Special wood and different lives | David Rocha | TEDxJovem@lbira

Since 2009, when David Rocha started to attend luthier classes - which is making of musical instruments - he searches for wood that people left out in the trash so that he can make his own instruments. He developed his interest in music in his childhood when he used to watch the Sala São Paulo concerts on TV. He learned to play in an evangelic church when he was 16. Determined to make his own violin, David found in the discarded furniture the perfect way to achieve it.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx

Before playing my violin
I would like to talk a little.

I myself made this violin,
all with garbage material,

all recycled.

I just bought the strings.

It all started when a friend
took me to a foundation

and I could see the violins
hanging through the window.

After some days, I enrolled
in the violin making classes.

Since then, I haven't stopped.

But I didn't have the money
to afford the wood and make me one.

I managed to pick up all the wood
that people left out in the trash,

and I gathered that wood to make a violin.

It was then that a simple thing
turned into a very big thing,

that I'm still doing up to now.

Apart from violin, I also have made
some other musical instruments

like guitars, mandolins, ukeleles

and many other string instruments.

All that has changed at this time.

Now, everyone who works with me

gathers wood to make
their own instruments too.

I am going to play
a little bit this violin right now

so you can hear how it sounds.

(Violin)

(Music ends)

(Applause)

This is the sound
that I got from the trash.

Any of the instruments I have made
have had sound issues.

Every instrument has a perfect sound,

including this one, with which I study
and have played in many different events.

(Applause)