument's construction, its components and the processes involved in a luthier's work, while raising awareness of the Viola da Terra's history, identity and importance in Azorean culture.

Intended for musicians, players, researchers, students and the wider public, the website also aims to document and make traditional craft knowledge accessible. Particular attention will be given to the work undertaken at the São Jorge workshop and to key events involving the instrument and its maker.

Recognising the instrument, its makers and its players

The initiative on 2 October brought together two complementary aims: sharing knowledge about the Viola da Terra and creating new ways to promote and preserve it.

Raimundo Leonardes's work seeks to keep the tradition of handmade instrument building alive, combining practical experience with the search for solutions suited to each instrument and player. The new website supports this work by establishing a digital presence dedicated to the Viola da Terra and its associated craftsmanship.