Flames swept through Altadena, California, leaving behind more than charred homes—they erased a lifetime’s collection of rare tonewoods, the soul of Mario Miralles’s world-class string instruments.
For decades, Miralles, a renowned luthier, gathered spruce from the Dolomites and centuries-old maple from Bosnia, hand-picking each piece for its resonance and character. His instruments carried his DNA, echoing through the hands of artists like Yo-Yo Ma and Gustavo Dudamel. But the Eaton fire reduced his precious wood and home to ash, sparing only a nearly finished violin and a single guitar—symbols of both loss and survival.
Yet from the rubble emerges a story of resilience: the instruments saved, the community that rose in support, the memory of music that continues despite destruction. As Miralles’s violin now sings with even deeper resonance, it stands as a testament to impermanence, courage, and the renewal that follows letting go.
— MJH
Community Discussion
or explore The Shala Daily