“With elegantly flawless arrangements full of sensuality and wry humor, this group of classically trained musicians infuses the tango with a fascinating mixture of pathos and heat.” – Buffalo News

Symphony Nova Scotia joins forces with 2015 JUNO Award winners Quartango and the live dancers of Tangonova for a unique and colourful concert of tango music at Halifax’s Rebecca Cohn Auditorium on Friday, April 10 at 7:30 pm.

Winner of the 2015 JUNO Award for Instrumental Album of the Year, Quebec’s Quartango is made up of four virtuoso tango musicians performing on bass, violin, piano, and bandoneon (a bellows instrument from the same family as the accordion).

The quartet has released seven critically acclaimed recordings, and since its founding 30 years ago has performed across Canada and internationally, often with symphony orchestras. This performance marks their first-ever partnership with Symphony Nova Scotia.

“We’re really excited about playing with Symphony Nova Scotia,” says Quartango.

“Our latest album is called Encuentro, which means “encounter,” because for us music is all about creative encounters – encounters between different genres (tango, of course, but also jazz, classical and rock) but also between artists. The kind of synergy that happens between the four musicians of the group and the sheer virtuosity, power and finesse of a symphony orchestra is truly inspiring for us. Sparks will fly!”

The concert will be led by guest conductor and local tango aficionado Dinuk Wijeratne, and will also feature several live performances from Tangonova’s local dancers. Tangonova will also give dance demonstrations outside the auditorium at intermission.

The concert program includes:

• Antonin Dvorak: Slavonic Dance, op.46 no.1
• George Gershwin: Prelude no. 2
• Palomita Blanca
• El choclo
• Milonga Celtica
• Rouge
• Panuelos
• La cumparsita
• Adios Nonino
• Blue rondo a la Turk

Tickets are on sale now! Prices range from $30-59, or you can pick up a ticket package and save up to 30%. Call 902.494.3820 or visit symphonynovascotia.ca.

Watch a Quartango performance:

About Quartango
Virtuosity, musicality, elegance, sensuality, and humor; Quartango’s music evokes deep emotions, even after almost 30 years!
Comprising highly accomplished musicians, bound by their shared passion for the tango and driven by an unceasing desire to make a close connection with their audience, Quartango offers a performance filled with subtle nuances and a blend of colours that reflects both the classics and modernity and the effervescence of the milonga.

When classically trained musicians come together to explore their passion for tango, the result is nothing short of delightful. Quartango takes tango in new directions, with impeccable arrangements, subtle and unexpected allusions to classical music, and a liberal dose of humour, all woven together by the elegant interplay of ensemble playing at its best.

Quartango is Stéphane Aubin, piano; Jonathan Goldman, bandoneon; René Gosselin, double bass; and Antoine Bareil, violin. Together, they offer a repertoire ranging from the classic tangos to tango nuevo and Piazzolla. They also explore other genres, from jazz and opera to waltzes and jigs, in their own inimitable style.

Quartango has charmed audiences across Canada and the United States, and in Tokyo, Taipei, Paris, São Paulo, and Guatemala. They stole the show at Carnegie Hall, in performance with the New York Pops, and have also appeared with the National Arts Centre Orchestra and the Orchestre Métropolitain among others throughout Canada and the U.S. Quartango performed for outdoor concerts with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, attracting a total of more than 60,000 spectators.

Quartango has recorded seven CDs, several of which have been honored with awards. Their latest recording, Encuentro, was released in October 2013.

Quartango breathes new life into a genre that has a tendency to become mired in nostalgia or bridled by a rigid purism. The four members are equally at home in an intimate chamber music setting, with a symphony orchestra, or at a jazz festival. The effervescent chemistry between the musicians and their engaging rapport with the audience create a memorable musical experience that never fails to bring down the house!