Sunday, April 29, 2018 @ 3:00pm
in the MacKenzie Art Gallery
Virtuosity, musicality, elegance, sensuality and humor: Quartango’s music evokes deep emotions …
Comprised of four 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, as well as the effervescence of the milonga.
Acclaimed excellence
Quartango’s awards include three Opus Awards from the Conseil québécois de la musique, notably 2007/2008 Artist of the Year, a Félix Award and a Juno nomination. The ensemble also continues to delight critics and audiences alike:
“Quartango has found a way to bring the tango into the 21st century by incorporating elements of Jazz, Celtic, Rock, and even Stravinsky to their wonderfully innovative arrangements. And they do it in a way that is not forced, but instead makes their performances interesting and exciting. These four talented musicians engage the audience from the first piece on the program right to the very last note. Quartango would be an excellent addition to any musical program.”
–Dennis Alves, Artistic Administrator, Boston Pops Orchestra
Quartango has performed all over Canada as well as on the international stage, from Ankara and Tokyo to Taipei, Paris and New York, where they shared the stage at Carnegie Hall with the New York Pops. More recently, they performed in Guatemala and with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Maestro JoAnn Falletta. “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 … The story these four musicians tell on Astor Piazzolla’s ‘Adios Nonino’ is breathtaking. The violin and bandoneon are like plaintive lovers, with the piano narrating the scene as the double bass wickedly plays the devil’s advocate. I swear it’s palpable,”said Harold McNeil, news staff reviewer for The Buffalo News.
Quartango has recorded eight CDs on under various labels including Justin Time that have been acclaimed for their quality and originality. Their most recent album, Encuentro, will mark the group’s thirtieth year of existence. Radio-Canada and the CBC have broadcast many of Quartango concerts and the group also appeared on the CBC Television program Opening Night. In 2011, Quartango appeared with the Orchestre Métropolitain and their concert at the Maison Symphonique received rave reviews. Moreover, Quartango appeared in and provided original music for the soundtrack of the film Macadam Tango, which aired on Radio-Canada television and TV5.
Invited by major orchestras and festivals
Renowned for its performances with many important North American symphony orchestras, including Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, Orchestre symphonique de Québec, the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Ottawa, the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, the Regina Symphony Orchestra and Orchestre Métropolitain, Quartango also wowed the critics at the Montreal International Jazz Festival, the Ottawa Chamber Music Festival, the Orford Festival and the Festival international de Lanaudière. In the summer of 2008, over the course of three concerts with the OSM, the quartet won the hearts of some 40,000 people with their contagious charm.
More recently, Quartango widened its sound pallet by joining forces with well-known collaborators: Marie-Josée Lord, Marc Hervieux, Chantal Simard.
A rich and innovative repertoire
Quartango’s vast repertoire is characterized by refined musical arrangements, full of energy, the majority of which are the creations of pianist Richard Hunt (who has also composed some 20 original works for the group). Since Hunt’s death in 2011, new names (Antoine Bareil, Jonathan Goldman and Stéphane Aubin) have come to surround founding member René Gosselin and to bring their new musical sensibilities to the group. These young musicians nourish their own compositions with influences that range from classical music, jazz, rock’n’roll and world musics in a way that is as subtle as it is unexpected. Quartango sheds new light on the music of the tango with its international take on this Argentinean musical tradition.
